Baseball Preview: Western Illinois at Morehead State

HALDEMAN, Ky. (Interstat) — The Western Illinois Leathernecks visit the Morehead State Eagles on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Allen Field in an Ohio Valley Conference matchup. The forecast calls for clear skies and 71 degrees.

Morehead State (25-22) enters the game after a 5-1 win at Ohio on Wednesday. The Eagles took the series opener against Western Illinois 5-0 on Friday. Morehead State has won five of its last seven games.

Western Illinois (15-29) is coming off a 13-3 victory at Indiana State on Wednesday. The Leathernecks have lost four of their last six.

Players to Watch

Western Illinois outfielder Kamryn Link has been productive recently, going 3-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs in the win at Indiana State. In his last 10 games, Link has six multi-hit performances, including a 3-for-4 day with two RBIs in a 9-3 win over Tennessee-Martin on May 1. He is batting .300 over that stretch.

Morehead State pitcher Sam Smith threw six scoreless innings Wednesday at Ohio, allowing no hits with three strikeouts. Smith has not allowed an earned run in his last two appearances covering eight innings. He also threw two scoreless innings against Bellarmine on April 14.

Recent Results

Western Illinois has struggled against Ohio Valley opponents, going 5-5 in its last 10 games. The Leathernecks have been outscored 94-67 in that span, including a 22-3 loss at Iowa on April 21.

Morehead State has been strong at home, winning seven of its last nine at Allen Field. The Eagles have outscored opponents 45-22 in that stretch.

Projection

The Interstat game simulator projects a 7-6 Morehead State victory.

Upcoming

Both teams play again Sunday at Allen Field. Western Illinois then hosts Eastern Illinois for a three-game series starting May 14. Morehead State visits Tennessee Tech for a three-game series starting May 14.