SUNDAY'S SCORES
@Eastern Kentucky 14, Jacksonville State 6
Eastern Illinois 6, @Morehead State 5
@Belmont 12, Murray State 1
Austin Peay 8, @UT Martin 0
Tennessee Tech 5, @Southeast Missouri 1
@Southern Miss 9,
SIUE 1
EASTERN KENTUCKY 14, JACKSONVILLE STATE 6
RICHMOND, Ky. - The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team salvaged Sunday’s series finale by pounding out 18 hits in a 14-6 win over Jacksonville State on Senior Day at Turkey Hughes Field.
Eight seniors were honored before the game, and two of those seniors, Austin Grisham and Shaun Ball, belted key home runs to help ignite the rout.
Before the seniors struck, though, it was the freshmen who got the Colonel bats going. With the score tied 1-1 in the bottom of the second, freshmen Luke Wurzelbacher and Kyle Nowlin delivered back-to-back sacrifice flies to give EKU a 3-1 lead. Freshman Doug Teegarden then capped the scoring in the inning with an RBI base knock up the middle that plated Grisham and made it 4-1.
EKU continued to build on its lead in the home half of the third. Ball led off that frame with a single, stole second and scored on a double down the left field line by Kenny Hostrander. Grisham then turned on a ball, blasting only his second home of the season over the wall in right field to make the score 7-1.
After Ball clubbed a two-run shot in the fourth to give the Colonels an eight-run advantage, JSU started to slowly crawl back in the game, scoring a run in the top of the fifth and then adding three more in the top of the sixth to pull within four, 10-6.
However, EKU responded with three runs of its own in the home half of the sixth to stretch its lead back to seven and put the game out of contention. Junior Bryan Soloman led off the sixth with a home run, and consecutive singles by senior Alex Hughes and Hostrander put runners on the corner for Grisham, who lofted a sacrifice fly center field. Nowlin then plated Hostrander with a base hit up the middle that made it 13-6.
Soloman made it 14-6 in the bottom of the eighth with another home run to right-center, his second home run of the game and third of the series.
Junior right-hander Matt Lynch (1-5) started on the hill for EKU and picked up his first victory as a Colonel, going 5.1 solid innings and allowing six runs on just five hits. Senior left-hander Shane Grimm then tossed 3.1 scoreless innings before giving way to senior right-hander Austin Rexroat, who closed out the game by getting Paschael Petrongolo to ground out to second base.
JSU starter Tony Urban (2-3) picked up the loss, lasting just 1.2 innings and surrendering four runs on three hits.
Hostrander led the EKU attack by going 5-for-5 on the day with an RBI and three runs scored. Every Colonel who stepped to the plate on the day reached base.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 6, MOREHEAD STATE 5
MOREHEAD, Ky. - The Panther baseball team completed the Ohio Valley Conference series sweep of Morehead State on Sunday afternoon, defeating the Eagles, 6-5, at Allen Field.
Trailing 4-3 heading into the ninth inning, the Panthers (20-26, 9-16 OVC) scored three runs on one hit and two errors to take two-run lead. Cameron Berra drove in the first two runs with a single to right field before Brant Valach scored the final run on a Jacob Reese sacrifice fly to centerfield.
The Eagles (15-37, 9-18 OVC) scored one run in the bottom of the ninth inning on one hit and an error to get within one (6-5), but Panther reliever Ben Kennedy struck out the final batter to preserve the win and post his first career save. All told, the Panthers used three pitchers in the final inning of play that combined to allow two hits and one run with two strikeouts.
Morehead State took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, scoring one run on two hits and one error. EIU took a 2-1 advantage in the third inning as the Panthers scored their first run on a homer by Caleb Howell before adding the second run on a Valach RBI single.
Demetre Taylor drove in Treysen Vavra on a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning to give EIU a 3-1 lead before the Eagles scored three runs on four hits in the next inning to take a 4-3 advantage.
EIU had two more hits (11-9) than Morehead State and left four more runners on base (12-8). The Eagles committed one more error (3-2) than the Panthers in the contest.
Five Panthers had two or more hits in the game, led by Berra who went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Vavra went 2-for-4 with two runs while Valach finished the day going 2-for-4 at the plate with one run and a RBI.
Jake Johansmeier (3-4) earned the win for EIU, striking out one and allowing one hit in 0.2 innings of scoreless relief. Matt Borens made the start and went 7.2 innings with seven strikeouts. The sophomore pitcher surrendered six hits and four runs.
Morgan Cirbo (2-3) took the loss for Morehead State, allowing five hits and four runs (two earned) with two strikeouts in three innings of relief. Brandon Rawe led the team at the plate as the sophomore outfielder went 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run.
BELMONT 12, MURRAY STATE 1
NASHVILLE - – Belmont Baseball (36-15, 21-6) defeated Murray State, 12-1, on Senior Day at Rose Park, completing the sweep of the 'Breds.
Murray State got on the board in the first inning to take an early 1-0 lead.
Belmont responded in the fourth to take a 3-1 lead over the 'Breds capped by a double to left from Matt Beaty (Dresden, Tenn.) to score Drew Turner (Shelbyville, Tenn.), tying the game at 1-1. An RBI single from Alec Diamond (Kennesaw, Ga.) allowed the Bruins to take a one-run lead before a sacrifice fly from Dom Veltri (Clarksville, Tenn.) extended their lead.
The Bruins added a three runs in the fifth to take a 6-3 lead, behind a pair of bases loaded walks and a Murray State error.
In the bottom of the sixth, Belmont added three more runs after Drew Ferguson (Knoxville, Tenn.) led off the inning being hit by a pitch. The center fielder scored the first run of the inning on a Murray State error. Breen who doubled to left center scored off a sacrifice fly from Judah Akers (Cookeville, Tenn.). Another RBI single from Diamond, scored Turner to give the Bruins a 9-1 lead.
Veltri led off the seventh with a double to right field and advanced to third on a wild pitch. A sacrifice fly from Akers scored Veltri and put Belmont ahead, 10-1.
In the bottom of the eighth, Veltri hit a two-run homer over the fence in right field to extend Belmont's lead to 12-1.
Jessie Snodgrass set the Ohio Valley Conference single season appearance record with his 39th appearance on the hill.
AUSTIN PEAY 8, UT MARTIN 0
MARTIN, Tenn. - Junior starting pitcher Ryan Quick threw seven scoreless innings as Austin Peay State University’s baseball team defeated UT Martin, 8-0, Sunday afternoon, in Ohio Valley Conference action at Skyhawk Field.
Quick (5-2) scattered six hits over his season-best seven-inning outing, allowing only one walk while striking out eight batters. He was followed by junior Kacy Kemmer and senior Tyler Rogers who each threw a scoreless inning to complete the Govs first shutout this season.
Austin Peay’s (38-13, 19-7 OVC) offense scored five runs in the first three innings and did not look back. The Govs scored a run courtesy a UT Martin error in the first. Center fielder Dylan Riner added a run with a RBI ground out in the second to put APSU ahead 2-0.
The Govs broke the game open in the third, plating three runs. First baseman Craig Massoni opened the inning with a home run – his third of the series. Shortstop Reed Harper and left fielder Cody Hudson each followed with singles. Designated hitter Michael Davis pushed home a run with a sacrifice fly and two batters later Riner put APSU ahead 5-0 with a RBI single to right.
UT Martin (10-37, 3-24 OVC) continued to have trouble solving the Govs pitching staff, failing to score a run in the series’ final 17 innings – the final eight of Saturday’s contest before Sunday’s shutout. The Skyhawks put a runner in scoring position three times in Sunday’s game, but could not get a key hit to plate a run.
Austin Peay would put the game out of reach with a three-run eighth inning. Right fielder Rolando Gautier, Massoni and shortstop Reed Harper each had RBI doubles in the frame.
The Govs offense posted 16 hits in the win – the eighth consecutive game APSU has recorded 10-plus hits. Massoni was 3-for-5 with two RBI in Sunday’s affair and finished the series 9-for-14 with three home runs and seven RBI. Riner also was 3-for-4 with two RBI.
UTM starter Dalton Potts (4-6) suffered the loss after allowing five runs on 10 hits over the first five innings. Left fielder Kyle Bargery had the Skyhawks lone multi-hit outing – a 2-for-4 performance.
TENNESSEE TECH 5, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 1
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - For the seventh time this season, the Tennessee Tech baseball team wrapped up a series without dropping a contest to its opponent. The Golden Eagles (36-14, 22-5) defeated Southeast Missouri Sunday afternoon, 5-1, to finish their most recent sweep after beating the Redhawks (22-30, 13-17) on both Friday and Saturday as well.
The Golden Eagles wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, using a sacrifice fly from junior slugger Zach Stephens to take an early 1-0 lead. Austin Wulf scored next on a wild pitch and gave Tech enough of a lead to win the game in just the first half inning of the game.
In the third, Tech struck again, this time using a little power to put runs on the board. Stephens hit his Ohio Valley Conference leading 13th home run, a solo shot to left field, to give the Golden Eagles a 3-0 lead. Dylan Bosheers would add to the Tech advantage, driving in Brandon Thomasson with an RBI single to right field.
Tech landed on the scoreboard once more, collecting a run in the top of the sixth on a sac fly off the bat of Zach Zarzour.
The Redhawks managed to avoid a shutout, grabbing one run in the bottom of the sixth on a sac fly from Matt Tellor. It would be essentially the only offense they could muster, however, as Tech starter Jacob Honea and closer Seth Lucio combined to allow just three hits on the day.
Honea earned his third win of the season, tossing seven innings of three-hit ball while giving up just one run and striking out five Redhawk batters. Lucio finished the final two innings, setting down three batters on strikes and lowering his season ERA to 0.96.
Stephens led the offense with two RBI while Daniel Miles and Bosheers led the team with two hits apiece.
The win marked the 36th of the season for the Golden Eagles, the second most in a single season in program history. The 2013 squad now trails just David Mays' 1997 team that went 39-23. The win was also the 22nd in conference play for Tech, the second most in a single season in OVC history. Tech moved to a perfect 10-0 on Sundays with the win.
SOUTHERN MISS 9, SIUE 1
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - SIUE committed five errors Sunday, leading to three unearned runs, as Southern Miss salvaged a win in the finale of a three-game nonconference baseball series.
The Cougars, who won the first two games of the series, dropped to 16-31 with the loss. Southern Miss improved to 26-23.
Southern Miss scored single runs in each of the first three innings, added two in the fourth inning, and another in the sixth inning to lead 6-0.
The Cougars' lone run came in the seventh inning on three hits. Denton Reed picked up the only RBI when he singled to drive home Devin Caldwell who had reached on a one out hit. Nick Lombardo also singled in the inning. SIUE managed just six hits total against four Golden Eagle pitchers.
Caldwell was 2 for 4 and the only Cougar with more than a single hit. Caldwell also added a ninth inning bunt -single. Reed was 1 for 3 with the RBI.
The Golden Eagles scored three times on three hits in the bottom of the seventh. Mason Robbins was 2 for 5 with four RBIs to lead Southern Miss at the plate. Isaac Rodriguez was 2 for 3 with a pair of runs driven in. Travis Creel was 2 for 4.
Sam Hopkins (1-6) started and took the loss for SIUE. Hopkins allowed five runs, but just two were earned. He allowed seven hits over 3 2/3 innings and struck out one. Drew Staples allowed a run in two innings of relief work. He struck out one. J.D. Williams gave up three runs in 1 2/3 innings. Dylan Brown retired the final two Southern Miss batters in the eighth inning.
Southern Miss starter Jake Drehoff started and allowed just two hits over five scoreless innings. He struck out three and improved to 3-5 with the win.