SATURDAY'S SCORES
@Eastern Kentucky 18, Tennessee Tech 7
Murray State 7-1, Morehead State 3-2 (Mason, Ohio)
@SIUE 7-6, Eastern Illinois 5-2
@Belmont 11, Southeast Missouri 6
Jacksonville State 10-20 at UT Martin 5-2
@Austin Peay 9, Creighton 8
EASTERN KENTUCKY 18, TENNESSEE TECH 7
RICHMOND, Ky. - The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team exploded for 18 runs to earn a convincing victory over Tennessee Tech Saturday afternoon at Turkey Hughes field. Four Colonels hit their first home run of the season in the 18-7 win.
Austin Grisham, Alex Hughes, Matt Phipps and Steve Ferraro were the home run bashers which helped Eastern Kentucky (4-6, 1-1 OVC) put up season highs in both runs and hits (16). Hughes and Phipps went back-to-back in the fifth inning while Ferraro homered in his first at-bat of the season. Three of the four home runs were three-run shots.
Hughes, Phipps and Grisham, the bottom three in the EKU line-up, combined to go 7-of-12 at the plate with 11 RBIs and seven runs scored.
Phipps and Bryan Soloman each tallied three hits to lead the Colonels in that category while Hughes and Soloman both crossed home plate four times.
The last time Eastern scored more runs in an OVC game was March 29, 2009 when the Colonels racked up 25 runs in a win over Morehead State.
EKU broke open the game with four runs in the fourth to take a 6-1 lead. Tennessee Tech (7-6, 1-1) responded with three runs in the following frame, but the Colonels struck right back with five more runs in the bottom of the fifth to pull away for good.
Shane Grimm (2-0) earned the win on the mound for the Colonels as the lefty went 5.0 innings and allowed four runs.
MURRAY STATE 7-1, MOREHEAD STATE 3-2
MASON, Ohio - Senior pinch hitter Cole Cleveland smacked a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th to give the Morehead State baseball team a 2-1 victory and doubleheader split against Murray State on Saturday. The Eagles dropped game one of the series, 7-3, earlier in the day at Prasco Park.
Cleveland’s single through the right side marked the first walk-off win of the season for the Eagles, who moved to 6-8 overall and 1-1 in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Thoroughbreds are now 6-8 overall and 1-1 in league play.
In game two, Morehead State jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when senior right fielder Nick Duff brought in sophomore first baseman Kane Sweeney with a line-drive single down the left-field line.
The game then turned into a pitchers’ duel, with Eagles junior left-hander Noah Smallwood and Thoroughbreds freshman right-hander Andrew Bramley not allowing another run over the next six innings. Smallwood finished the day only allowing three hits and no runs with two strikeouts in seven innings.
In the top of the eighth, Thoroughbreds senior shortstop Noah Zipko drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to left field, which tied the game at one. The scoring stayed that way until Cleveland’s walk-off.
Senior right-hander Austin Haney, who allowed only one hit in 2.2 innings, earned the win out of the bullpen for the Eagles. Freshman left-hander Sheldon Baxter was charged with the loss for Murray State.
Murray State scored three runs in both the second and third innings of the opener. The Thoroughbreds plated one more in the fifth, while Morehead State manufactured one run in the third, fifth and eighth innings.
Four different Eagles -- sophomore catcher Chris Robinson (2-for-4), Sweeney (2-for-5, 1 RBI), freshman third baseman Alan Mocahbee (2-for-5, 1 RBI) and junior second baseman Jeff Birkofer (2-for-4) -- recorded two hits each in the opener.
Morehead State sophomore right-hander Blake Smith took his first loss of the season, allowing eight hits and five earned runs while striking out five in 3.1 innings. Murray State junior righty Cameron Finch picked up the win, allowing five hits and two earned runs in five innings.
SIUE 7-6, EASTERN ILLINOIS 5-2
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - SIUE swept a baseball doubleheader from Eastern Illinois Saturday, winning 7-5 in the opener before taking the nightcap 6-2 at Simmons Complex.
SIUE improved to 5-7 overall and 3-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference. Eastern Illinois dropped to 3-11 and 0-3 in the OVC. The Cougars have now won four straight over the Panthers and are 8-1 against them since 2010.
Joel Greatting put the Cougars on top in game one when he led off the second inning with his first home run of the year to make it 1-0. EIU scored twice in the fourth to lead 2-1, but SIUE answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Matt Seevers drove home a run with an infield single and Nick Lombardo brought in another with a groundout.
When EIU took a 4-3 lead in the seventh, SIUE had an answer again. Greating, Ryan Mansfield and Skyler Geissinger each picked up RBI-hits in the inning to put the Cougars on top 6-4. Both teams scored in the eighth inning for the final margin. Mansfield added his second RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly.
The Cougars scored the seven runs on 10 hits against five Eastern Illinois pitchers. Scott Houdeck (0-1) allowed two runs without retiring a hitter to suffer the loss.
Stoecklin said the ability of SIUE to come back shows character.
Greatting was 3 for 3 with the home run and two RBIs. Mansfield finished the opener 2 for 3 with two RBIs. Nathan Sopena and Demetre Taylor each had two hits for EIU in game one.
Freshman Sam Hopkins allowed two runs in 4 1/3 innings in his second start of the year. Jake Stauffenberg (2-0) earned the win in 2/3 of an inning of work. Tony Schaeffer allowed an unearned run on two hits for his third save of the season.
Freshman P.J. Schuster (1-3) made his first collegiate start in game two and earned the win with 6 1/3 innings. He allowed two runs on five hits and struck out a career-high six hitters. Schuster retired 11 consecutive hitters at one point in the game.
Stoecklin praised both of his freshmen starters.
Drew Staples struck out two in 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief in the second game.
The Panthers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning of game two, before the Cougars took control of the game. SIUE scored two runs in the fourth inning on RBI-hits from Seevers and Geissinger to lead 2-1. The Cougars capitalized on an Eastern Illinois error and three hit batters in the fifth inning to score three times. Zach Little and Seevers each were hit by a pitch with the bases loaded for RBIs.
Geissinger beat out an infield hit to drive home his second run of the game. Matt Highland chipped an RBI-single in the sixth inning to make it 6-1. Geissinger was 3 for 4 with the two RBIs. Highland was 2 for 4. Seevers was 1 for 3 with the two RBIs.
BELMONT 11, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 6
NASHVILLE - Belmont Baseball (10-4) defeated Southeast Missouri, 11-6, Saturday afternoon at Rose Park for the program's first Ohio Valley Conference win.
SEMO loaded the bases in the first inning but Austin Coley (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) and the Bruin defense was able to get out of the jam and hold the Redhawks scoreless in the first.
Drew Ferguson (Knoxville, Tenn.) drew leadoff walk before Judah Akers (Cookeville, Tenn.) doubled to right center scoring Ferguson and putting BU on the scoreboard. Josh Davis (Fayetteville, Ga.) singled to right to score Akers. Davis proceeded to steal second before a single from Jared Breen (Marietta, Ga.) advanced Davis to third.
The designated hitter put the Bruins up 3-0 after Matt Beaty (Dresden, Tenn.) reached on a fielder's choice and Breen was out on the play.
In the second inning, a double from Ferguson capped another three-run inning. Akers singled to right bringing home Ferguson. Davis doubled and Breen hit a single up the middle to put the Bruins on top, 6-0.
SEMO responded in the third with three runs. Belmont extended their lead to 7-3 after Davis hit his second double of the game to score Akers. The Redhawks closed the gap, 7-5, as they scored a pair of runs in the top of the fifth.
Dan Ludwig (Naperville, Ill.) came on to relieve Coley in the sixth. Coley finished the day with five innings of work. The right hander gave up six hits, five runs and struck out five. Ludwig recorded 1.2 innings of relief, giving up one hit and walked two.
Jessie Snodgrass (Lebanon, Tenn.) came to the mound in relief in the seventh with two outs and runners on first and second and struck out SEMO's Branden Boggetto swinging to end the inning and maintain BU's 7-5 lead.
Davis came on in relief in the eighth, making his seventh appearance on the mound this season.
Jamie Ritchie (Burford, Ga.) hit a double down the left field line, forcing the Redhawks to go back to their bullpen. Jason Blum, who started at second and moved to left field, took the mound to face Ferguson, issuing the centerfielder a walk. SEMO's Blum proceeded to hit Drew Turner (Shelbyville, Tenn.) to load the bases with one out.
The Redhawks returned to the bullpen to bring on Alex Siddle. Akers was hit by a pitch, moving all runners and scoring Ritchie. A wild pitch scored Ferguson and gave the Bruins a four-run lead, 9-5, before Breen doubled down the left field line to plate two more. Breen's four hits on the day, matched his career high.
SEMO plated one in the ninth, but it wasn't enough as the Bruins closed the game, 11-6.
Davis earned his third save of the season after two innings of work. He gave up three hits, one run and struck out two.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 10-20, UT MARTIN 5-2
MARTIN, Tenn. - Griff Gordon, Coty Blanchard and Chase Silvani each had three hits to lead Jacksonville State to a 10-5 win over UT Martin to split the Ohio Valley Conference series in the first game of Saturday's double-header. Coty Blanchard drove in six runs on three hits as Jacksonville State claimed a 20-2 win over UT Martin as the Gamecocks won the Ohio Valley Conference series against the Skyhawks.
Taylor Shields (3-1) scattered seven hits and allowed five runs to earn the win for the Gamecocks, while Taylor Cox gave up seven runs in just 2 2/3 innings to suffer the loss for the Skyhawks.
Jax State jumped out to an early lead after scoring three runs in the first inning on a RBI double by Gordon and moved to third on Blanchard's single. Gordon then stole home after Blanchard stole second and Blanchard later scored on a Skyhawk error to give JSU a 3-0 lead.
UTM got on the board in the home half of the first after Byron Johann hit a solo home run to right center, to cut the lead to 3-1, but the Gamecocks answered in the second inning after Silvani hit his first home run of the year over the center field wall for a 4-1 JSU lead.
Jacksonville State extended the lead in the third inning after scoring three more runs, thanks to RBI singles by Andrew Bishop, Tyler Gamble and Silvani to push the Gamecock lead to 7-1.
The Skyhawks answered in the home half of the third after Sonny Mastromatteo hit a solo home run and Wade Collins hit a two-out two-run home run to cut the lead to 7-4.
UTM added a run in the fourth inning after Kenny King led off with a single and scored when Brent Morris tripled to right center to make the score 7-5.
Jax State added a run I nthe sixth on a RBI single by Eddie Mora-Loera, and then tacked on two insurance runs in the seventh on Andrew Bishops RBI single and avin Golsan's RBI single for the final margin.
The Gamecocks finished with a season-high 16 hits and 10 runs as Mora-Loera, Andrew Bishop and Golsan each added two hits to go along with Gordon, Blanchard and Silvani's three hits. Johann led UTM with two hits.
In game two Adam Polk (2-3) allowed just two hits in five solid innings on the mound to earn the win. UTM's Dalton Potts (2-1) gave up just three hits and had four strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings, but got stuck with the loss after the Skyhawk bullpen gave up the final 17 runs of the game.
The first four innings was a pitcher's duel as both teams had combined to allow just three hits, but Jax State broke through in the fifth inning and plated eight runs on six hits to take control of the game.
Tyler Gamble led off with a double, just the second JSU hit in the game, and Gavin Golsan followed with a single bunt to third and Michael Bishop was hit by a pitch to load the bases and chase UTM starter Potts from the game.
Eddie Mora-Loera drew a one-out walk to score the first run of the game, and Griff Gordon then hit a deep fly ball that was dropped by the UTM left fielder to allow two runs to score as JSU built a 3-0 lead. Blanchard then doubled in a run, before Stephen Bartlett doubled in two runs with a double Tyler Gamble and Gavin Golsan each drove in a run as the Gamecocks built an 8-0 lead after sending 12 batters to the plate.
Jax State came out and scored five more runs in the sixth inning, highlighted by a 3-run home run by Blanchard, as the Gamecocks pushed the lead to 13-0.
The Skyhawks got a run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Wade Collins, but the Gamecocks came right back and scored six more runs in the top of the eighth inning.
Mora-Loera and Blanchard each drove in two runs, while Carlos Somoza and Andrew Bishop each added a run to extend the lead to 19-1.
The Skyhawks scored their second run in the eighth inning after Collins doubled in second run of the game, but Gamble hit his first home run of his Gamecock career for the final margin.
Blanchard, Mora-Loera, Gamble and Golsan each had three hits, while Michael Bishop, Andrew Bishop and Bartlett each had two hits to lead the Gamecocks' 19-hit attack. Blanchard, Gamble and Michael Bishop each homered in the win. Wade Collins had two hits and drove in both runs for the Skyhawks.
AUSTIN PEAY 9, CREIGHTON 8
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - A battle between two of the nation's top 25 mid-major programs lived up to its billing as Austin Peay State University's baseball team eked out a 9-8 victory against Creighton, Saturday night, in the Riverview Inn Classic at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Austin Peay, which entered the game ranked No. 13 in the CollegeBaseballDaily.com Mid-Major poll, improved to 12-2 - its best 14-game start in program history. Creighton, which was ranked No. 13 in the same poll, fell to 5-3.
The game itself featured three ties, Austin Peay forging the last of those ties at 7-7 with shortstop Reed Harper's RBI single in the seventh. Creighton threatened to take the lead again in the eighth when leadoff hitter Kevin Lamb singled. However, reliever Ryan Quick struck out the next two batters and closer Tyler Rogers ended the inning with another strikeout.
The Govs took only their second lead of the contest in the eighth inning. Right fielder Rolando Gautier was hit by a 3-2 pitch to start the frame. Third baseman Kevin Corey put down a bunt to sacrifice the runner to second but also reached base when the Bluejays pitcher fumbled the ball. Austin Peay loaded the bases with second baseman Jordan Hankins single.
Creighton would stall the charge when it got a strikeout looking and seemed poised to put a dent in the threat when left fielder Cody Hudson hit a ground ball down the first-base line. The Bluejays first baseman initially charged the ball then paused to see if the ball would roll foul. However, it stayed fair and rolled into the outfield for a double, allowing two runs to score and giving APSU a 9-7 lead. Austin Peay would not scratch out another run as a fielder's choice cut down a runner between third and home and Creighton induced an inning-ending flyout.
But the excitement did not end there. Creighton took advantage of Rogers inability to find the strike zone consistently in its half of the ninth, with the first two batters earning walks. First baseman Reagan Fowler tapped the ball just inside fair territory and outside the batter's box which catcher P.J. Torres picked up to record the first out at third base.
Rogers then induced a sure-fire double play ground ball, but second baseman Jordan Hankins could not find the handle and Creighton had the bases loaded with one out. Designated hitter Jordan Makovicka followed with the third walk of the frame, forcing home a run. Rogers would find his form in time to end the threat with a strikeout and groundout, securing the Govs fourth straight win.
The late-inning fireworks were a fitting finale to a contest that got off to a rollicking start. Austin Peay grabbed the game's first lead courtesy Hankins' two-run home run in the first. Creighton responded with a five-run second inning that was kicked off by shortstop Alex Staehely's two-run game-tying home run. The Bluejays then took a 4-2 lead on left fielder Brad McKewon's two-run single and ended the frame leading 5-2.
Austin Peay closed the deficit to one run in its half of the second on Gautier's two-run double into the right field corner. But Creighton responded again when center fielder Mike Gerber led off the third with a home run, pushing the lead back to 6-4.
The Govs scratched back one of those runs in the third thanks to a Creighton wild pitch-error combination that allowed Hankins to score from second base. Austin Peay tied the game at 6-6 in the sixth when another Creighton wild pitch put Riner in scoring position and Gautier brought him home with a RBI single. The two teams exchanged runs in the seventh inning to set up the final stretch.
Rogers (3-0) picked up the win after allowing one unearned run and three walks over the final 1.1 innings. Starter Casey Delgado went just two-plus innings allowing six runs on seven hits. The Govs bullpen performed yeoman's work from there. Kacy Kemmer followed and allowed one run over 4.1 innings before Ryan Quick posted 1.1 innings of scoreless relief, striking out three.
Hudson finished the night 3-for-5 with two RBI with his two-run double again providing the game-winning margin - his third game-winning hit in the Govs last four games. All nine Governors batters recorded a hit in the 14-hit affair.
Creighton's Bryan Sova - the third of four relief pitchers - was tagged for the loss after allowing two runs (one earned) in 0.2 innings. Bluejays starter Nick Musec allowed six runs on nine hits over 5.2 innings.
Staehely led the Creighton offense with a 2-for-2, two RBI, two walk outing. Creighton posted 10 hits in the contest.