TUESDAY'S SCORES
Mid-Continent 6,
@Murray State 2
@#9 Louisville 6,
Eastern Illinois 0
Southern Illinois 6,
@UT Martin 2
@Tennessee Tech 10, Lipscomb 9
@Austin Peay 8-8, Eastern Michigan 3-9
@Memphis 2,
Belmont 1
@Arkansas State 8,
Southeast Missouri 3
@South Alabama 4,
Jacksonville State 2
MID-CONTINENT 6, MURRAY STATE 2
MURRAY, Ky. - Murray State put together its best offense of the game in the ninth inning, but it was not enough as the Breds fell 6-2 to Mid-Continent Tuesday afternoon at Reagan Field.
Trailing 6-0 heading to the ninth, MSU (4-3) had a runner on first with two outs. Clay Kelly was then hit by a pitch and Dalton West singled through the left side to load the bases. Taylor Mathews drew a walk to avoid the shutout and Ty Stetson drove in a run with a single to left field. That would be all that the Breds would get as a flyout to center field ended the game.
The Cougars (5-4) got an RBI triple from Trevor Hicks in the second inning for the early 1-0 advantage. The third inning proved to be the difference as two MSU errors helped MCU push across four unearned runs.
MCU added a sixth run in the fifth inning as Jimmy Braswell singled to start the inning and scored on a wild pitch.
Cameron Wallace (1-1) took the loss after giving up five runs, one earned, on four hits over 2.2 innings. Austin Ferrell (1-1) earned the victory after allowing two runs on four hits and seven strikeouts over 8.2 innings. Jack Coleman (1) picked up the save by retiring the final batter of the game.
Stetson was the lone bright spot in the Breds lineup as he went 3-for-4 with a walk and an RBI. The senior raised his average to .583 and now stands just four hits shy of 200 in his career.
#9 LOUISVLLE 6, EASTERN ILLINOIS 0
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The No. 9 Louisville Cardinals posted a 6-0 shutout over the Panther baseball team on Tuesday afternoon at Jim Patterson Stadium. EIU falls to 1-7 on the year.
The Cardinals (6-2) took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on a Jeff Gardner RBI single through the left side. Louisville added three runs in the following inning, scoring three runs on three hits to take a 4-0 advantage.
Grant Kay hit a RBI double down the left-field line in the fourth inning to make the score 5-0 before the Cardinals scored one final insurance run in the seventh inning on a sacrifice fly by Nick Solak.
EIU threatened to score in the top of the second with the bases loaded with only one out, but back-to-back pop ups to second base ended the inning. The Panthers also had the bases loaded in the top of the ninth inning with two outs before Brandon Alphin replaced Zack Burdi on the mound to get the final out of the game for Louisville.
Jake Haberer (0-1) took the loss for EIU as the freshman pitcher allowed four hits and three runs in one inning of work. He also threw two strikeouts and issued two walks.
Jake Sparger (1-0) earned the win for Louisville, surrendering only four hits in 6.2 scoreless innings. The freshman pitcher also recorded three strikeouts and two walks.
Louisville had two more hits (8-6) than EIU and left three fewer runners on base (11-8). Both teams committed one error in the game.
Six different Panthers had a hit in the loss. Kay led the Cardinals offense as he went 2-for-2 at the plate with a run and a RBI.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 6, UT MARTIN 2
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team was tied with Southern Illinois through five innings this afternoon but the Salukis accounted for the final four runs of the game to deal the Skyhawks a 6-2 loss in their 2014 home opener at Skyhawk Field.
Redshirt senior Alex Boshers put together another solid effort this afternoon for UT Martin (1-7), allowing just two runs on three hits through five frames. After allowing two runs in the top of the first, he settled in and allowed the Skyhawks to eventually tie the game before departing.
Stu Jones, John Skubina and John Houston combined for 2.1 no-hit innings in relief, fanning four batters in the process. Carter Smith (0-1) took the loss after conceding four runs in 1.2 innings of work.
At the plate, the Skyhawks were held to two hits but drew a season-high nine walks at the dish. Drew Erie and Fletcher Johnson recorded back-to-back RBI singles in the bottom of the fourth while Chase Young drew four walks out of the No. 2 hole in the lineup.
After Southern Illinois (5-2) scored a pair of runs in the top of the first, the Skyhawks loaded the bases in the bottom half but couldn’t get on the scoreboard.
Boshers worked out of trouble in the second and pitched around a leadoff double in the third to keep the Salukis off the scoreboard. Right fielder Taylor Cox helped out Boshers with a full-extension, diving catch to his right for the third out of the second inning, stranding a pair of runners.
Boshers escaped a jam in the fourth when a pair of Skyhawk errors loaded the bases with one out. Southern Illinois then appeared to add to its lead thanks to a sacrifice fly but the Skyhawks won an appeal when the umpire ruled that the Saluki baserunner had tagged up too early on the close play at the plate.
With momentum shifting to UT Martin’s side after the reversed call, Cox (fielder’s choice) and Zack Malone (hit by pitch) both reached base with one out, setting up Erie for his RBI single into center to split the Skyhawk deficit in half at 2-1. Six pitches later, Johnson lined a single into center to bring in Malone and tie the score at 2-all.
Boshers got two quick outs and was unscathed after back-to-back walks in his fifth and final frame.
Southern Illinois scored once in the top of the sixth but a pair of strikeouts by Smith shut the door on a potential rally. The Salukis then led off the seventh with a solo homer and tacked on two more runs in the frame until Jones came on to record the final out of the inning on three pitches.
Skubina tallied a pair of strikeouts in a scoreless eighth while Houston didn’t allow a ball out of the infield in a shutout ninth inning. However, UT Martin’s bats went cold late and the Salukis held on for the win.
TENNESSEE TECH 10, LIPSCOMB 9
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Nothing was going to stand in the way of the Tennessee Tech baseball team (8-1) and its eighth win of the season Tuesday afternoon, as the Golden Eagles fought back more than once to land a 10-9, walk-off victory over in-state rival Lipscomb (1-7) at Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex.
The Tech squad used pure determination and a "never give up" mentality to orchestrate not one, but three rallies to send the Bisons home with a gut-wrenching loss. The Golden Eagles also came over a rough start defensively to turn things around just in time to collect their seventh straight victory.
Lipscomb jumped on the scoreboard first, grabbing an unearned run off a Tech error in the top of the second inning. The Bisons added three more runs to the mix in the fourth, as the Golden Eagles made its third error of the contest.
And then the Tech offense came out firing on all cylinders. Senior slugger Zach Stephens led off the bottom half of the fourth with a six-pitch walk, followed right after by a base hit to left center field by third baseman Daniel Miles. A four-pitch free pass to Brandon Thomasson loaded the bases with no outs as things began to get interesting.
Junior Dylan Bosheers knocked a single to center field, driving in a run and chasing the Bisons' starting pitcher from the game. Designated hitter Jordan Hopkins delivered on the next pitch, flaring a base knock to center field and scoring a second run for the Golden Eagles.
Still rolling, left fielder David Allen stayed disciplined, garnering four straight out of the zone to drive in Tech's third run of the frame. Senior catcher Jordan Parris wrapped up the scoring in the fourth, driving a ball deep to left center field for a sacrifice fly and the tying RBI.
The Bisons jumped back out on top in the top of the fifth, gathering four more runs on five hits, including their first of two home runs on the day.
Once again, the Golden Eagles would not be silenced. In the bottom half, Miles drew a lead-off walk to set up Thomasson for a show. The senior right fielder hammered his fourth long ball of the season to left center field, cutting the Lipscomb lead in half and giving the Tech squad new life.
Two batters later, Hopkins earned a free pass to first and advance to second base on a wild pitch. Allen promptly followed with a base hit up the middle, driving in Hopkins to make it a one-run game. After advancing to second base on balk, Allen made the trip to home plate off a single through the left side by Parris.
The Lipscomb squad grabbed one more lead, popping a dinger in the top of the sixth to go up 9-8. The Bisons looked for sure to be on their way to victory after stalling the Tech attack in the sixth and seventh innings, but the Golden Eagles weren't to be denied.
In the bottom of the eighth with runners on second and third, the Golden Eagles rallied one more time. Bosheers took a 2-2 pitch deep to right field for a sac fly, allowing pinch-runner Hunter Hudson to score the tying run.
Tech finished the job in the bottom of the ninth beginning with a lead-off walk by Allen. A sac bunt by Parris moved the junior to second base and put the Golden Eagles in great position to finish the rally. Second baseman Zach Zarzour just missed driving in the winning run, lacing a line drive to center field that hung just long enough to force Allen to wait to see if the Lipscomb defender would make a diving catch. The ball dropped for a base hit and Zarzour advanced to second base on the Bisons' attempt to throw out Allen at third.
An intentional walk of center fielder Jake Rowland loaded the bases with just one out. Enter Connor Goodspeed, a junior outfielder who pinch hit in the situation and worked a 2-1 count. Goodspeed then blasted a long fly ball to right field, using a sac fly to drive in the winning run and send the Golden Eagles on to a walk-off win.
The offensive workload was passed around the entire lineup with Zarzour leading the way with a 4-for-4 performance at the dish. Four Tech players recorded multi-RBI games, as Thomasson, Bosheers, Allen, and Parris all drove in two runs each.
On the mound, junior Seth Lucio picked up his first win of the season, tossing 1.2 inning of relief while striking out two batters and allowing no hits or walks.
AUSTIN PEAY 8-8, EASTERN MICHIGAN 3-9
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay State University’s baseball team split a nonconference doubleheader with Eastern Michigan, winning the opener 8-3 before dropping the nightcap 9-8, Tuesday at Raymond C. Hand Park.
In the opener, Austin Peay (2-6) got its longest outing by a starter this season as freshman Levi Primasing (1-0) went six innings and allowed two runs on five hits en route to his first victory. He received plenty of help as the Govs offense scored eight unanswered runs to build an 8-1 lead and hung on for the 8-3 victory.
Right fielder Rolando Gautier’s two-run double in the second inning gave the Govs the lead for good and he finished the opener 2-for-5 with two RBI at the plate. Left fielder Ridge Smith added an RBI double in the third and an RBI single in the fourth and was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Center fielder Chase Hamilton added a RBI single in the fifth to end the APSU scoring and was 1-for-3 with a RBI.
Eastern Michigan’s Paul Schaak (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing seven runs on six hits while striking out seven in 3.2 innings. The Eagles were done in by four innings that resulted in four unearned runs in the contest. Shorstop John Rubino paced the offense with a 3-for-5 outing.
The tables turned in the nightcap as four Austin Peay errors helped Eastern Michigan scored six unanswered runs and a 9-5 lead. The Govs nearly rallied back but left the tying run stranded at third in the eighth in the 9-8 loss.
Eastern Michigan (4-4) took the lead for good in the seventh inning on catcher Adam Sonabend’s RBI single. The Eagles added to their lead when an Austin Peay infield error allowed another run to score while extending the inning. The Govs escaped further damage when reliever Jared Carkuff induced a ground out to end the frame.
The Eagles extended their advantage in the eighth thanks to a pair of hit batters and an Austin Peay error. The second hit batsmen came with the bases loaded and pushed across a run. Left fielder Adam Dennison followed with a two-run single, but the Govs caught a break when that threw out a runner at second on the play. Nick Rotola, pinch running for Dennison, was caught stealing to end the threat with EMU leading 9-4.
Austin Peay took advantage of a sloppy eighth inning to nearly tie the game. The Govs loaded the bases with a single followed by a pair of walks sandwiched around a strikeout. A passed ball allowed a run before right fielder Rolando Gautier singled up the middle to drive in a second run. Second baseman Garrett Copeland then pushed home a run with a bunt single, narrowing the deficit to two runs.
Eastern Michigan got the second out of the inning when reliever Kristian Calibuso struck out Alex Robles. The Eagles then turned to Charlie Land to end the threat but he immediately uncorked a pair of wild pitches, the latter allowing Gautier to score and Copeland to advance to third. However, Land struck out Ridge Smith to end the threat and secure the win.
Devon Bronson (1-1) picked up the win for Eastern Michigan despite allowing two runs in 1.1 innings of relief. Land earned his first save after holding the Govs without a run in the final 1.1 innings.
APSU’s Jared Carkuff (0-1) was tagged for the loss after allowing two runs on three this in 1.1 innings.
Smith led the Govs offense with a 2-for-5, two RBI outing. The Govs top four hitters – Gautier, Copeland, Robles and Smith – combined six of the team’s nine hits and all five of its RBI.
EMU second baseman John Rubino led Eastern Michigan with a 2-for-4, two RBI outing from the leadoff spot.
MEMPHIS 2, BELMONT 1
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Belmont Baseball (4-4) fell to Memphis, 2-1 at FedEx Park on Tuesday.
Starting pitchers James Buckelew and Memphis' Caleb Wallingford matched up in a classic pitchers' duel in which all three runs that scored were unearned.
A sacrifice fly from Jamie Ritchie scored Zach Hald as the Bruins took an early 1-0 lead in the first.
Memphis tied the game in the second as Ethan Gross grounded out to second, allowing Carter White to score.
In the fifth, the Tigers took a 2-1 lead behind a sacrifice fly from Zach Willis to score Nate Rupiper.
Buckelew went six innings on the mound. The left-hander gave up five hits, struck out two and walked two.
ARKANSAS STATE 8, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 3
JONESBORO, Ark. - The Southeast Missouri baseball team's four-game winning streak was snapped Tuesday evening as the Redhawks fell to the Arkansas State (5-4) Red Wolves, 8-3. Southeast falls to 6-3 on the season.
The Redhawks wasted no time throwing runs on the board. Cole Bieser reached on a single then scored from first on a double off the bat of Matt Tellor with one out in the first inning. With Tellor standing on second, Andy Lennington picked up his eighth RBI of the season and extended the early lead to 2-0.
The Red Wolves touched home once in the bottom of the second to narrow the Redhawk lead to 2-1. Dustin Jones led off the inning with a double to left-center followed by a single from Ty Michelotti. With the runners in scoring position and one out, Lucas Feddersen grounded out to short, driving in the Red Wolves' first run.
Redhawk starter Alex Winkelman found himself in trouble in the bottom of the third. The inning began with another leadoff double. A walk and a hit batsman loaded the bases for the Red Wolves with no out. After Winkelman walked in the tying run, Alex Siddle was brought in to relieve. The defense rolled a 6-4-3 double play on the first batter faced but still scored the go-ahead run. Another run crossed the plate on a Jason Blum error. The runner who reached on an error, Michelotti, was picked off by Siddle to get out of the inning.
After retiring the first two batters in the fourth inning, Siddle gave up a walk, followed by another Redhawk error, followed by another walk, loading the bases for the Red Wolves in the fourth inning. Siddle was pulled as Skylar Cobb was brought in to the game. Cobb got the first hitter he faced to ground out to Tellor, getting out of the inning unscathed.
Arkansas State picked up their first RBI hit of the night when they extended the lead to 5-2 in the fifth inning. Derek Birginske led off the inning with a single to left. Cobb quickly got two out but was replaced by Travis Hayes. Hayes gave up an infield single to deep short followed by an RBI single by Feddersen. 5-2 Red Wolves after five innings.
Southeast earned a run in the top of the seventh inning. Blum drew a leadoff walk to open the inning. Bieser followed that up with a single through the left side. Tellor hit a dribbler to the pitcher who snagged the ball to get Bieser at second on the fielder's choice. Blum scored on a ground out by Derek Gibson to narrow the Red Wolve lead to 5-3.
Arkansas State blew the game wide open with a two-RBI triple by Austin Baker off of Garret Stockton in the eighth inning. Greg Mosel was brought in as Southeast's seventh pitcher of the game. Baker scored on an RBI flare to center, 8-3.
Southeast came up empty in the top of the ninth inning as the Redhawk's four-game winning streak was snapped with the 8-3 loss.
Winkelman (0-2) suffered his second loss of the season after pitching only two innings. The six-pitcher bullpen, which has been so good all season, gave up four earned runs in Tuesday's game.
Red Wolf relief pitcher Tanner Gaines (1-0) was the winning pitcher. Gaines worked 4.1 innings, giving up only one run on four hits to Southeast.
Southeast managed to scatter 11 hits in the contest, just barely being out-hit, 12-11. Blum, Bieser, Gibson, and Cole Ferguson all had two hits in the contest. Ferguson was perfect in his two plate appearances Tuesday evening.
For Arkansas State, Baker was 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored.
SOUTH ALABAMA 4, JACKSONVILLE STATE 2
MOBILE, Ala. - Erik Hindmon had a pair of hits and Matt Bolger drove in two runs to lead South Alabama to a 4-2 win over Jacksonville State in college baseball on Tuesday evening at Stanky Field.
Jared Gates (1-0) allowed just three hits and had four strikeouts to earn his first win of the season for the Jaguars. JSU's Casey Antley (1-1) gave up three runs to suffer his first loss of the year.
South Alabama (3-4) scored three runs in the second inning to jump out to the early lead. Matt Wojciechowsk led off with a double and Hindmon walked, before Bolger followed with a one-out triple to score two runs . Cameron Cummings followed with an infield single to score Bolger and give USA a 3-0 advantage.
The Gamecocks (4-3) got on the board in the sixth inning after Andrew Bishop led off with a single up the middle and Tyler Gamble followed with a double to the left centerfield fence to score Bishop and cut the lead to 3-1.
Jax State added another run in the seventh inning after Paschal Petrongolo reached on a two-out double and Ryan Sebra followed with a RBI single up the middle to cut the lead to 3-2, but the Gamecocks could get no closer.
South Alabama added an insurance run in the home half of the seventh on a RBI single by Collura for the final margin.
Gamble led the Gamecocks at the plate with a season-high three hits, including a pair of double, and a RBI, while Petrongolo, Sebra and Bishop each added a hit.