VERSAILLES, Ky. -- The Midway University baseball squad opened their third River States Conference series of the season on Friday when they hosted Point Park (Pa.) to open a three-game series at Chandler Field.
The Eagles took a 6-5 lead into the eighth inning, but the Pioneers rallied for four runs in the top of the eighth inning en route to the 9-6 victory to take game one of the series.
Point Park – who improved to 9-7 overall and 5-2 in conference play with the win – struck first with two in the second and three in the fourth, while the Eagles scored one in the second with the Pioneers taking a 5-1 lead after four innings.
In Midway's second inning, Kurt Paldino (Overland Park, Kans.) opened with a double before moving to third on a sacrifice bunt from Matthew Olson (Louisville, Ky.). Paldino then scored on a sacrifice fly from Francis Mejia (Wesley Chapel, Fla.).
The one run cut the initial deficit in half before the Pioneers scored three in the fourth extended their lead to 5-1. The Eagles – who fell to 11-11 overall and 2-5 in league play with the loss – rallied with a five run fifth inning taking a 6-5 advantage.
Singles from Layne Peavler (Harrodsburg, Ky.) and Graeham Luttor (Toronto, Canada) brought Koy Lindsey (Campbellsville, Ky.) to the plate with two outs. The senior ripped a double to deep left-center field scoring Peavler and Luttor.
Tyrin Orr (Nashville, Tenn.) – Lindsey's courtesy runner – scored on an RBI double from Mejia, while Olson walked before Haden Fox (Somerset, Ky.) singled scoring Olson and Mejia giving the home squad a 6-5 lead.
Gus Garrison (Cynthiana, Ky.), who got the start for the Eagles, allowed five runs, but settled down retiring the final seven batters he faced before giving way to Jacob Cole (Mount Eden, Ky.) to start the seventh.
The junior got a quick 1-2-3 seventh inning but ran into trouble in the eighth. A crucial error allowed one run to score before pinch-hitter, Tyler Dobie blasted a three-run home putting the Pioneers ahead for good by a score of 9-6.
The Eagles had their chances but failed to figure out Ryan Huber. Huber entered with two outs in the fifth and retired 11 straight batters before allowing a two-out single to Tyson Orr (Nashville, Tenn.) in the ninth as his performance sealed the 9-6 victory.
Cole got the loss for the Eagles allowing four runs – two earned – on two hits. Jonathan Hook (Tamarac, Fla.) replaced Cole in the eighth and tossed two shutout innings with two punchouts.
Haden Fox and Kurt Paldino led the offensive attack with two hits apiece, while Fox drove in two runs. Koy Lindsey and Francis Mejia also added two RBI's each.
The Eagles and the Pioneers will wrap up their series on Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader beginning at noon eastern time at Chandler Field.
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