WEDNESDAY'S SCORES
@Eastern Illinois 14, Benedictine-Springfield 4
@South Alabama 6,
Jacksonville State 5
@Bradley 3-6,
SIUE 0-5
@Austin Peay 3-3, Evansville 1-2
@Southeast Missouri, UMSL (postponed)
EASTERN ILLINOIS 14, BENEDICTINE-SPRINGFIELD 4
CHARLESTON, Ill. - The Panther baseball team picked up a 14-4 win over Benedictine University on Wednesday afternoon at Coaches Stadium. EIU improved to 9-3 when playing at home.
The Panthers improved to 15-22 on the year while Benedictine dropped to 18-22. EIU returns to action at Belmont on April 26-28 in a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series.
EIU scored five runs on three hits and one error in the second inning to take an early 5-0 advantage. The Panthers added three more runs in the next inning to take an 8-0 lead before the Bulldogs scored three unanswered runs over the fourth and fifth innings to get within five (8-3).
The Panthers added two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on a Tyler Schweigert two-run homer to make the score 10-3. EIU scored four runs on five hits in the next frame to take its largest lead, 14-3, before Benedictine’s Jared Klay hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning to make the final ledger, 14-4.
EIU posted five more hits (15-10) than Benedictine and left two fewer runners on base (11-9). The Bulldogs had two errors in the contest while the Panthers did not have any miscues.
All told, five different Panthers had two or more hits in the game. Brant Valach led the team at the plate, going 3-for-5 with three runs and a RBI. Treysen Vavra went 2-for-4 with two RBI while Trey Russell went 2-for-2 with two RBI, a run and his first career home run. EIU hit four home runs in the victory.
Luke Bushur (1-0) earned the win on the mound for EIU, striking out two and only allowing two hits in two scoreless innings of work. EIU used six total pitchers who combined to record eight strikeouts to four walks.
Tristan Molumby (4-5) took the loss for Benedictine, allowing five runs (four earned) and three hits with four walks in 1.1 innings of work. Tommy Jennings led the offense as the third baseman went 3-for-4 with two runs.
SOUTH ALABAMA 6, JACKSONVILLE STATE 5
MOBILE, Ala. - The University of South Alabama used a six-run first inning to claim a 6-5 win over Jacksonville State at Stanky Field on Wednesday.
South Alabama (31-12) loaded the bases on three walks by JSU starter Taylor Sparks in the bottom of the first, and took a 2-0 lead on a two-out, two-run single to right field by Dustin Dalken. The Jags pushed their third run of the inning across on a bases-loaded walk by Hayden Jones, and added three additional runs on a two-run single by Graham Odom and a Gamecock throwing error to allow Jones to cross and give USA an early 6-0 lead.
JSU cut the Jag lead to 6-2 on a two-run single by Michael Bishop in the top of the second, and cut the USA lead in half in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly to left-center field by Ty Pierce.
The Gamecocks pushed the final two runs of the game across in the top of the fourth on an RBI double by Chase Silvani, and a sacrifice fly to right field off the bat of Griff Gordon.
Jaguar right-hander Tripp Cecil (3-1) tossed 4 2/3 scoreless innings in relief, and allowed just three hits while striking out three and issuing one walk. Sparks (0-1) suffered the loss in two-thirds of an inning, allowing six runs on two hits with one strikeout and five walks. Jordan Patterson entered in relief of Cecil to record the game's final out in the ninth inning to earn his first career save.
Griff Gordon, Andrew Bishop and Silvani each had two hits to lead the Gamecocks, while Michael Bishop finished with two RBIs. Gordon extended his hitting streak to 10 games, while Coty Blanchard extended his hitting streak to nine games. Blanchard has also reached base in 18 straight games, the longest by a Gamecock this season.
BRADLEY 3-6, SIUE 0-5
PEORIA, Ill. - Bradley slipped by SIUE in a in a pair of seven inning games Wednesday at Chiefs Stadium. The Braves defeated the Cougars 3-0 and 6-5.
SIUE dropped to 9-27 overall and will travel to Morehead State for an Ohio Valley Conference series this weekend.
The Cougars had the tying run on base when game two ended. SIUE came back from down 6-1 in the game after Bradley (14-22) scored twice in the third, twice in the fourth, and twice in the fifth innings.
SIUE scored three runs on four hits in the sixth inning. Skyler Geissinger drove in a run with a fielder's choice, and Drew Johnson lined a two out, two run-single to right to cut the lead to 6-4.
Bryan Ryberg drew a walk to lead off the seventh and then advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Ryberg went to third on a ground out and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Jacob Stewart. James Vazquez singled with two outs, and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. He was stranded at second when the game ended.
Stewart and Vazquez each had two hits in the game. Johnson was 1 for 2 with the pair of RBIs.
Bradley starter Eric Scheuermann (3-3) allowed one run on five innings for the win. Nolan Sponsler was 3 for 4 with a pair of RBIs in the victory. Eliot Ashbeck was 2 for 3 with an RBI and two runs scored.
J.D. Williams (0-2) started for the Cougars and took the loss. He allowed four runs and struck out one in 3 2/3 innings.
Sam Hopkins (1-4) suffered the loss in game one despite collecting the first complete game of his college career. He allowed all three runs on six hits. Hopkins struck out a career high four hitters and walked only one.
The Braves scored single runs in the third, fifth, and sixth innings. Sponsler was 2 for 3 with an RBI. Mike Tauchman and Greg Partyka had the other RBIs for Bradley. Partyka hit his third home run of the year
AUSTIN PEAY 3-3, EVANSVILLE 1-2
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Senior closer Tyler Rogers broke the Ohio Valley Conference’s single-season saves mark with two stops as Austin Peay State University took both ends of a doubleheader, 3-1 and 3-2, from Evansville, Wednesday, at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Rogers was called on to record the final four outs in the opener. He would allow a run-scoring single to the first batter he faced but induced a fielder’s choice to end the sixth. In the seventh, Rogers struck out the leadoff hitter then got a pair of ground outs to end the game.
The nightcap was a little more exciting as he began the seventh with a 3-1 lead. After striking out the leadoff hitter, he surrendered a single then a stolen base and the runner reached third on a passed ball. Rogers would strike out the next batter and induced what appeared to be the game-ending ground out, but the Govs third baseman threw high to first, allowing a run to score and extending the inning. A two-out single pushed the runner to third but Rogers got a strikeout to end the game, securing the win.
Rogers finished the night with 16 saves in 2013, eclipsing the 15-save mark set by Jacksonville State’s Todd Hornsby last season. Rogers, who has 28 career saves, now takes aim at the OVC career saves mark also held by Hornsby who recorded 32 saves.
Austin Peay (30-12) grabbed early leads in both contests. In the opener, first baseman Craig Massoni’s two-run home run in the first provided the early cushion. Left fielder Cody Hudson added a RBI single in the third to give APSU a 3-0 lead.
Game 1 starter Ryan Quick (4-2) made that lead hold up with five scoreless innings where he allowed only one runner to reach scoring position. He would allow a walk and a single with one out in the sixth before departing – one of those runs scoring. Quick finished with five strike outs while scattering three hits over 5.2 innings for the win.
The nightcap got a jumpstart when catcher Matt Wollenzin tripled into the right field corner in the third inning. Right fielder Tommy Hager quickly capitalized with a single to score the go-ahead run. Second baseman Jordan Hankins added a leadoff home run in the fifth. Shortstop Reed Harper would add the third run on a sacrifice fly that scored Hankins who reached on an error to start the inning.
Junior Kacy Kemmer (3-0) started Game 2 – his first start since April 14 – and he threw two scoreless innings to pick up the win on a designated staff outing. The Govs used six pitchers in the contest.
Austin Peay recorded just 11 hits in the doubleheader’s 14 innings. Hager was the only Govs batter to record a hit in each game, finishing the day 2-for-6 with a RBI. Hudson had three hits in the first game to lead Austin Peay on the day. Wollenzin had a team-best two hits in the second game.
Evansville starters Cole Isom (2-5) and Ryan Billo (1-4) were tagged for the losses in Game 1 and 2, respectively. Isom allowed three runs and struck out seven but walked five and allowed five hits in his complete game effort. Billo, who suffered his first lost against Austin Peay in four starts, allowed two runs on six hits over 4.2 innings.