FRIDAY'S SCORES
Austin Peay 11, @Eastern Illinois 3
@Murray State 5, UT Martin 4
@Southeast Missouri 8, Eastern Kentucky 6
@Tennessee Tech 11, Morehead State 4
@Jacksonville State 2, SIUE 1
@Belmont 4, Northern Illinois 3
AUSTIN PEAY 11, EASTERN ILLINOIS 3
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Austin Peay State University’s baseball team took advantage of a key error for a six-run sixth inning to post an Ohio Valley Conference-opening 11-3 victory against Eastern Illinois, Friday afternoon, at Coaches Stadium.
Austin Peay (16-2, 1-0 OVC) ran its win streak to a season-best eight games. The Govs also improved on their best-ever start to a season, topping a 14-4 start to the 1996 campaign.
Eastern Illinois (3-13, 0-4 OVC) was determined to open the home portion of its schedule on a positive note and jumped out early on Austin Peay. The Panthers struck for one run each in the second, third and fourth innings to build a 3-1 lead.
Austin Peay (16-2, 1-0 OVC) tied the game in the fifth inning, but could have made bigger things out of the inning as three runners cut down on the base paths. Instead, APSU settled for two runs and the tie as right fielder Rolando Gautier brought home a run when he reached on an error and first baseman Craig Massoni singled in a run, tying the game 3-3.
The Govs did not let opportunity pass twice. The Panthers opened the door when designated hitter Kyle Schlatter reached on an error by the third baseman with one out in the sixth and left fielder Cody Hudson scampered home, giving the Govs the lead for good.
Austin Peay continued to push and loaded the bases with center fielder Dylan Riner’s walk and Gautier’s infield single, both with two out. Third baseman Kevin Corey pushed home a run with his bases-loaded walk, extending the lead to two runs. Second baseman Jordan Hankins broke the game open with a two-run single and Massoni hammered home the point with his two-run double, giving APSU a 9-3 lead.
Govs starter Lee Ridenhour (3-0) didn’t get off to a great start, allowing three runs on five hits through four innings. But once handed the 9-3 lead he shut the door, retiring nine of the 11 batters he faced after gaining the lead. He picked up the win after scattering nine hits over eight innings, striking out eight. Reliever Tommy Hager added a pair of strikeouts in a scoreless ninth inning of work.
Massoni saw his hitless streak hit 15 at-bats before ending the game with an RBI single in the fifth, the two-run double in the sixth and a two-run home run in the ninth. He finished the day 3-for-5 with five RBI.
Hankins added a 2-for-3, two RBI outing – one of four Govs to record two hits on the day – and Austin Peay rapped out 14 hits in the conference opener.
EIU starter Matt Borens (0-3) suffered the loss after allowing six runs (two earned) on seven hits and four walks over 5.2 innings. Second baseman Nathan Sopena went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead the Panthers nine-hit outing.
MURRAY STATE 5, UT MARTIN 4
MURRAY, Ky. - Murray State senior second baseman Dylan Wheeler drove in the winning run with a groundout to second in the bottom of the seventh as the Breds handed UT Martin a 5-4 defeat Friday afternoon in the opening game of a three-game series at Reagan Field.
Taylor Mathews started the inning by hitting a single up the middle and went to second when Brandon Eggenschwiler followed with a single through the right side. After a Mike Kozlowski sacrifice bunt, Wheeler hit a grounder to the second baseman that was bobbled, and was forced to throw to first and allow the run to score.
UTM threatened to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth as they hit back-to-back one-out singles off reliever Will Handlin. Handlin settled in from there as he got a flyout to center field, and then got a weak grounder to second to end game.
Handlin (2-3) earned the victory after allowing five hits and striking out three over three innings.
The Skyhawks (7-10, 1-3 OVC) got on the board in the third inning as back-to-back walks with two outs came around to score on a Wade Collins double to straight-away center field.
The Breds (8-10, 2-2 OVC) responded in the home-half of the inning as Paul Ritzheimer doubled into the gap in right center to start the inning. After a walk to Ty Stetson, and a sacrifice bunt by Mathews, Eggenschwiler walked to load the bases. A wild pitch allowed the runner to score from third, and Kozlowski followed with an RBI single to right field. Wheeler drove in the third run of the inning with a sacrifice fly to center field.
MSU added another run in the fourth as Nick Paradossi delivered a leadoff home run to left center. It was his second home run this week after hitting one in the series opener against Northern Illinois.
UTM tied the game in the top of the fifth as Matt Haynes hit a solo home run to left center to start the inning. Grant Glasser doubled to left center with one out and scored on Byron Johann’s RBI single up the middle.
Cameron Finch got the start for the Breds and gave up four runs on five hits and four strikeouts over six innings.
Chris Ross (2-1) suffered the loss after giving up one run on three hits and one walk over two innings.
Paradossi was the only Bred to collect two hits, while Wheeler drove in a pair of runs. Stetson saw his eight-game hit streak come to an end after going 0-for-1 with three walks.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 8, EASTERN KENTUCKY 6
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Freshman Branden Boggetto's first career home run in the bottom of the ninth inning gave Southeast Missouri (10-9, 2-2 OVC) a 8-6 win over Eastern Kentucky (4-10, 1-2 OVC) Friday night at Capaha Field. It is Boggetto's second walk off hit of the season and the Redhawks' first walk-off home run since Blake Slattery's walk-off grand slam on April 2, 2010 against EKU.
Matt Tellor led the Redhawks on the day going 3-for-5 with a home run, double and three RBI to go along with a run scored.
Every player in the Southeast lineup recorded a hit in the contest as the Redhawks recorded 14 hits on the night.
The Redhawks got out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Tellor got the Redhawks on the board with an RBI double down the right field line. Andy Lennington drove in the second run of the game on a sacrifice fly.
The Colonels battled back and took a 3-2 lead on the Redhawks in the third inning on a two-run home run by Shaun Ball.
Tellor followed in the bottom of the frame and gave the Redhawks a 4-3 the lead on a two-run home to right field, his third home run of the season.
Southeast took a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning on an RBI triple from Cole Bieser as he drove in Alex Burridge, who reached base on a walk.
The Colonels cut the Southeast lead to 5-4 on a solo home run to leadoff the seventh inning off the bat of Luke Wurzelbacher.
The Redhawks added another run in the bottom of the eighth on a hit-by-pitch to take a 6-4 lead. The Colonels battled back once and tied the game in the ninth inning. Demetrius Moorer highlighted the comeback as he reached third base and drove in a run after an outfield collision and later scored on sacrfice fly to tie the game at 6-6.
The Redhawks took the game in the bottom of the ninth inning on the two-run homer by Boggetto as Dalton Hewitt scored after reaching on a single as Southeast took the game, 8-6.
Boggetto, Bieser, Hewitt and Tellor all recorded multi-hit contests. Bieser added a pair of RBI in the game. Gibson added a pair of runs with a hit in his return to the Southeast lineup.
Southeast starter Will Spitzfaden went 6.2 innings allowing seven hits and four runs. Senior Tony Zerrusen followed with 1.1 innings of work out of the Southeast bullpen. Bobby Hurst (2-0) earned for the Redhawks.
Myles Scott (0-1) was tagged with the loss for Eastern Kentucky. EKU starter Anthony Bazzani went 3.1 innings allowing four earned runs as he left the game in the fourth inning with an injury.
Shaun Ball led the Colonels with a hit and a pair of RBI as seven different EKU players recorded hits.
TENNESSEE TECH 11, MOREHEAD STATE 4
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - The Morehead State baseball team managed 11 hits from seven different players, but dropped game one of its Ohio Valley Conference series with Tennessee Tech, 11-4, Friday night at Quillen Field.
Four Eagles – senior shortstop Chase Greenwell (2-for-5), junior designated hitter Bobby Burns (2-for-5), sophomore right fielder Brandon Rawe (2-for-5) and sophomore center fielder Duran Elmore (2-for-3, 2 RBI) – recorded multiple hits in the contest. The Eagles left 12 runners on base though and struck out 14 times.
Tennessee Tech jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, scoring a pair on four hits. MSU trimmed the Tech lead in half in the top of the second when Rawe scored from third on a pick-off attempt that was mishandled.
Morehead State tied the game, 2-2, in the top of the third when freshman third baseman Alan Mocahbee crushed a solo home run over the left field wall. It was his second home run in as many games for the Eagles, and his third in the last five games.
TTU plated three runs in the bottom half of each of the third, fourth and fifth innings to extend the lead to 11-2. Zach Stephens launched a three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth and led Tech with four RBI in the game.
The Eagles manufactured a run in the top of the sixth when Elmore drove in Rawe with an RBI single up the middle. Elmore brought the final Eagle run across the plate in the top of the eighth, taking an RBI walk with the bases loaded.
Sophomore right-hander Blake Smith (0-2) took the loss for MSU, allowing seven hits while striking out four in 3.1 innings of work. Junior righty Dan Hyatt threw 3.2 scoreless innings out of the Eagle bullpen, allowing only three hits and striking out four. TTU senior righty Tristan Archer (3-1) picked up the win, allowing nine hits but only two earned runs in his six innings of work. He recorded nine strikeouts.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 2, SIUE 1
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Junior Casey Antley tossed seven scoreless innings to lead Jacksonville State to a 2-1 series-opening win over SIU Edwardsville on Friday night at Rudy Abbott Field.
With the win, JSU moved to 3-1 against Ohio Valley Conference play and 9-10 overall. The loss was SIUE's first in the OVC and now stands at 5-8 on the season.
Antley, from Holtville, Ala., scattered three Cougar hits and struck out five while on the bump. He matched his career high in innings pitched as he tossed seven innings earlier this season in a win over UAB. Antley (4-1) sat down 14 straight SIUE batters before allowing a lead off walk in the seventh.
The Gamecocks touched SIUE starter, Travis Felax with a run in the opening frame. Jax State manufactured its first run of the contest after Michael Bishop led off the frame with a double to left field. After a sacrifice bunt at-bat by Eddie Mora-Loera to move Bishop to third, junior Griff Gordon lifted a deep fly ball to left field to plate Bishop.
JSU plated the eventual game-winning run in the fourth inning. Junior Coty Blanchard started the inning with a lead off infield single. After swiping second base, Blanchard scored on Andrew Bishop's double to left center.
Blanchard continued to swing the hot bat with a 3-for-3 night and reaching base four times and scoring the run in the fourth. In the last four games, Blanchard is 11-for-17 and has driven in eight runs and scored seven times.
The Gamecocks nursed the 2-0 lead until the SIUE threatened in the eighth and ninth as both innings started with an SIUE lead off walk. JSU's bullpen was summoned and fended off SIUE's rally attempt. Freshman Graham Officer relieved Antley and recorded the first out before senior Cody Ponder finished the inning.
SIUE's lone run was plated by a wild pitch by Travis Stout after two were down in the final frame. Stout induced a ground ball to third for the final out and registering his sixth save of the season.
Felax (3-1) went the distance for SIUE as he recorded eight strikeouts and allowed five JSU hits.
BELMONT 4, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 3
NASHVILLE - Behind a single in the ninth from Drew Turner (Shelbyville, Tenn.), Belmont Baseball (13-4) defeated Northern Illinois, 4-3, Friday at Rose Park.
Drew Ferguson (Knoxville, Tenn.), Judah Akers (Cookeville, Tenn.), and Jared Breen (Marietta, Ga.) all hit solo home runs in the game, but it was an RBI single that proved to be decisive at the end.
Ferguson hit a leadoff home run to give the Bruins an early 1-0 lead. That was the center fielder's first homer of the season. In the third, Akers put BU up 2-0 as he blasted his fifth home run of the season. He leads the team in home runs and is now tied for the lead in the OVC in the category.
NIU's Nate Ruzich hit a solo homer to put the Huskies on the board in the fifth, and made it a one-run game, 2-1.
Breen hit his first home run of the season in the sixth inning to put the Bruins up 3-1. The Huskies' Connor Duckhorn responded with a two-run homer to tie the game, 3-3 in the top of the seventh.
Joseph Stovall (Collierville, Tenn.) singled to left field to start the action in the bottom of the ninth. Ritchie laid down a sac bunt advancing Stovall and Ferguson was intentionally walked bringing up Turner. A wild pitch from NIU reliever Anthony Andres allowed Stovall and Ferguson to advance bebfore Turner's single to left field scored Stovall.
Chase Brookshire (Chattanooga, Tenn.) went seven innings on the hill. The left hander gave up three runs and struck out six.
Jessie Snodgrass (Lebanon, Tenn.) came to the mound in the eighth and earned his third win of the season. The right hander did not give up a hit and struck out one in his two innings of work.