SUNDAY'S SCORES
@Kennesaw State 9,
Jacksonville State 3
Morehead State 6-5, Indiana State 5-7 (Huntsville, Ala.)
@Charleston Southern 6,
Eastern Kentucky 5
@Austin Peay 6, Iowa 1
@Belmont 7, Valparaiso 3
@Jackson State 8,
Eastern Illinois 2
@Central Arkansas 6,
Murray State 5 (12)
SIUE 3, @Lipscomb 2
@Tennessee Tech 7, Illinois 6
@Southeastern Louisiana 9,
UT Martin 3
Southeast Missouri 11, @New Orleans 2
KENNESAW STATE 9, JACKSONVILLE STATE 3
KENNESAW, Ga. - Five Kennesaw State pitchers combined for nine strikeouts and the Owls took advantage of four Gamecock errors to claim a 9-3 win over Jacksonville State and sweep the opening weekend series on Sunday.
Will Solomon (1-0) scattered two hits and had three strikeouts in five innings on the mound to earn his first win of the year for the Owls. JSU's Kurt Lipscomb (0-1) had three strikeouts and allowed just two earned runs, but got stuck with the loss for the Gamecocks.
Jax State (0-3) took the early lead after Cal Lambert led off the second inning with a double and scored on Andrew Bishop's infield grounder to take a 1-0 lead.
The Gamecocks plated another run in the third inning when Chase Silvani doubled down the left field line to and scored on Eddie Mora-Loera's grounder as JSU built a 2-0 lead.
Kennesaw State (3-0) answered in the home half of the third and tied the game after Jacob Bruce reached on a two-out single and Bo Way reached on an error. Both players came in to score on JSU's second error of the inning as the Owls tied the game at 2-2.
The Owls took the lead for good in the fourth inning when Andy Almonte scored on JSU's third error of the game and Kal Simmons drove in a run with a RBI grounder for a 4-2 KSU lead.
Kennesaw State added a run in the seventh inning on a RBI single by Way to take a 5-2 lead, but JSU cut into the lead after Mora-Loera drove in his second run of the game with a double to left field to make the score 5-3.
The Owls came right back and tacked on four more runs in the eighth inning for the final margin.
Michael Bishop, Mora-Loera, Lambert and Silvani each had a hit for the Gamecocks, while Mora-Loera drove in two runs.
MOREHEAD STATE 6-5, INDIANA STATE 5-7
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - The Morehead State baseball team moved to 3-1 on the season by splitting a doubleheader with Indiana State on Sunday afternoon at Joe Davis Stadium. The weekend record was also good enough to claim the Alabama A&M Bulldog Classic title.
Morehead State posted a 6-5 win over Indiana State (2-2) in the first game. The Eagles led 4-2 in the eighth inning of game two before committing three errors and allowing five late runs to drop a 7-5 decision.
Senior lefty Garrick Whittle picked up the game-one win in relief, with senior right-hander Matt Duncan securing his first save of the season. Duncan set the MSU record for saves in a season last year with 13.
Freshman right-hander Matt Anderson was charged with the loss in game two.
Offensively, several Eagles had solid performances on the day. In game one senior shortstop Chase Greenwell registered two hits and knocked in two runs, and sophomore right fielder Brandon Rawe recorded two singles and an RBI of his own.
In game two, sophomore catcher Chris Robinson led the way with three hits. Senior center fielder Taylor Pickens had two hits and an RBI, while sophomore first baseman Kane Sweeney also picked up two hits.
CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 6, EASTERN KENTUCKY 5
CHARLESTON, S.C. - Eastern Kentucky picked up its first win of the season, beating Charleston Southern 5-1 in game two of the series. The Buccaneers held off a Colonel rally to take the series finale 6-5.
Before game two of the series was postponed on Saturday after five innings, the Colonels had a 2-1 lead. With one out in the third inning, Austin Grisham singled to left. The senior then stole second base, and after a walk by Demetrius Moorer, Grisham swiped third. Shaun Ball struck out swinging for the second out, but the ball got away, allowing Grisham to score the game’s first run. Bryan Soloman followed with a single up the middle to score Moorer from second and give the Colonels a 2-0 advantage.
Charleston Southern got on the board in the bottom of the fourth. After a one-out double, Drew Woodall singled to center to make it a 2-1 game.
Before the game was stopped, Eastern starter Shane Grimm (1-0) tossed five innings in his season debut. The senior allowed one earned run on five hits and struck out two.
When play resumed on Sunday, the Colonels added to their lead in the eighth. Freshman Kyle Nowlin walked and stole second to lead off the inning. Two batters later Doug Teegarden drew a walk and Nowlin stole third. Teegarden stole second before pinch hitter Luke Wurzelbacher made his second appearance of the season. The freshman drove a pitch down the left field line for a two-run double, his first collegiate hit. With two outs, Moorer singled through the left side to cap the three-run inning and give Eastern a 5-1 lead.
Sophomore Ben Gullo pitched four innings of scoreless relief. He allowed one hit and struck out two on his way to earning his first career save. Seven different Colonels finished with one hit each.
In the series finale, Eastern grabbed the lead in the top of the second. After a lead-off double by Nowlin, Alex Hughes drove him in with a single up the middle. Two batters later, a sacrifice fly by Wurzelbacher made it 2-0.
Charleston Southern answered in the bottom half of the inning with four runs. Back-to-back RBI singles by Bobby Ison and Jaren Sustar capped the big inning for the home team. The Buccaneers added two more in the fifth. John Faircloth drove in a run with a single to center and then later scored on a wild pitch.
The Colonels attempted to rally in the sixth. The first three batters each drew walks to load the bases. Moorer’s infield single scored one. Soloman’s ground out pushed across another. Ball got EKU to within a run, 6-5, with an RBI single through the left side.
Eastern got the tying run to second base with one out in the seventh, but could not get the runner home.
Ball went 2-for-3 with a run driven in. Moorer finished 2-for-4 with an RBI. Sean Hagen also had two hits. Brent Cobb (0-1) started and allowed five earned runs on six hits in four and one-third innings. He walked one and struck out three.
Ison finished 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI for Charleston Southern.
AUSTIN PEAY 6, IOWA 1
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Junior A.J. Gaura struck out seven in his debut and Austin Peay State University’s baseball team secured a 6-1 victory against Iowa, Sunday, to win the rubber game of the three-game set at Raymond C. Hand Park.
The second inning proved critical for Austin Peay (2-1) all weekend. The Govs scored two second-inning runs in Friday’s contest en route to the win and were held scoreless in Saturday’s second frame –despite having two runners on and one out – as Iowa routed the Govs.
The Govs broke through for two runs in the second inning, Sunday. Shortstop Reed Harper opened the frame with a home run to left center, getting APSU the first run. Austin Peay would take advantage of a pair of Iowa miscues later in the inning, catcher P.J. Torres scoring on an infield error to give APSU a 2-1 lead.
Iowa (1-2) scratched back one of those runs in the third as third baseman Nick Day hit a leadoff home run to left. The Hawkeyes put the tying run on board when right fielder Kris Goodman singled and was sacrificed to second. However, he was retired on a heads-up play by Harper who threw to third on a ground ball to record the second out. Torres would end the threat by catching a runner stealing second.
Starter A.J. Gaura (1-0) found cruise control from there, retiring the next seven batters he faced, including four straight via strikeout. Gaura would last 6.1 innings in his winning debut, allowing one run on seven hits while striking out seven and walking none.
Gaura would leave some trouble behind, as he surrendered three seventh-inning singles to leave the bases loaded with one out. However, reliever Jared Carkuff came on and caught a pair of hitters looking for strikeouts to end the threat.
Austin Peay’s offense added two runs in the fifth inning to help Gaura’s cause. Right fielder Rolando Gautier had an RBI double for the frame’s first run. Iowa starter Calvin Mathews recorded the inning’s second out before departing and reliever Andrew Hedrick could not close the frame. He would allow all three batters he faced to reach without a hit, including surrendering a bases-loaded walk to first baseman Craig Massoni to give APSU a 4-1 lead.
The Govs would tack on a pair of runs in the eighth, using a leadoff infield error and a walk to set up left fielder Dylan Riner who laced a double off the wall in right center to score the game’s final runs.
Riner finished the day 3-for-3 with two RBI to lead an APSU offense that needed only five hits to score its six runs. Massoni and Torres each walked twice as Iowa pitchers surrendered six walks.
Mathews (0-1) picked up the loss after allowing four runs on four hits and two walks over 4.2 innings. Eight Iowa hitters recorded a hit, but none posted a multi-hit outing. Day led the Iowa effort with his 1-for-3 outing that included a solo home run.
BELMONT 7, VALPARAISO 3
NASHVILLE - Behind a six run second inning, the Belmont baseball team (3-0) defeated Valparaiso in the second game of the series, 7-3, Sunday at Rose Park.
James Buckelew (1-0) worked his way out of a bases loaded situation in the second inning to pitch 5.1 innings for the Bruins. The junior left hander allowed four hits and struck out five batters.
In the bottom of the second, the Belmont bats exploded as Drew Turner started the inning with a single. A double from Josh Davis, his first of three in the game, advanced Turner to third and Valparaiso starter Chris DeBoo walked catcher Jamie Ritchie to load the bases bringing up Ray Eastman.
Eastman struck out before Drew Ferguson singled to right field, scoring Davis and Turner to put the Bruins up 2-0. Scott Moses followed up with a triple to center to plate Ritchie and Ferguson.
With two outs and Moses on third, Akers hit the first home run of the season for the Bruins, putting BU up 6-0 on the Crusaders.
A single from Valparaiso's designated hitter Andrew Bynum put the first run on the board for the Crusaders. With the bases loaded, Blake Harvey came to the mound to relieve Buckelew. The Crusaders scored one more run in the inning to make the score, 6-2.
In the bottom of the seventh, Moses singled down the middle with two outs before stealing second and advancing to third on a Valpo throwing error. Akers singled scoring Moses and forced the Crusaders to go to the bullpen.
Jordan Deal and Dom Veltri made their collegiate debuts on the mound Sunday. Zach Hodgkiss and Jessie Snodgrass also earned some time on the hill.
Akers and Davis each finished the day 3-for-4 at the plate. Akers added three RBI. For the second straight game, Moses had two hits. Ferguson, Beaty, Turner and Ritchie each had one hit.
JACKSON STATE 8, EASTERN ILLINOIS 2
JACKSON, Miss. - Jackson State’s Desmond Russell threw 15 strikeouts in a complete-game performance to defeat the Panther baseball team, 8-2, in the Jackson State Tournament finale on Sunday afternoon. EIU drops to 1-3 on the year.
Nick Priessman gave the Panthers an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, scoring on a wild pitch. EIU led until the fourth inning when Jackson State took a 3-1 advantage, scoring three runs on two hits. The Tigers added five runs over the next two innings to take an 8-1 lead over EIU.
Priessman added his second run of the day in the top of the ninth inning on a Trent Whitcomb two-out RBI double to cut the Panthers deficit to six (8-2).
Priessman finished the day going 3-for-5 at the plate while Dane Sauer, Brant Valach and Whitcomb all added one hit. Jackson State posted three more hits (9-6) than EIU and committed two more errors (3-1). The Panthers left two more runners on base (10-8) in the loss.
Christian Slazinik made the start, but left the game with an leg injury after the first pitch. Freshman C.J. Martin (0-1) took the loss in relief, allowing seven runs (five earned) and six hits in 4.2 innings.
Russell (1-0) surrendered six hits and only allowed two runs (one earned) in his first start of the season. He helped his cause at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run. Ethan Bright and Fred Hampton also went 2-for-4 for the Tigers.
CENTRAL ARKANSAS 6, MURRAY STATE 5 (12)
CONWAY, Ark. - Central Arkansas scored three runs in the ninth inning to tie the game, and then scored the winning run in the 12th inning on a wild pitch to complete the sweep of Murray State, 6-5, Sunday afternoon at Bear Stadium.
Michael Marietta started the 12th inning by hitting the first pitch into the gap in left center for a double. After a groundout moved the runner to third, a wild pitch allowed the winning run to score from third.
The Breds (0-3) got on the board in the third inning as Taylor Mathews started the inning with a double into the left-field corner. After a groundout by Greg Guest advanced the runner, Ty Stetson collected his first hit and RBI of the season with grounder through the left side.
The Bears (3-0) tied the game in the home-half of the inning as a leadoff single and a walk put the first two batters of the inning on base. After a sacrifice bunt advanced the runners, Jonathan Davis plated the runner from third with a grounder to shortstop.
UCA manufactured a run in the fifth as Blake Marchal beat out a bunt base hit and proceeded to steal second and third. Davis followed with a slow chopper to the left side of the infield that resulted in an RBI single.
MSU was able to regain the lead in the sixth as Mike Kozlowski singled to left center, Dylan Wheeler singled to right center and Paul Ritzheimer walked to load the bases. After a double-play groundout tied the game, Mathews collected his third hit of the day with an RBI single through the right side.
The Breds increased their lead in the eighth as Rick Linton doubled over the head of the right fielder, and scored on Greg Guest’s two-out single up the middle.
The Bears put together a rally in the ninth as a pair of walks and a hit by pitch loaded the bases with no outs. Forrestt Allday delivered a two-run double into the gap in left center before Blake Marchal tied the game with a sacrifice fly to center field.
Sheldon (0-1) was the tough-luck loser as he allowing one run on three hits over 3.1 innings. Connor McClain (1-0) earned the victory after striking out the only hitter he faced.
Cashtyn DeLeeuw was impressive in his Breds debut as allowed just two runs on seven hits over five innings.
Mathews paced the offense by going 4-for-6 with an RBI and a run scored. Wheeler added three hits, while Stetson and Brandon Eggenschwiler each added two hits.
SIUE 3, LIPSCOMB 2
NASHVILLE - Devin Caldwell homered and drove in all three runs Sunday as SIUE baseball earned its first win of the year, taking the final game of a three-game series 3-2 at Lipscomb.
For the third consecutive day, the Cougars broke out on top first. Following a two-out single by Chase Green in the second inning, Caldwell connected on his first home run of the year. Caldwell hit the first pitch he saw from Lipscomb starter Will Blalock to left to make it 2-0 Cougars.
The Bisons tied the score with single runs in the fourth and sixth innings.
Caldwell drove in the game-winner in the eighth. His two-out single scored Matt Highland, who had walked to start the inning, to put the Cougars on top for good, 3-2. The hit came against reliever Tyler Burstrom, who suffered the loss. He allowed the run in four innings of work.
Caldwell was the only player with more than a single hit for SIUE, which had just four on the day. Green and Becherer had the others.
Four Cougar pitchers combined to allow just two runs on seven hits. Brooks McDowell started and allowed only a run on four hits while striking out three in four innings of work. Jake Stauffenberg (1-0) tossed four innings of relief allowing a run on two hits. He struck out two to earn his first win of the season. It also was the first win as a Cougar for the redshirt sophomore.
Tony Schaeffer pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his first save of the year, and the second in his Cougar career.
The Bisons' threatened to tie the game in the final frame. Lipscomb's leadoff hitter Austin Sistrunk reached on an error to start the inning. He was pinch run for by Drew Adams who advanced to third with two outs before Schaeffer retired Lipscomb third baseman Gray Hutchinson on a fly out to right to end the game.
Noah Chandler and Aaron Sandoval each had two hits to lead the Bisons at the plate.
Stoecklin said he was happy with the way his team responded in the series finale.
TENNESSEE TECH 7, ILLINOIS 6
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - In a game that featured three lead changes and a tie heading into the ninth inning, the Tennessee Tech baseball team (2-1) emerged victorious, defeating the Illinois Fighting Illini (1-2) 7-6 in walk-off fashion with a home run by junior designated hitter Brandon Thomasson.
The contest featured no shortage of excitement as the Golden Eagles opened the first inning on a tear. Sophomore starting pitcher Jacob Honea struck out the side to open the ball game, sitting down the Illini 1-2-3. The Tech batters came out in full support, with senior center fielder Austin Wulf gathering a one-out hit. He advanced to second base on a wild pitch and to third after a groud ball from junior first baseman Zach Stephens. Wulf then scored on a single down the third base line by junior third baseman Daniel Miles.
The Illini answered back in the second, scoring two runs to take a one run advantage. The Golden Eagles returned fire in the third and fifth, picking up two runs in each inning. Left fielder James Abraham, right fielder Michael Morris, catcher Jordan Hopkins, and Thomasson all gathered RBI in the innings as Tech jumped out to a 5-2 lead.
Illinois pulled even with the Golden Eagles, scoring three runs in the seventh inning. Tech would answer the call again, grabbing another run in the bottom of the seventh off a double from junior second baseman Zach Zarzour.
Once again, the Illini tied the game, scoring another run in the top of the eighth to even things at 6-6.
One more time, Tech struck back, with a two-out, walk-off dinger from Thomasson. The home run was the first for the team this season and the first of Thomasson's early career as a Golden Eagle.
Picking up the win for the Golden Eagles was sophomore right-hander Seth Lucio. He finished the contest with two strike outs in 1.1 innings pitched.
Thomasson led Tech with two RBI, while Abraham recorded three hits in five trips to the plate. He finished with an RBI and a run. Six different Golden Eagles recorded at least one RBI, including Zarzour, Miles, Abraham, Morris, Thomasson, and Hopkins.
Illinois recieved two-hit performances from Justin Parr, Jordan Parr, and Michael Hurwitz, with each recording an RBI. The Illini gathered just eight hits in the game.
The Golden Eagle pitchers collected 13 strike outs in the contest, including seven from Honea.
SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA 9, UT MARTIN 3
HAMMOND, La. - A trio of Skyhawks collected multi-hit outings this afternoon, but The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team lost a 9-3 decision to Southeastern Louisiana at Alumni Field.
Grant Glasser, Phil Sorensen and Byron Johann each went 2-for-4 this afternoon for UT Martin (0-2), who also received a pair of RBI out of third baseman Matt Haynes. Wade Collins also reached base twice and drove in a run, while Glasser, Sorensen and Nico Zych came around to score for the Skyhawks.
A trio of UT Martin pitchers combined for 10 strikeouts today. Senior Alex Boshers made the start and was charged with the loss after allowing six runs (three earned) over four innings. He struck out five batters against only one walk and conceded six hits. Dalton Potts (2.2 innings, two runs, four strikeouts) and Stu Jones (1.1 innings, zero hits, one run) also made appearances on the mound for the Skyhawks.
UT Martin led 2-0 after two innings. Collins drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a Sorensen single. With two on and two out, Haynes pulled a double out to left center, plating Sorensen and Zych (who had reached on a sacrifice bunt) to put the Skyhawks on top.
That would be plenty of support early on for Boshers, who retired the side in order in the first two frames, striking out four over that span. However, Southeastern Louisiana pushed across five runs on five hits in the third inning and added another run in the fourth to make the score 6-2.
The Skyhawks got back on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth. Glasser led things off with a single and advanced to second on a groundout. With two outs, Collins stepped to the plate and singled in Glasser to get UT Martin within three runs at 6-3.
Potts – who entered the game to start the fifth – piled up back-to-back strikeouts to start the sixth to round out his second straight scoreless inning.
UT Martin recorded a pair of hits and had men on the corners in the top of the seventh, but couldn’t cut into its deficit. Potts tallied two more strikeouts early in the bottom half of the seventh but a pair of errors proved costly as the Lions added two more runs.
Southeastern Louisiana scored once more in the eighth. Johann (single), Luis Paublini-Campos (hit by pitch) and Glasser (walk) all reached base safely in the ninth inning to load the bases, but the Skyhawks couldn’t tack on any runs to extend the game.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 11, NEW ORLEANS 2
NEW ORLEANS - The Southeast Missouri baseball team hit three home runs on their way to 11-2 win over New Orleans on Sunday afternoon in New Orleans, La. The win by the Redhawks gives them their first opening weekend series sweep since 2001, when Southeast swept Iowa State.
Sophomore third baseman Jason Blum led the Redhawks going 3-for-3 with a home run and three RBI. Blum was a triple short of recording the cycle as he reached base in every at-bat.
Freshman Clayton Evans was 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles with an RBI and a run scored.
Sophomore Will Spitzfaden (1-0) also had a career day throwing a complete game earning his first win of the season. Spitzfaden recorded two strikeouts allowing eight hits as he did not allow a walk on the afternoon.
The Redhawks plated five runs in the second inning on six hits. Evans and John Logan Zink open the inning with a pair of singles,
Blum followed with his second three-run home run in as many days as Southeast jumped out to a 3-0 lead.
Cole Bieser followed Blum with a single followed by Derek Gibson's second home run of the season as his opposite field two-run shot gave Southeast a 5-0 lead.
Southeast added a run in top of the fifth inning when Zink drove in Branden Bogetto.
The Privateers got on the board in the fifth inning as Zacary Hawkins hit an RBI double to centerfield plating Chaz Boyer to make it 6-1 Redhawks.
Evans added his fourth hit of the day with a double scoring Dalton Hewtt to extend the lead to 7-1 in the seventh inning.
The Redhawks added four more runs in the eighth inning highlighted by a towering home run by Andy Lennington that plated three runs; it was his fourth extra base hit of the weekend.
UNO added a run on a solo home run from Jonathan Coco late in the game, but it wasn't enough as the Redhawks picked up the 11-2 win.
Southeast's Lennington and Zink added a pair of hits apiece in the contest as Southeast finished the day with 13 hits.
Kyle Blancaneaux (0-1) was tagged with the loss for the Privateers going 1.2 innings allowing five earned runs on six hits. Four other pitchers saw time out of the New Orleans bullpen.