MURRAY, Kent. (3/4/09) ? The Arkansas State baseball team (2-5) dropped an 11-5 decision Wednesday afternoon to Murray State (6-2) at Reagan Field in the Red Wolves final game before starting Sun Belt Conference play this weekend.
The Red Wolves trailed just 5-4 after six innings of action, but Murray State tacked on three runs in both the seventh and eighth. ASU scored one run in the top of the eighth inning, but left six runners on base over the final four innings and stranded a runner on third in each of the sixth, seventh and eighth innings.
ASU finished with 10 hits to Murray State's 12 and the Thoroughbreds took advantage of two home runs that accounted for four RBI's.
Josh DeMoney recorded a team-high three hits, while Derrick Coleman and Lawson Hipps each finished with two to lead the Red Wolves at the plate. Guy Brown, Coleman, Hipps and Jordan Kimball each finished with one RBI.
ASU starting pitcher Drew Benes was able to strikeout the side in the first inning, but not before Daniel Hill gave Murray State a quick 2-0 lead with a two-run home run. Benes (0-2) took the loss for ASU, while MSU's Dan Huff improved to 2-0 on the mound.
The Red Wolves struck back with three runs off three hits and a Murray State miscue in the second inning. With one out, Brandon Eller doubled, Coleman then blasted a triple to center field and Hipps followed with a single. Hipps later stole second base, advanced to third on a wild pitch and finally came home on a throwing error by catcher Daniel Miller, who was trying to catch Kimball stealing second.
The Thoroughbreds came back with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the second inning to again take a two-run lead, 5-3. ASU issued two walks and gave up a single to Murray State's first three batters to load the bases with no outs. MSU then scored off a fielders choice, a single and a sacrifice fly before Derek Riley, who entered the game with no outs and runners on first and second, recorded a strikeout to get the Red Wolves out of the inning.
With one out and the bases empty, DeMoney was responsible for ASU's second triple of the day in the fifth inning. Two pitches later, Brown hit a sacrifice fly that cut the Thoroughbreds lead to just 5-4. Murray State extended its lead to 8-4 in the seventh inning, scoring three runs on two hits that included a two-run shot over the left-centerfield fence by Bryan Propst.
Kimball had an RBI-single in the eighth inning to cut the MSU lead to 8-5, but the Thoroughbreds set the final score at 11-5 with three runs in the bottom half of the inning.
Arkansas State opens Sun Belt Conference play this weekend with a three-game home series with Louisiana-Lafayette. The series opener at Tomlinson Stadium and Kell Field is scheduled for Friday at 6:00 p.m.
