Hill Blasts Three Home Runs as Breds Sets Single-Game Hits Record in Trouncing of Bison

Friday, March 6

Murray, Ky.

2 p.m.

Murray State

North Dakota State

Hill Blasts Three Home Runs as Breds Sets Single-Game Hits Record in Trouncing of Bison

3/6/2009 6:00:00 AM | Baseball

Murray State junior right fielder Daniel Hill went 5-for-7 with a double, three home runs and eight RBIs as the ?Breds set a single-game record with 28 hits in a 20-9 victory over North Dakota State Friday afternoon at Reagan Field.

Hill became the fourth MSU player to hit three home runs in a game, joining Phil Hayden (1967), Clay Boone (1981) and Ron Schmitt (1987). The 28 hits breaks the old record of 26 set against Eastern Kentucky in the championship game of the 2003 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.

Hill was not the only ?Bred to have a big game as Wes Cunningham went 4-for-6 with a double, home run and four RBIs. Tyler Owen and Elliot Frey each added four hits, while Kyle Tiernan, Bryan Propst and Daniel Miller each had three hits.

The ?Breds (7-2) got the offense going immediately as Tiernan beat out an infield singled and Cunningham lined a single to center field. Hill followed with a no-doubt shot to left field for his fourth home run of the season. With one out, Jason Laws singled to center field and scored on Propst's double to straight-away center field.

MSU rallied with two outs in the second to push across two more runs. Cunningham started the scoring with an opposite-field solo shot to left, his first of the season. Hill followed with a ringing double that hit halfway up the batter's eye in center field. Owen drove in Hill with a base hit through the left side.

The ?Breds used the long ball again in the third as Propst started the frame with a solo shot to left field, his second home run in as many games.

The game was put out of reach in the fourth inning when the ?Breds scored seven runs, all with two outs. Propst started things with a single up the middle and Jonathan Craycraft singled through the right side. Miller drove in Propst with a single to right center. Frey followed with a run-producing single and Tiernan beat out an infield single to load the bases. Cunningham drove in a pair with a double and Hill followed with a three-run shot down the left-field line.

MSU kept on rolling in the fifth as Cunningham delivered an RBI single to left center that went past the left fielder and allowed another run to score. Hill followed with an RBI grounder just inside the bag at third. The fourth run came around to score on a wild pitch with two outs.

The Bison (0-4) finally got on the board in the sixth as they strung together five hits to push across four runs. Max Casper and Zach Heidman had RBI singles in the inning.

NDSU added three more runs in the seventh on a sacrifice fly from Heidman and RBI singles from Chad Berg and Eric Nutzhorn.

The ?Breds got two runs back in the home-half of the seventh as Hill hit his third home run of the game, a solo shot to left. With two outs, Miller delivered an RBI single to left field.

Chris Craycraft (2-1) picked up the victory after giving up six earned over 6.2 innings. He struck out eight and did not walk a batter. McHale Maristuen (0-1) took the loss after giving up six runs on nine hits in 1.2 innings.

The two teams return to the diamond tomorrow afternoon for a pair of 7-inning games. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. at Reagan Field.

NOTES
? The five home runs was one shy of the school record of six set against Nebraska-Omaha in 1983 and North Dakota in 1981.

? The 20 runs scored were the most since MSU scored 24 runs against Tennessee Tech on April 23, 2005.

? MSU scored at least one run in each of the first five innings and led 18-0 after five.

? Every ?Breds starter had a hit by the fourth inning. Seven players in the starting lineup had at least three hits.