SATURDAY'S SCORES
@Belmont 5, Ohio 1
Iowa 13,
@Austin Peay 1
@Kennesaw State 2,
Jacksonville State 1
Morehead State 11, IPFW 6 (Huntsville, Ala.)
Southeast Missouri 6, @New Orleans 1
@Lipscomb 11,
SIUE 4
@Tennessee Tech 6, Illinois 5
@Southeastern Louisiana 5,
UT Martin 3
@Central Arkansas 13,
Murray State 1
Texas Southern 10,
Eastern Illinois 7 (Jackson, Miss.)
Eastern Illinois 4, @Jackson State 3 (11)
Eastern Kentucky, @Charleston Southern (suspended)
BELMONT 5, OHIO 1
NASHVILLE - Behind a five inning shutout from sophomore Austin Coley, Belmont baseball (2-0) downed Ohio, 5-1, Saturday at Rose Park.
A single from the leadoff hitter, Drew Ferguson started the three-run inning. A sac bunt from Alec Diamond advanced Ferguson to second before Judah Akers grounded out to the shortstop, allowing Ferguson to round third.
Matt Beaty singled out to left to score Belmont's first run of the day. Beaty then advanced to second on a wild pitch from Ohio starter Jake Miller. A pair of singles from Drew Turner and Josh Davis plated Beaty. Neil Hickman singled to score Turner and put the Bruins up 3-0.
During Coley's five innings on the mound, the 6'3" righty did not allow a hit, allowed one walk and struck out six batters during his season debut.
In the bottom of the fifth with two outs, Akers doubled to center field followed by a double from Beaty to score Akers and give the Bruins a 4-0 lead.
Junior Blake Harvey relieved Coley in the sixth. The right hander gave up two hits.
With a new starter on the mound for the Bobcats, a walk by Jamie Ritchie started the bottom of the sixth followed by a single to right from Scott Moses. Moses went on to steal second. Ohio reliever Sean Kennedy walked Dom Veltri and Ferguson to load the bases, forcing the Bobcats to go to the bullpen and bring in Ryan Ferrell.
Ferrell walked Diamond to bring Moses home and put the Bruins up 5-0.
In the top of the eighth, Dan Ludwig went to the mound for the Bruins. Ohio scored their first run of the game after a pair of singles by Cody Gaertner and Jake Madsen scored Ben Otto, who reached on an error by Beaty.
Belmont kept the Bobcats scoreless in the ninth to win, 5-1.
Beaty led the Bruins Saturday at the plate as he went 3-for-4 with two RBI. Ferguson, Moses, Hickman each had two hits in the game.
IOWA 13, AUSTIN PEAY 1
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay’s baseball team could not create enough opportunities while an aggressive Iowa side converted on several opportunities to hand the Govs a 13-1 loss, Saturday, at Raymond C. Hand Park.
While Iowa (1-1) scored 13 runs on 15 hits, the damage could have been much worse as it left 12 men on base in the contest. The Hawkeyes struck for three runs in the first, two in the third, a run each in the fifth and sixth, before breaking the game open with a five-run ninth.
Austin Peay (1-1) certainly helped the Iowa cause throughout with little miscues defensively. The Govs failed to covert what appeared to be a routine double play in the fifth that allowed a run to score instead of ending the inning. A miscommunication in the sixth allowed a runner to score from third on a ball hit just 10 feet from home plate. Add in a pair of missed cutoff men in the first and ninth innings and Austin Peay head coach Gary McClure has reason to talk to his team for nearly 20 minutes after the game concluded.
The Govs also struggled at the plate, with only one prime scoring opportunity which presented itself in the second inning. Austin Peay put two runners on base with no outs and scored a run on catcher P.J. Torres’ single. However, the Govs saw a runner cut down attempting to steal third base followed by a strikeout to quickly place two outs on the board. Center fielder Dylan Riner kept the inning alive with a bunt single, moving Torres to third, but Iowa starter Matt Dermody escaped by inducing a flyout to end the inning.
After that, the Govs had a runner in scoring position just three times in the final seven innings. Iowa helped its cause with double plays in both the fourth and sixth innings, the latter negating center fielder Cody Hudson’s one-out double.
Delgado (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing six runs on nine hits while striking out four over five innings. The Govs used five relievers in the contest, including freshman Tommy Hager who allowed one run while pitching the seventh and eighth innings.
Hudson led the Govs offense with a 3-for-4 outing that included a double. Torres was 1-for-3 with an RBI while second baseman Jordan Hankins notched his first hit this season in a 1-for-4 effort.
Dermody (1-0) picked up the victory after holding the Govs to one unearned run on five hits while striking out four over five innings. Reliever Taylor Kaufman pitched three scoreless innings and struck out four before Josh Martching retired the Govs in order in the ninth.
Sheppard led Iowa with a 3-for-4, four RBI performance. Second baseman Jake Mangler and Kris Goodman also had three hits each.
KENNESAW STATE 2, JACKSONVILLE STATE 1
KENNESAW, Ga. - Kody Belcher scored both runs as Kennesaw State claimed a 2-1 win over Jacksonville State in college baseball action on Saturday.
Kevin Kyle (1-0) scattered three hits and had five strikeouts in six innings on the mound to earn his first win, while Justin McCalvin recorded the final four outs to earn the save for the Owls. Adam Polk (0-1) got stuck with the loss, despite only giving up two hits in five innings on the mound for the Gamecocks.
As a matter of fact, Polk gave up back-to-back singles in the top of the first inning, and then did not allow another hit over the next five innings in his debut. He threw 68 pitches in the game, including 40 for strikes, with three walks and two strikeouts. The only run he allowed in the game was unearned, thanks to a Gamecock throwing error in the second inning.
The Owls (2-0) took an early lead after Belcher led off the second inning with a walk and then stole second. He moved to third on a Gamecock throwing error and scored after Anthony Duran hit a deep fly ball to center field for a sacrifice as Kennesaw took a 1-0 lead with the unearned run.
Kennesaw State tacked on another run in the seventh inning after Belcher was hit by a Bradley Rualston pitch to lead off the inning and moved to second when Chris McGowan walked. Cody Ponder was brought in to pitch for the Gamecocks as both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt. With the Jax State infield playing in, Kal Simmons slipped a ground ball through the left side to score Belcher and give the Owls a 2-0 lead.
The Gamecocks got on the scoreboard in the top of the eighth inning after Chase Silvani led off with a walk and Michael Bishop followed with a double in the left field corner. Eddie Mora-Loera then hit a deep fly to center field to score Silvani and cut the lead to 2-1. The Owls then got back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning and the scoring threat.
Jax State threatened again in the ninth inning after Griff Gordon walked to lead off the inning and Andrew Bishop walked, but KSU's McCalvin recorded the next three outs to end the game and give the Owls their second straight win over the Gamecocks.
Michael Bishop and Gordon each had two hits to lead the Gamecocks, who finished the game with five hits.
MOREHEAD STATE 11, IPFW 6
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Senior right-hander Morgan Cirbo tossed four innings in relief to get the win as the Morehead State baseball team improved to 2-0 on the season with an 11-6 victory over IPFW Saturday afternoon at Joe Davis Stadium.
Six Eagles - sophomore catcher Chris Robinson, senior center fielder Taylor Pickens, senior shortstop Chase Greenwell, junior designated hitter Bobby Burns, freshman third baseman Alan Mocahbee and junior second baseman Jeff Birkofer - all registered multiple hits on the afternoon.
The Eagles never trailed in the contest as they brought home three runs in the first and third innings, two each in the fourth and the seventh, and one more in the ninth.
Sophomore right-hander Blake Smith got the start for MSU and only allowed two runs in his four innings of work.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 6, NEW ORLEANS 1
NEW ORLEANS - Senior Zack Smith struck out a career-high 10 batters on Saturday afternoon in the Redhawks' 6-1 win over New Orleans at Wesley Barrow Stadium in New Orleans, La. Smith tied a career-high with seven innings pitched as Southeast improves to 2-0 on the young season.
Smith allowed five hits and one earned run over his longest outing since UT Martin on April 28, 2012. Smith (1-0) struck out five batters in a row in the third and fourth innings.
The game was a pitchers duel early. UNO starter Alex Smith (0-1) kept the Redhawks hitless for four plus innings. A. Smith also went seven innings allowing five runs on three hits.
The Privateers got a leadoff home run from freshman Chaz Boyer in the bottom of the first inning to grab the early 1-0 lead.
Southeast got on the board in the top of the fifth inning. Freshman Andy Lack recorded his first career hit on a wind aided double. Freshman Clayton Evans followed Lack with a walk.
Jason Blum followed Evan's walk with his first home run of the season to left field that plated Lack and Evans to give the Redhawks a 3-1 lead.
The Redhawks would extended their lead to 5-1 in the seventh inning as Evans hit his first career home run to right field. Josh Meade scored on the two-run shot after reaching first on a walk in his first plate appearances as a Redhawk.
The Redhawks added their final run of the contest in the eighth inning on a double from Branden Boggetto that scored Andy Lennington after he reached on a double earlier in the frame,
Southeast relievers combined for five strikeouts in the final two innings with Skylar Cobb recording two in the eighth inning in his Southeast debut and Trevor Kill adding three in a scoreless ninth inning.
Evans led the Redhawks offensively going 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI to go along with a pair of runs scored. He also drew two walks in the contest. Blum was 1-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored.
Boyer led the Privateers offensively going 2-for-4 on the afternoon with an RBI and a run scored.
LIPSCOMB 11, SIUE 4
NASHVILLE - SIUE baseball dropped the second game of a three-game series 11-4 at Lipscomb Saturday afternoon.
SIUE dropped to 0-2 for the season, while the Bisons improved to 2-0.
The Cougars used six pitchers for the game. The six combined for 13 walks and three hit batters.
For the second day in a row it was SIUE that jumped out on top. James Vazquez got the Cougars on the board in the second with a two-run single to score Zach Little and Devin Caldwell. Little had reached on a fielder's choice. Caldwell reached with a one-out single.
The Bisons took advantage of an error, three walks, and three hit batters by Cougar freshman Caleb Wilkerson (0-1) in the fifth to score four times to take a 4-2 lead. Wilkerson suffered the loss, but none of the runs allowed were earned. He struck out one.
Lipscomb extended its lead in the sixth, scoring six times on three hits and five more walks by Zach Malach and Luke Ingersoll. The Bisons added a run in the seventh on an RBI-single by Austin Sistrunk.
The Cougars loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the eighth Little walked, Becherer and Vazquez were each hit by a pitch. Highland was then hit by a pitch to make it 11-3 Lipscomb. Joel Greatting then grounded into a double play bringing Becherer home to make it 11-4.
Vazquez finished 3 for 4 with the pair of RBIs. Highland was 2 for 4 with the RBI. Highland is now 5 for 8 (.625) over his first two games.
Caldwell and Joel Greatting each added two hits for the Cougars.
TENNESSEE TECH 6, ILLINOIS 5
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Not even the weather could stop the Tennessee Tech baseball team Saturday afternoon, as the Golden Eagles came back two separate times to defeat the Illinois Fighting Illini (1-1-0) of the Big Ten Conference, 6-5. Tech also overcame two five-minute snow delays in the contest, with play stopping due to lack of visibility.
With the Illini leading by one run in the bottom of the fifth, Golden Eagle left fielder James Abraham collected a two-out single between the shortstop and a lunging third baseman. Sophomore shortstop Dylan Bosheers came up clutch for Tech in the second straight contest, ripping a two-out double down the left field line, bringing in Abraham for the tying run.
In the bottom of the sixth, Tech struck again with a leadoff double from junior designated hitter Brandon Thomasson. After a sacrifice bunt from junior catcher Jordan Hopkins moved Thomasson to third, junior second baseman Zach Zarzour hit a sacrifice fly to deep left field. Thomasson scored the go-ahead and eventual game-winning run.
Junior right handed pitcher Stanton Taylor came to the hill in the eighth inning and set the side down in order. He threw 12 pitches, 10 of which went for strikes, on his way to two swing-and-miss strikeouts.
A sophomore right hander out of Locust Grove, Ga., Seth Lucio earned the save for the Golden Eagles, forcing Reid Roper to fly out to center field for the final out with the tying run at third. It was the first save of the year for Lucio as well as the first of his career.
Picking up the win for the Golden Eagles was junior right hander Garrett Baugh. Baugh entered the game in relief in the fourth inning in place of starter David Hess. He pitched 3.2 innings in the contest, shutting down the Illini hitting to a tune of no runs and four hits while striking out two.
Tech showed a lot of moxy in the contest, overcoming a 2-0 deficit after the first inning. The Golden Eagles exploded for a four-run third inning, using a lead-off double from catcher Evan Frazier to start the rally. Junior third baseman Daniel Miles collected two RBI in the inning, doubling down the left field line with the bases loaded.
Illinois center fielder Justin Parr collected three RBI in the contest on four hits in five trips to the plate. The Illini stranded 11 runners throughout the contest, despite recording 11 hits in the contest.
Five Golden Eagle players drove in runs in the contest, including Miles (two), Bosheers (one), Austin Wulf (one), Zarzour (one), and Abraham (one). Bosheers finished the contest with two hits for the second consecutive game and leads Tech on the season with three RBI. Wulf also collected two hits in the contest.
SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA 5, UT MARTIN 3
HAMMOND, La. - The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team held a pair of leads this afternoon at Southeastern Louisiana but the Lions rallied for a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth to claim a 5-3 win.
Senior first baseman Wade Collins led the Skyhawks with a pair of hits today, also scoring a run for UT Martin (0-2). Freshman Kenny King scored and drove in a run, while Grant Glasser (run scored) and Nico Zych (RBI) also contributed to the Skyhawk offensive attack today.
On the mound, sophomore Taylor Cox shined in his first career start, allowing just one earned run in 4.2 innings. The southpaw fanned three while allowing just four hits and a walk but received a no-decision. Trevor Lundgrin (one inning, one run) and John Houston (2.1 innings, three strikeouts) also made appearances, with Houston being saddled with the loss.
The Skyhawks struck first, scoring a run in the opening frame. Glasser reached on an error and advanced to third on a single by Sonny Mastromatteo. King then drove in Glasser on an RBI groundout to give UT Martin a 1-0 advantage.
Cox made the run stand up through three innings, as he kept Southeastern Louisiana off the scoreboard and sat the Lions down in order on only 10 pitches in the third.
UT Martin opened the fourth with back-to-back singles but could not push across a run. In the bottom half of the frame, Southeastern Louisiana’s Jameson Fisher stole home with two outs to tie the score at 1-all.
The Lions took the lead thanks to an unearned run. Lundgrin relieved Cox and induced an inning-ending flyout with a runner in scoring position to keep the score at 2-1.
The Skyhawks did not trail for long, reclaiming the lead with a two-run sixth inning. King was hit by a pitch with one out and advanced to second on a Collins single. Both runners then advanced on a wild pitch. With two outs, Zych singled to score King and Collins came home on an error to propel UT Martin on top by a 3-2 margin.
Southeastern Louisiana tied the game in the bottom of the sixth thanks to a two-out double. Houston entered the game in the inning and stranded the runner on second.
Both teams had one baserunner apiece in the seventh inning but could not break the tie. UT Martin’s Matt Young accounted for one of the game’s two extra-base hits with a double in the eighth inning, but did not score.
Houston tallied two strikeouts in the eighth, but a pair of RBI singles by Southeastern Louisiana provided the final 5-3 scoring margin.
CENTRAL ARKANSAS 13, MURRAY STATE 1
CONWAY, Ark. - The Murray State offense struggled to get rolling again Saturday afternoon as Central Arkansas handed the Breds a 13-1 defeat at Bears Stadium.
The Bears (2-0) took advantage of a leadoff walk in the third as a one-out hit-and-run put runners on the corners with one out. The next batter reached on a throwing error by the shortstop to score a run and keep runners at the corners. Two pitches later, the runner stole second, and when the ball got by the second baseman, Forrestt Allday scored from third. The play was not over as Nick Paradossi quickly threw to third to get the runner trying to advance. UCA started another rally as Jonathan Davis tripled into the gap in right center and scored on Michael Marietta's double to left center.
UCA pushed across four more runs in the fourth inning as a single was followed by three-straight free passes to score a run. With one out, Blake Marchal delivered a two-run single into the right-field corner, and Davis put down a safety squeeze to plate the fourth run.
Two more runs crossed the board for UCA in the fifth inning without collecting a hit. Five walks helped push across one run, while Ethan Harris drove in a run with a groundout to first.
The Breds (0-2) got on the board in the sixth inning as Greg Guest and Taylor Mathews delivered back-to-back singles to start the inning. Mike Kozlowski was hit by a pitch with one out to load the bases, and Brandon Eggenschwiler drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to left center.
Cameron Finch (0-1) took the loss after allowing six runs on five hits and three walks over three-plus innings. Jeffery Enloe (1-0) earned the victory after allowing just one run on three hits and seven strikeouts over six innings.
TEXAS SOUTHERN 10, EASTERN ILLINOIS 7/EASTERN ILLINOIS 4, JACKSON STATE 3 (11)
JACKSON, Miss. - The Panther baseball team split its two games on Saturday afternoon at the Jackson State Tournament, falling to Texas Southern in the afternoon and defeating host Jackson State in the nightcap. EIU improves to 1-2 on the year.
Game 1: Texas Southern 10, EIU 7
Tied at six heading into the top of the ninth inning, Texas Southern (2-1) scored four runs on four hits to go up 10-6. The Panthers were able to score one run in the bottom of the frame after they started the inning with back-to-back hits, but the rally fell short with Caleb Howell flying out to centerfield to end the game.
The Tigers took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third, scoring three runs on three hits and the Panthers lone error of the contest. EIU scored three unanswered runs over the next two innings to tie the game at three. Treysen Vavra and Demetre Taylor both had RBI singles in the third inning while Tyler Schweigert added one run in the fourth on a stolen base at home plate.
Vavra and Nathan Sopena both went 3-for-5 at the plate to pace the Panthers while Brant Valach added two RBI and Jacob Reese scored three runs.
Ben Kennedy (0-1) took the loss for EIU, allowing two hits and two runs in 2.1 innings. Adrian Losoya (1-0) earned the win for Texas Southern, striking out two and surrendering one run and four hits in 2.1 innings.
Both squads posted 12 hits in the game while the Tigers had one more error (2-1). EIU left five more runners on base (12-7) than Texas Southern.
Game 2: EIU 4, Jackson State 3 (11 innings)
Tied at three in the top of the 11th inning, Treysen Vavra hit two-out RBI single to give the Panthers a one-run advantage. Redshirt-senior George Kalousek struck out the first Tiger batter in the bottom of the frame before the Panthers converted a double play to end the contest and pick up their first win of the season.
Vavra drove in Trey Russell in the third inning to give EIU an early 1-0 lead before he added another RBI in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly, making the score 2-0. After Jackson State scored three runs on one hit and two Panthers in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Panthers tied the game at three in the top of the eighth inning on a Nathan Sopena RBI single.
Brant Valach went 5-for-7 at the plate with one run in the victory while Caleb Howell and Sopena both added two hits. Vavra posted a game-high three RBI.
Joe Greenfield made the start on the mound for EIU, striking out six and surrendering three runs (two earned) in 4.2 innings of work. Kalousek posted the win, the first of his career. Sergio Parra took the loss for Jackson State, allowing one run and two hits in two innings.
EIU had seven more hits (14-7) than Jackson State, but committed one more error (2-1). The Tigers stranded one more runner on base (14-13) in the contest.