Heath’s Homer Sends Penguins to Doubleheader Split with Morehead

by YSU

Wednesday, Mar 6, 2013 5:41 am

Gastonia, N.C. -- Youngstown State's Marcus Heath broke a 7-7 tie with a three-run home run in the top of the eighth inning to lift the Penguins to a 10-7 victory over Morehead State in game two of Tuesday's doubleheader at Sims Park.

After offense was at a premium in Morehead State's 3-1 victory in Tuesday's opener, the teams combined for 17 runs on 25 hits in the second contest. Heath was one of four Penguins in game two with two hits, and Kris Moules had three hits and scored twice. Leadoff batter Mike Accardi led all players with three runs scored.

The Eagles got RBI singles in the first and third innings to go up 2-0 on YSU starter Pat Shedlock, but David Saluga singled in Moules in the top of the fourth to make the score 2-1. Morehead State answered with a three-run homer by Drew Williams to take a 5-1 lead.

The Penguins cut the deficit in half with two runs in the fifth, and they took a 7-5 lead with a four-run sixth. Moules and Saluga started the inning with singles, and Jason Shirley walked to load the bases with nobody out. Moules scored on a Jonas Wellan groundout, and Saluga scored the tying run on Jack Graham's squeeze bunt. Accardi followed with a single that brought in Shirley, and Phil Lipari capped the inning with an RBI double to right.

Alan Mocahbee's two-run homer tied the score in the seventh for Morehead State, but Heath followed with his three-run shot to right-center with one out in the eighth for the game's final runs.

The Penguins ran into trouble in the bottom of the eighth as Morehead State loaded the bases with nobody out on two errors and a single, but YSU closer Nic Manuppelli worked out of it. He struck out pinch-hitter Taylor Pickens, and he threw out Bobby Burns at the plate on a come-backer to the mound. He then struck out Kane Sweeney to end the inning. Manuppelli retired the side in order in the ninth.

In game one, the teams combined for just nine hits as Morehead State held on for a 3-1 victory. Morehead State scored twice in the fourth to go up 2-0, and Lipari singled in Accardi for YSU in the fifth to make the score 2-1. The final run of the game came in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice fly, Morehead State's second of the contest.

Jared Wight allowed one earned run on two hits in four innings in his first collegiate start. Josh North allowed one run in two innings, and Erik Okleson tossed two innings of scoreless relief.

Youngstown State is scheduled for four games this weekend at Pittsburgh, two each against Manhattan and the host Panthers. A doubleheader on Friday will start at noon.

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