TUESDAY'S SCORES
@Indiana State 8,
Austin Peay 1
@Eastern Illinois 11, Southern Illinois 7
@Saint Louis 7,
Southeast Missouri 6
Illinois State 5,
@SIUE 0
Tennessee Tech 8, @Alabama A&M 6
@Belmont 3, Middle Tennessee 1
@Clemson 10,
Morehead State 5
@Evansville 5,
Murray State 3
Memphis 18,
@UT Martin 4
Troy 13,
@Jacksonville State 5
INDIANA STATE 8, AUSTIN PEAY 1
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Austin Peay State University's baseball team suffered through a rare bout of offensive impotence and saw its nine-game win streak end with an 8-1 loss to Indiana State, Tuesday, at Bob Warn Field.
Austin Peay (17-3) mustered only two hits the entire contest - both coming off the bat of senior left fielder Cody Hudson. The Govs lone run came in the second inning when Hudson singled then stole second. He combined with Harper, who walked, to complete a double steal and Hudson scored when the catcher's throw sailed into left field.
Indiana State's (8-7) pitching staff kept the Govs offense stymied by way of 12 strikeouts. It was the second time in the last four games APSU struck out 12 times in game, equaling the season-high set at Lipscomb last week.
The Sycamores offense was opportunistic in scoring eight runs, pushing home five runs with two outs. After the Govs scored their lone run, Indiana State responded with a three-run second inning. APSU starter Zach Hall surrendered a leadoff double and a walk to start the rally. Left fielder Owen Conway followed with an RBI single and second baseman Derek Hannahs added a sacrifice fly to give the Sycamores a 2-1 lead. Center fielder Landon Curry tacked on a third run with an RBI single.
Indiana State tacked on single runs in the fifth and sixth innings off Austin Peay relief pitching, pushing its advantage to 5-1. The Sycamores broke the game open in the eighth with three runs in the frame, including Conway's two-run single that set the final score.
Hall (2-1) suffered his season's first loss after allowing three runs on five hits over 4.0 innings. Hudson finished the day 2-for-3 with a run scored to pace the APSU offense.
ISU's Tyler Fehringer (1-0) picked up the win after allowing one unearned run and striking out six over four innings. Owen Conway went 3-for-3 with three RBI to lead Indiana State's 11-hit offensive attack.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 11, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 7
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois took advantage of some early Southern Illinois errors as the Panthers snapped a nine-game losing skid with an 11-7 victory over the Salukis on Tuesday afternoon at Coaches Stadium.
EIU scored six unearned runs against five different SIU pitchers as they improved to 4-14 on the season. SIU fell to 9-11.
Nick Priessman started the Panthers off in the first as he drove home Mitch Gasbarro with an RBI single to right. Gasbarro had reached on one of three errors committed by Saluki third basemen during the contest.
SIU would take its only lead of the game in the third inning as Matt Jones hit a two-run homer to left putting SIU up 2-1. Jake Johansmeier (1-0) would settle down after that pitching five innings allowing three runs as he picked up his first collegiate win.
Gasbarro opened the bottom of the third reaching on an error. He would come around to score as EIU plated three runs against SIU starter Brad Drust (1-2). Brant Valach and Jacob Reese both delivered RBI singles in the inning. Drust allowed four runs in 2.1 innings of work, only one run was earned.
Treysen Vavra tacked on two runs for the Panthers with a double to center in the fourth and Nathan Sopena delivered a three-run homer in the seventh to put EIU comfortably in front. Sopena collected three of EIU’s nine RBI for the day.
Leading 11-3 in the ninth EIU’s pitching struggled to close out the game as the Panthers were forced to use three pitchers to pick up the win. After striking out the first two Saluki batters looking, EIU allowed a combination of three hits, three walks and one error as SIU closed the margin to 11-7. Joe Greenfield then picked up a ground out with bases loaded to save the contest. It was Greenfield’s first save of the season.
Priessman and Trey Russell both had two hits to lead EIU. Brock Harding was 3-for-5 for SIU.
SAINT LOUIS 7, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 6
ST. LOUIS - The Southeast Missouri baseball team dropped a 7-6 heartbreaker to Saint Louis Tuesday afternoon at the Billikens Sports Complex in St. Louis. The Billikens scored five unanswered runs in the seventh and eighth innings as they improved to 13-9 on the season as the Redhawks fell to 11-11.
Southeast starter Trevor Kill was impressive on the mound going a career-high six innings allowing only two earned runs on six hits.
Andy Lennington paced the Southeast offense going 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.
The Billikens got out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning. An RBI single by Alex Kelly opened the scoring followed by a sacrifice fly by Mike Vigliarolo.
The Redhawks added three runs in the top of the fourth inning. Nolan Fisher highlighted the frame with a two-run double to left centerfield. Clayton Evans followed with an RBI single to right field.
Southeast took a 5-2 lead on a two-run homer to left centerfield by Andy Lennington. It was Lennington's second homer of the season as Tellor scored on the play after a leadoff single.
SLU tied the game in the bottom of the seventh inning with a pair of two-run home runs off of the Southeast bullpen.
Saint Louis took the lead after a wild pitch by Tony Zerrusen (0-1) with two runners in scoring position as the Billikens took the game 7-6 after Jon Levin earned the save.
Fisher was 2-for-2 with two RBI and a run scored as he recorded his first RBI and hit of his career. Tellor also added a pair of hits for the Redhawks.
Marco Mejia (1-2) got the win for Saint Louis working 1.1 innings. Alex Kelly led the SLU offense with three hits and three RBI, including a two-run homer.
ILLINOIS STATE 5, SIUE 0
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - SIUE pitchers allowed just three earned runs Tuesday, but the Cougars fell to Illinois State 5-0 in non-conference baseball at Simmons Baseball Complex.
Illinois State, now 10-9, scored twice in the fourth, twice in the sixth, and once in the ninth. Brock Stewart and Kyle Stanton each homered in the win. Stewart was 2 for 5.
The Cougars, who fell to 5-11 overall, didn't take advantage of eight walks and four hit batters by Illinois State pitchers.
SIUE stranded 15 runners on base, including stranding the bases loaded in the fifth and eighth innings. The Cougars finished with just three hits.
Redbird starter J.D. Learnard (1-1) tossed five innings for the win. He allowed just a single hit. He walked five and struck out five.
Caleb Wilkerson (0-2) suffered the loss for SIUE. Wilkerson allowed a run on three hits in 3 1/3 innings. Stoecklin said he pulled Wilkerson because of a pitch count.
The Cougar bullpen combined to allow four runs, just two earned, over 5 2/3 innings. Brooks McDowell tossed 2 1/3 innings allowing one unearned run on two hits. He struck out six.
Ryan Mansfield was 2 for 5 for SIUE. Joel Greatting had the only other hit. He was 1 for 3.
TENNESSEE TECH 8, ALABAMA A&M 6
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - A huge first inning set the tone for the Tennessee Tech baseball team (14-6, 5-1) Tuesday afternoon, as the Golden Eagles won their seventh consecutive game with an 8-6 victory over Alabama A&M (2-22, 0-5) in Huntsville.
The Golden Eagles tallied a six-run first inning in the contest, using a three-run home run from junior Zach Stephens to get on the board first. After loading the bases on a double, an error, and a walk, sophomore Dylan Bosheers cleared them, smacking a two-bagger while doubling the lead to 6-0 while continuing his recent hot streak.
The Bulldogs wouldn't go away, however, collecting five runs in the fourth inning to give the Golden Eagles a little run for their money. Ross Spurgeon entered the contest, throwing four innings of relief while allowing just three hits and one run in the eighth inning. He struck out the first three batters he faced, all on swinging strike threes.
In the fifth, the Tech bats provided a little insurance for Spurgeon and the rest of the pitching staff, putting up two runs off a Zach Zarzour sac fly and single by Austin Wulf. The lead would prove to be more than enough.
Closer Seth Lucio entered the contest in the top of the ninth looking for his second save in as many games. The sophomore did not disappoint, striking out two of the three batters he faced to earn his third save of the season and propel the Golden Eagles to their best start since 2000.
Garrett Baugh earned his third win of the season, improving to 3-1, the third pitcher on the Golden Eagle staff with three victories.
Brandon Thomasson extended his impressive hitting streak to 12 games on the year, doubling in the first inning and later scoring a run.
BELMONT 3, MIDDLE TENNESSEE 1
NASHVILLE - Led by a solid pitching, the Belmont baseball team defeated MTSU 3-1 in a game held Tuesday afternoon at E.S. Rose Park in Nashville.
The Bruins put the first run of the game on the board in the first. After Jared Breen walked, he stole second and then came home on a Josh David single to center to give BU a 1-0.
They extended the lead to 3-0 in the third when Alec Diamond singled to start the inning. Diamond advanced to second when Drew Ferguson walked. Then, Jared Breen doubled down the right field line, which allowed Diamond and Ferguson to score.
MTSU cut the lead to 3-1 in the sixth inning when Ryan Ford got an infield single. Ford advanced to second on a wild pitch and later got to third base when Hank LaRue grounded out. Ford later scored on Johnny Thomas' RBI single to left field.
However, the MTSU would get no closer as the Belmont bullpen shut down the Blue Raiders in the final three innings to give BU the 3-1 victory.
Sophomore Dan Ludwig picked up his fourth win for the Bruins. He pitched six innings, allowing just one run on four hits and striking out nine. Senior Josh Davis picked up the save, his fourth of the season.
Jared Breen led the Bruins as he went 2 for 2 with a double, two RBIs, and one run scored.
CLEMSON 10, MOREHEAD STATE 5
CLEMSON, S.C. - Despite jumping out to an early 2-0 lead in the second inning, the Morehead State baseball team dropped game one of mid-week series against Clemson, 10-5, Tuesday night at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
The Eagles move to 7-13 on the season, with the Tigers improving to 12-7.
Morehead State got the bats going early, establishing that two-run lead when senior catcher Drew Williams crushed a two-run home run into the left field grandstands in the top of the second. Clemson answered in the bottom half of the second with a run of its own on an RBI single from senior center fielder Thomas Brittle..
The Eagles extended their lead to 3-1 in the top of the third when freshman third baseman Alan Mocahbee drove in senior left fielder Taylor Pickens. Again, the Tigers answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning to cut the MSU lead in half, this time on an RBI single from sophomore catcher Garrett Boulware.
Clemson took control of the contest in the bottom of the fourth, driving in six runs on four hits.
In the top of the fifth, MSU plated two more to trim the hosts' advantage to 8-5. Mocahbee plated freshman second baseman Trey Gross and Pickens with a double to left field.
CU tacked on one more in each of the fifth and eighth innings to close out the five-run victory.
Three Eagles – Pickens (2-for-4), Williams (2-for-4, two RBI), and junior designated hitter Bobby Burns (2-for-3) – recorded multiple hits for MSU.
MSU junior right-hander Dan Hyatt (0-1) took the loss in relief, allowing six earned runs in just 1.1 innings. Freshman righty Craig Pearcy pitched two scoreless innings while not allowing a hit out of the Eagle bullpen. Clemson junior righty Mike Kent (1-1) picked up the win, pitching three scoreless innings in relief.
EVANSVILLE 5, MURRAY STATE 3
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Evansville scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to break a tie game and hand Murray State a 5-3 defeat Tuesday evening at Braun Stadium.
UE took the lead in the eighth as they put runners on the corners with one out. Michael Eckstein put down a bunt to the right side that allowed the runner to score the winning run. Chris Pearson added an insurance run with an RBI single to center field.
The Purple Aces (8-11) got their offense going in the first inning as a pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases with one out. John Day blooped an RBI single to left center, before Pearson drew a bases-loaded walk. Andy Lasher drove in the third run with a sacrifice fly to left field.
The Breds (10-11) tied the game in the fifth as they scored three runs with two outs. Ty Stetson started the rally with a single to center and went to third on a Taylor Mathews double to left center. With two outs, Mike Kozlowski drove in both runners with a single to center field. As the play drew to a close, Kozlowski smartly took second and it paid off as Dylan Wheeler followed with an RBI single to right field.
John Rafferty (0-1) took the loss after allowing one run on one hit in one inning of work. Kyle Miller (1-0) earned the victory after tossing 2.2 innings of shutout relief, allowing one hit and striking out five. Jake Naumann (4) earned the save after pitching a scoreless ninth inning.
Cameron Wallace had his second-straight strong outing out of the bullpen as he allowed just one hit over three innings.
Stetson, Mathews, Eggenschwiler and Wheeler each collected two hits as the Breds outhit the Purple Aces 10-6. Stetson also drew a walk and threw a runner out at the plate.
MEMPHIS 18, UT MARTIN 4
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team found its offense in the middle innings tonight against Memphis but couldn’t overcome an early hole in an 18-4 loss at Skyhawk Field.
Brent Morris and Matt Haynes each tied career-highs with three hits apiece tonight to lead UT Martin (7-13) offensively. Sonny Mastromatteo scored twice while Luis Paublini and Byron Johann both scored once and drove in a run for the Skyhawks. Johann compiled two hits to extend his hitting streak to seven games.
On the mound, junior starter John Houston (1-4) took the loss, allowing seven runs in 0.2 innings. Trevor Lundgrin (1.2 innings) and Jordan Stokes (one inning) each made scoreless appearances while Cody Miller did not allow a hit and retired seven straight batters at one point during his 2.2 innings of work.
Memphis (12-8) scored seven runs in the first inning – six of which came with two outs. The Tigers added one run in the second and a pair of runs in the third until the Skyhawk bullpen blanked Memphis for three straight frames. Lundgrin began the shutout stretch with a six-pitch fourth inning while Miller did not allow a single baserunner in the fifth and sixth innings.
Meanwhile, the UT Martin offense heated up. In the bottom of the fifth, Mastromatteo and Haynes led off the frame with back-to-back singles. Grant Glasser then drew a one-out walk to load the bases. Next up was Johann, who flew out to right field for a sacrifice fly to get the Skyhawks on the scoreboard.
In the bottom of the sixth, Paublini was hit by a pitch to open the frame. Morris followed with a single to right field and after a strikeout and fielder’s choice, baserunners were on the corners for Haynes. Paublini would score on a wild pitch and a few pitches later, Haynes roped a single to center to plate Mastromatteo and make the score 10-3.
However, Memphis scored five runs in the top of the seventh, one in the eighth and two in the ninth. UT Martin would tack on one more run in the bottom of the seventh (Paublini singled in Johann, who doubled to lead off the inning), but it ultimately wouldn’t be enough.
TROY 13, JACKSONVILLE STATE 5
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Trae Santos had three hits and drove in four runs to lead Troy to a 13-5 win over Jacksonville State at Rudy Abbott Field on Wednesday evening.
Ryan Sorce (1-0) picked up his first win of the season after allowing just one hit with four strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings on the mound for the Trojans. Michael Mason (0-1) gave up two runs and issued three walks in 1 2/3 innings to suffer his first loss of the year.
The Trojans (13-6) took the early lead after scoring three run in the top of the first inning after Santos and Garrett Pitts each drove in a run, and Santos later scored on a Gamecock error to give Troy a 3-0 lead.
Jax State (11-11) scored a run in the bottom of the first after Adam Miller singled up the middle and moved to second after Griff Gordon walked. Coty Blanchard then singled to right center to score Miller and cut the lead to 3-1.
The Gamecocks added a run in the third inning on a RBI single by Chase Silvani to cut the lead to 3-2, but the Trojans answered in the fourth after Logan Pierce had a RBI single to push the lead to 4-2.
Jax State took the lead in the fifth inning after Blanchard scored on a wild pitch, Paschal Petrongolo scored on a Troy error and Michael Bishop had a RBI double to give JSU a 5-4 lead.
The Trojans answered in the top of the sixth inning to tie the game on Pierce's infield grounder and took the lead on a RBI single to right center by Santos to give Troy a 6-5 lead.
Troy then scored six runs on four hits and took advantage of a pair of Gamecock errors in the seventh inning to extended the lead to 12-5, and added another run in the ninth inning for the final margin.
Michael Bishop, Stephen Bartlett, Silvani and Blanchard each had two hits to lead the Gamecocks, while Tyler Vaughn and Matthew Howard each had two hits for Troy.