SATURDAY'S SCORES
Eastern Kentucky 18, @Morehead State 6
@Eastern Illinois 15, Murray State 8
Southeast Missouri 8, @SIUE 4
Tennessee Tech 10, @Austin Peay 7
@UT Martin 9, Belmont 8
EASTERN KENTUCKY 18, MOREHEAD STATE 6
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Alex Hughes hit a grand slam, Shaun Ball connected on a 3-run shot, Kyle Nowlin hit a 2-run dinger and Sean Hagen smacked a solo homer as the Eastern Kentucky University baseball team beat Morehead State University, 18-6, today. The Colonels clinched the series victory with the win.
With EKU (8-19, 4-7 OVC) trailing 2-0 and one out in the second inning, Hughes drove a 2-1 pitch over the center field fence with the bases loaded. The Colonels extended their lead to 6-2 in the sixth when Nowlin followed a lead-off single by Doug Teegarden with another shot over the center field fence.
It was Hughes’ second home run of the season and the first grand slam by a Colonel this year. It was Nowlin’s first collegiate dinger.
A two-out RBI double by Drew Williams in the bottom of the sixth for Morehead State cut the lead to 6-3. Hagen’s solo shot in the seventh pushed the lead back to four for the Colonels. It was his second of the season. Ball scored later in the inning on an error for an 8-3 lead.
The Eagles (9-21, 4-10 OVC) attempted a comeback in the eighth. Bobby Lewis and Taylor Pickens drove in a run each with a pair of RBI singles. Pickens later scored on a wild pitch to close the gap to 8-6, but that is as close as Morehead State would get.
Eastern Kentucky scored 10 runs in the top of the ninth to extinguish any hope of an Eagle comeback. After the first batter was retired, five straight Colonels reached base on four singles and a walk. Nowlin and Hughes each drove in a run with their base hits. A wild pitch allowed another runner to come home for an 11-6 lead before the second out was made. Hagen added a 2-run double, two batters before Ball sent the ball over the right center field fence for a 3-run home run and an 18-6 advantage.
MSU went down in order in the bottom half of the inning.
Hughes went 3-for-5 with five RBIs and two runs scored. Hagen finished 3-for-6 with two runs and three RBIs. Ball was 3-for-4, scored four times and drove in three. Bryan Soloman had two hits and three runs scored.
Ben Gullo (1-2) started and earned the win. He allowed three runs on nine hits over seven innings, walked one and struck out six. Gullo has started three times this season, all of which have been weekend starts, and has three quality starts.
Lewis finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored for Morehead State. Eagle starter Noah Smallwood (0-3) allowed six earned runs on nine hits in five and one-third innings.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 15, MURRAY STATE 8
CHARLESTON, Ill. - The Panther baseball team took advantage of six Murray State errors on Saturday afternoon, defeating the Thoroughbreds, 15-8, at Coaches Stadium.
EIU captured the series on Saturday after defeating Murray State on Friday night, 6-3, in the weekend opener. The Panthers improved to 9-18 overall and 2-8 in Ohio Valley Conference action while the Thoroughbreds dropped to 12-18 on the year and 6-8 on conference play.
Tied at seven heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, the Panthers scored six runs on five hits and one error to take a 13-7 advantage. Caleb Howell and Treysen Vavra both drove in a run in the following inning to make the score 15-7. Brandon Elliott hit a one-out RBI triple in the ninth inning to start a Murray State rally, but Scott Houdek retired the final two batters of the contest to seal the victory.
EIU took an early 3-0 lead in the third inning on one hit and two errors before Murray State got within two (3-1) in the next inning Mike Kozlowski RBI. Murray State had its lone lead in the top of the fifth inning, 5-4, before the Panthers responded in the bottom of the frame with three runs on three hits to regain a 7-5 lead.
EIU had four more hits (14-10) than Murray State and committed three fewer errors (6-3). The Panthers also left six more runners on base (11-5).
Five Panthers had two or more hits in the game with Howell pacing the team the plate, going 3-for-6 with two RBI and two runs. Cameron Berra went 2-for-5 with two runs and a RBI while Brant Valach went 2-fo-2 with three runs.
Garrison Stenger (3-0) earned the win for EIU, striking out one batter while allowing one hit in one inning of work. Joe Greenfield got the start and went six innings with four strikeouts while surrendering eight hits and seven runs (two earned).
Sheldon Baxter (1-3) took the loss for Murray State, allowing five runs and four hits in 1.2 innings of action. Kozlowski went 1-for-4 with four RBI to pace the Thoroughbred offense.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 8, SIUE 4
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - The Southeast Missouri baseball team stole 10 bases on their way to a 8-4 win over SIUE Saturday afternoon in Edwardsville, Ill. The 10 stolen bases was the most in the Ohio Valley Conference since Austin Peay recorded 11 against Western Kentucky on April 6, 2006.
The Redhawks and Cougars combined for 25 hits in the contest as Southeast recorded 14 hits as they improved to 16-16 overall and 8-6 in the OVC. SIUE drops to 8-17 and 6-8 in the conference with the loss.
Clayton Evans led the Redhawks going 3-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored. He also recorded three stolen bases on the day. Evans' three stolen bases was the most by a Redhawk player since Tony Spencer did it against Alabama on February 21, 2009.
The Redhawks got on the board first with a pair of runs in the third inning. Southeast opened the scoring with an RBI double from Derek Gibson scoring Cole Bieser as he reached third on a walk and stolen base and an error.
Southeast added another run in the frame on an RBI single through the right side by Ryan Barnes as Gibson scored on the play.
The Redhawks added to their lead in the fourth inning with an RBI triple to right centerfield by Bieser as Southeast extended the lead to 3-0.
SIUE took their first lead of the contest with four runs in the bottom of the fourth frame. The Cougars batted around in the inning with five hits. Joel Greatting gave SIUE the lead with a two-run bases loaded single up the middle.
Southeast tied the game in the top of the sixth inning as Bieser drove in Evans on an RBI double down the right field line. Evans got into scoring position after his third stolen base of the contest.
The Redhawks added to their lead in the eighth and ninth innings with a run in each frame. Gibson added an RBI double in the eighth inning as Alex Burridge added an RBI single to right field in the top of the ninth to give the Redhawks an 8-4 lead.
The Southeast bullpen closed the door on the Cougars as Luke Shearrow (2-2), Tony Zerrusen and Bobby Hurst combined for 5.2 innings of scoreless relief of starter Trevor Kill.
Five Redhawks recorded multi hit games as Evans, Bieser, Gibson, Burridge and Jason Blum each added two or more hits. Bieser and Gibson each added a pair of RBI and runs scored.
Jake Stuaffenberg (2-2) was tagged with the loss for SIUE allowing three runs in three innings of relief work.
The SIUE offense was led by Drew Johnson and Ryan Mansfield and James Vasquez as they each added a pair of hits.
TENNESSEE TECH 10, AUSTIN PEAY 7
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - With his team trailing by two and in need of a win following three consecutive losses, Tennessee Tech third baseman Daniel Miles came through in one of the biggest ways imaginable, clubbing three home runs in three straight innings to lead the Golden Eagle baseball team over Austin Peay, 10-7.
The junior infielder broke a Tech record in the Saturday afternoon contest, becoming the first Golden Eagle to hit three long balls in a single contest. He also joined shortstop Dylan Bosheers in making Tech history, becoming the first teammates to ever hit back-to-back home runs in back-to-back innings, as each crushed homers in the fourth and fifth innings.
Miles finished with a career-high six RBI, collecting three hits, a walk, and a stolen base in five plate appearances. Bosheers finished second on the team with two RBI.
Sophomore David Hess (3-1) earned his third win of the season, pitching 3.2 innings of relief, allowing just three hits and one earned run while striking out two. Closer Seth Lucio nabbed his sixth save of the season, ranking him second all-time among Tech's single season saves leaders.
First baseman Craig Massoni led the Austin Peay effort, collecting four hits in four trips to the plate. He plated three runners in the contest while scoring once as well. Senior Casey Delgado (5-2) collected just his second loss of the season, struggling mightily against the Golden Eagles in the fourth and fifth innings. He gave up six earned runs and seven hits in 4.2 innings of work.
The Golden Eagles rode a wave of scoring in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings on their way to their 11th Ohio Valley Conference victory of the season. The win also pushed the Tennessee Tech win total to 22, marking a huge improvement over last season's 21 victories.
In the top of the fourth, Miles came to the plate facing a two-run deficit. He promptly blasted his first moon shot of the game over the left field wall on the first pitch he saw. Shortstop Dylan Bosheers quickly followed suit, also hammering the first pitch he saw over the left field fence.
Two quick outs in the top of the fifth were not enough to deter the Tech bats, as designated hitter Brandon Thomasson drew a walk, setting up Miles with a runner on first. The third baseman came up and again swung at the pitcher's first offering, slinging the ball to left center field and out of park. Once again, Bosheers played "Mile's says", clubbing Delgado's first attempt over the right field wall.
Things really started to roll for Tech in the sixth inning as Zach Zarzour was able to reach first on a throwing error by the Governor shortstop. With two outs, junior slugger Zach Stephens decided to get in on the action, slaughtering a ball to the vast space of left center field and coming up with his first triple since his freshman season. Thomasson followed by earning his second walk of the game, setting up Miles for history.
With a 2-1 count, the junior blasted his third home run of the game, a shot down the right field line that capped one of the best single-game performances in Golden Eagle history.
UT MARTIN 9, BELMONT 8
MARTIN, Tenn. -The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team shook off a seven-run deficit this afternoon at Skyhawk Field, downing Ohio Valley Conference leader Belmont 9-8 thanks to a walk-off hit by senior third baseman Matt Haynes.
The Skyhawks (9-21, 2-12 OVC) trailed 7-0 after the top of the fourth but responded with three runs in the bottom half. After Belmont tacked on one more run in the fifth, UT Martin’s pitching staff shut down the Bruins for the remainder of the game.
UT Martin tied the game with five runs in the bottom of the seventh, with the final three runs coming off Jessie Snodgrass, who entered the series as the OVC leader in opponent batting average and second in ERA. After a scoreless eighth on both sides, Skyhawk reliever Chris Ross (3-1) worked a shutout ninth, setting the stage for UT Martin to complete its comeback.
Wade Collins (2-for-5) led the ninth off with a double over the centerfielder’s head. Redshirt senior Kyle Bargery then executed a clutch two-strike sacrifice bunt to advance Collins to third. Belmont then elected to intentionally walk Brent Morris to set up a righty-on-righty matchup against Haynes. On the first pitch, Haynes pushed a hard bunt past the Bruin first baseman – his third hit of the contest – while Collins slid home to give the Skyhawks the big victory.
Six Skyhawks produced multi-hit outings today, led by three-hit efforts by Haynes, Byron Johann and Nico Zych. Along with Haynes, fellow senior Matt Young added a pair of hits to go along with two runs and two RBI, including his first home run of the season. Sonny Mastromatteo compiled two hits, a run scored and an RBI for UT Martin, who outhit the Bruins by a 17-11 margin.
Ross (1.1 innings, zero hits, two strikeouts) earned the victory after taking over for Carter Smith, who conceded only two runs off four hits in 4.1 innings of work. Skyhawk starter Taylor Cox fanned four batters over 3.1 innings but received a no-decision.
Cox retired the side in order in the first, registering two strikeouts. Belmont then scored three runs in the second, one in the third and three in the fourth to take its seven-run advantage.
In UT Martin’s three-run fourth, it was Haynes who ignited the rally. He singled to center to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a Mastromatteo single. Zych then bunted for an infield single to load the bases with no outs. Haynes came around to score on a double play, but the Skyhawks weren’t finished. Young crushed a 3-1 pitch for a towering home run out to left center.
The Bruins pushed their lead out to 8-3 in the top of the fifth but that would be the final run the Skyhawks would allow. Smith retired 10 straight batters from the fifth through the eighth, needing just 16 total pitches to retire the side in order in the sixth and seventh.
Young legged out an infield single to start off the bottom of the seventh. Johann then guided a single through the right side and both runners advanced 90 more feet on an error. Young later scored on a wild pitch to make the score 8-4, while Paublini singled in Johann to slice the Skyhawk deficit to three. Morris then ripped the first pitch he saw for a single bring the tying run to the plate for Haynes, who sent a double off the left field wall to plate two. After Mastromatteo sacrificed Haynes to third, Zych singled to left field to even the score at 8-8.
Ross retired his final two batters via strikeouts, setting up the ninth inning heroics.