Murray State senior right hander Chris Craycraft surrendered just one hit and struck out five over four innings to help Navy to a 5-1 victory over Gold in the opening game of the three-game series Friday afternoon at Reagan Field.
Craycraft (1-0) allowed a two-out double in the first inning and then proceeded to retire the next 10 hitters he faced. He got out of the first with a strikeout and began the next inning by fanning the first two batters. The double that was just inside the bag at third was one of only four balls that left the infield off Craycraft.
The Navy (1-0) team got on the board in the top of the first as Kyle Tiernan started the game with an opposite field double and went to third on Elliot Frey’s sacrifice bunt. Daniel Hill drove in the runner from third as he reached on a throwing error by the shortstop. Following a Cory Hodskins single to right put runners on the corners, Colton Moore drove in Hill with a single to center field.
Navy added to its lead in the third as Hill hit an opposite-field solo shot to right field.
The lead continued to grow as the Navy Team pushed across single runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Tiernan plated the run in the fifth with a single through the right side, while the run in the sixth scored on a throwing error.
The Gold Team (0-1) got its lone run in the sixth as Wes Cunningham hit a mammoth home run to right field on the first pitch of his at-bat.
Joe Major (0-1) took the loss as he gave up three runs, two earned, on four hits over four innings. Alex Love (1) picked up the save for Navy as he gave up one run on three hits and five strikeouts over three innings.
Tiernan and Moore each collected a pair of hits for Navy. Hill drove in a pair of runs and scored two more. Cunningham and Brandon Elliott each had two hits for Gold.
The two teams will play the second game of the series tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 p.m. at Reagan Field.
Courtesy: Murray State Media Relations
