FRIDAY'S SCORES
Eastern Kentucky 3, @UNC Asheville 1
Fairleigh Dickinson 5,
@Morehead State 3 (10 innings)
North Dakota State 4,
@Murray State 1
Eastern Illinois 10, Michigan State 5 (10 innings) (Starkville, Miss.)
Kennesaw State 10,
@Jacksonville State 1
@Tennessee Tech 11, Northwestern 7
@Austin Peay 8, Dayton 5
@Belmont 4, Mercer 3 (10 innings)
@Memphis 8,
Southeast Missouri 4
@Stephen F. Austin 9,
UT Martin 4
EASTERN KENTUCKY 3, UNC ASHEVILLE 1
ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Kenny Hostrander’s sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth drove in what proved to be the game-winning run as Eastern Kentucky beat North Carolina Asheville, 3-1, in the series opener on Friday.
Senior Brent Cobb (2-1) took care of everything else on the mound. He allowed just one run on three hits over seven innings of work, his second quality start in three trips to the hill this season. Cobb walked two and struck out three.
Eastern (2-6) snapped a six game losing streak with the victory.
Doug Teegarden scored on a UNC Asheville error in the first to give the Colonels an early 1-0 lead. Hostrander followed a triple by TJ Alas in the top of the fourth with a fly ball to right field deep enough to make it a 2-0 game.
A bases loaded balk in the bottom of the fifth allowed the Bulldogs to get within two, 3-1, but that’s as close as the home team would get.
Ben Brooks and Logan Hershenow combined for a hitless inning of work in the eighth. Cody Creamer came on in the ninth and picked up his first save of the season.
Kyle Nowlin and freshman Shea Sullivan each had a pair of hits for Eastern Kentucky.
Lucas Clarke (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing three runs on two hits in four and two-thirds innings. He walked three and struck out three.
FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON 5, MOREHEAD STATE 3 (10)
MOREHEAD, Ky. - The Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team took advantage of three errors in the top of the 10th and hung on for a 5-3 victory over Morehead State on Friday afternoon at Allen Field.
The Knights, who compete in the Northeast Conference, improve to 4-4 with their second straight win. The Eagles, who play in the Ohio Valley Conference, slip to 4-5 overall in their home opener.
FDU plated three unearned runs in the extra frame. The Knights scored their third run on a wild pitch, their fourth on a miscue and their fifth on an RBI single from freshman catcher Zach Tondi.
Fairleigh Dickinson opened the game's scoring in the top of the fifth when sophomore first baseman Pat McClure smashed a double to plate sophomore second baseman Dylan Sprague.
Morehead State answered in the bottom of the fifth. Freshman center fielder Ryan Kent drew a two-out walk before junior left fielder Nick Newell crushed his first home run as an Eagle.
The Knights evened the score in the sixth when sophomore catcher John Giakas lifted a sacrifice fly.
FDU junior right-hander Eric Snyder, who allowed just one unearned run and three hits in 2.2 innings, improved to 1-0 with the victory. Sophomore right-hander Logan Frati started and yielded just two earned runs in 7.1 frames, but settled for a no-decision.
MSU sophomore right-hander Matt Anderson allowed just one earned run and six hits while striking out six in six innings, but finished with a no-decision. Senior left-hander Noah Smallwood fell to 2-1 with the loss after yielding just one unearned run.
Sprague finished 3-for-4 with two runs to lead the Knights. Junior right fielder Brandon Rawe went 3-for-5 with one RBI to pace the Eagles. Both clubs finished with 10 hits and four errors. FDU left 10 runners on base in the tilt, while MSU stranded eight.
NORTH DAKOTA STATE 4, MURRAY STATE 1
MURRAY, Ky. - Murray State got another strong outing on the mound, but were only able to push across one run in falling, 4-1, to North Dakota State in the first game of a four-game series Friday afternoon at Reagan Field.
Sheldon Baxter (0-1) made his first start of the season and held the Bison to just three runs on five hits over six innings. Unfortunately, NDSU starter David Ernst (1-0) did not allow a run on just three hits over seven innings.
NDSU (1-3) struck first in the first inning on a Wes Satzinger solo home run to left field. They added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings Michael Leach single up the middle and a Blake Turbak double to left field.
The Breds (4-4) had chances to score as they put the leadoff man on four times, but hit into three double plays. MSU finally got on the board in the eighth as Ty Stetson walked and moved to second on a groundout. With two outs, Pokey Harris delivered an RBI single to center field.
Tyler Lawrence led the offense with a pair of hits. Stetson extended his streak of reaching safely to 36 games as he drew a pair of walks and scored a run.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 10, MICHIGAN STATE 5 (10)
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Head coach Jim Schmitz won his 500th game at Eastern Illinois on Friday afternoon as the Panthers defeated Michigan State, 10-5, in 10 innings in the first of four games at the Diamond Classic in Starkville, Miss. EIU improves to 2-7 on the year.
With the game tied at three after nine innings of play, the Panthers scored seven runs in the top of the 10th inning on three hits and two errors by the Spartans (4-3). Michigan State added two runs in the bottom of the frame on three hits, but EIU was able to hang on for the victory.
Demetre Taylor hit the Panthers first home run of the season in the second inning to give EIU an early 1-0 lead. The Panthers added two runs on three hits and one error in the seventh inning to go ahead, 3-0.
In the bottom of eighth inning, Michigan State scored three runs on two hits and one error to knot the game at three.
Matt Borens started the game for EIU, striking out six batters and only allowing two hits and two unearned runs in seven innings of action. The junior pitcher now has a 0.47 ERA in three starts this season. Joe Greenfield (1-1) earned the win as the senior pitcher allowed two hits and one run in two innings of relief.
Mitch Gasbarro and Jacob Reese both went 3-for-5 at the plate with two RBI and a run to pace the Panther offense. Caleb Howell went 3-for-5 with a run and a RBI while Cameron Berra and Tyler Schweigert both scored two runs.
EIU had six more hits (13-7) than Michigan State and left three more runners on base (12-9). The Spartans committed one more error (3-2) than EIU in the contest.
Jeff Kinley (0-1) took the loss for Michigan State as he surrendered five runs (four earned) and one hit in 0.1 innings of action. Justin Alleman made the start and posted five strikeouts while allowing five hits and three runs in 6.1 innings of work.
Anthony Cheky went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead the Spartans offense. Blaise Salter added two RBI and a hit in the loss.
KENNESAW STATE 10, JACKSONVILLE STATE 1
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Bo Way and Alex Liquori each had three hits, while Jordan Hillyer pitched seven solid innings to lead Kennesaw State to a 10-1 win over Jacksonville State in the first game of a three-game baseball series at Rudy Abbott Field on Friday afternoon.
Hillyer (1-0) allowed just three hits and did not allow an earned run after throwing 101 pitches in seven innings on the mound to earn the win for the Owls. JSU's Taylor Shields (2-1) gave up 10 hits and seven runs in five innings to suffer his first loss of the year for the Gamecocks.
Kennesaw State jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after Way and Chris McGowan each knocked in a run in the top of the first inning, but the Gamecocks answered in the home half of the inning.
Michael Bishop led off with a single to right center and moved to third after Griff Gordon singled to left field. Ryan Sebra followed with an infield grounder to score Bishop and cut the Owls lead to 2-1. Gordon finished the day 3-for-4 to lead the Gamecocks at the plate.
Kennesaw then extended the lead in the third inning as Bruce knocked in two runs and Max Pentecost also had a RBI single to give KSU a 5-1 lead.
The Owls pushed the lead to 9-1 in the sixth inning after scoring four more runs, highlighted by a two-RBI single by Way, and KSU scored its final run in the top of the ninth inning on a RBI double by Justin Motley for the final margin.
Motley, Pentecost, Jacob Bruce, Chris McGowan and Cornell Nixon each had two hits as the Owl's finished with 16 in the game.
TENNESSEE TECH 11, NORTHWESTERN 7
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - A roller coaster ride of a game kicked things off between the Tennessee Tech and Northwestern baseball teams as the Golden Eagles took the first contest in a three game series Friday afternoon, defeating the Wildcats 11-7.
A solo blast off the bat of Brandon Thomasson gave the Tech squad the life it needed to take the lead for good and win its eighth straight contest. The senior's fifth home run of the year propelled the Golden Eagles to a 7-6 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Tech tallied four more runs across the rest of the game while surrendering just one in the top of the ninth.
The Golden Eagles got off to rough start before the game even started, having to scratch junior Chris Chism less than 10 minutes before first-pitch due to an injury. Relief pitcher Jacob Honea did his best in the spot start, but struggled to locate after rushing through barely five minutes of warm-up time. He surrendered just two runs on the mound, allowing no hits while walking three.
Austin Tolle came on in relief of Honea, tossing four innings out of the pen and really helping the Tech staff limit the workload. He gave up just three hits and one earned run while striking out a game-high four.
Five more pitchers combined to cover the final five outs of the game, including junior Jeb Scoggins, who collected his first career win with two innings of two-hit ball in relief of Tolle. Also part of that group, junior closer Seth Lucio notched his third save of the season, recording the final two outs to guide Tech to its ninth win of the season.
Runs fell for both teams early in the contest, as Northwestern built a two-run lead after the first half inning. The Golden Eagles quickly answered, striking across three themselves in the bottom half off back-to-back doubles from Thomasson and shortstop Dylan Bosheers.
The Wildcats tied things up in the second with a lone run, but Tech answered with two more runs to take a 5-3 advantage after two innings, this time off a double from center fielder Jake Rowland.
Enter the fourth inning and Northwestern jumped out on top again, scratching three across to take force another lead change. With the Wildcats on top, 6-5, Zach Zarzour laced a double off the left center field wall, missing a dinger by inches, to set up slugger Zach Stephens. The senior delivered with an RBI single through the left side to even things for the last time, at 6-6.
Thomasson crushed his towering shot over the left field wall in the bottom of the fifth to give Tech the lead for good, pushing the Golden Eagles out front, 7-6.
Four more runs in the seventh and eighth innings proved to be enough to hold off Northwestern, which attempted a late rally in the ninth.
AUSTIN PEAY 8, DAYTON 5
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay’s baseball team used four home runs to secure an 8-5 victory against Dayton, Friday night, in the opening day’s nightcap of the 2014 Riverview Inn Classic at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Austin Peay (3-7) hit two of its home runs to grab a 4-0 lead in the third inning. Third baseman Garrett Copeland hit a two-run home run to right field. Two batters later left fielder Ridge Smith hit a two-run blast to left field.
Dayton (3-4) battled back cutting its deficit in half in the fifth inning courtesy center fielder Alex Harris’ two-run double. The Flyers closed within a run when second baseman Luke Wolford apparently doubled in a run, but was called out on appeal at first base. The run stood and Dayton trailed 4-3 after five innings.
The Flyers tied the game in their half of the sixth when catcher Kuris Duggan hit the third single of the inning to drive in the tying run. However, Dayton would leave two runners on base as starter Ryan Quick induced an inning-ending pop out.
The tie would not last long as the Govs scored in its half of the sixth. Right fielder Rolando Gautier doubled with two out and scored on Copeland’s single, giving APSU a 5-4 lead it would not relinquish.
Austin Peay extended its lead thanks to another pair of home runs. Catcher P.J. Torres delivered a two-run home run to left field to give APSU a 7-4 lead in the seventh. Two batters later, shortstop Logan Gray hit a line drive to center field that landed in front of and got by the Dayton center fielder. Gray scampered around the base paths for an inside the park home run and an 8-4 APSU lead.
Quick (1-1) picked up his season’s first victory after allowing four runs on eight hits through six innings. Less than one week after allowing seven walks at Baylor, Quick did not allow a walk to Dayton and struck out five batters.
Copeland led the Govs with a 2-for-4, three RBI outing that included his two-run home run and the eventual game-winning RBI. Gautier had three hits to pace an APSU attack that recorded 15 hits.
Dayton starter Noah Buettgen (1-2) suffered the loss after allowing seven runs on 14 hits in 6.1 innings. Harris led the Flyers’ offense with a 2-for-4, two RBI effort.
BELMONT 4, MERCER 3 (10)
NASHVILLE - Drake Byrd's RBI single scored Jamie Ritchie in the tenth to give Belmont a 4-3 victory and hand Mercer their first loss of the season Friday night.
Mercer's Michael Massi hit a three-run homer to left field in the first to put the Bears ahead 3-0.
Belmont led off the fourth with singles from Nick Egli and Byrd before William Dodd drew a walk to load the bases. Behind a pair of sacrifice flies from Dom Veltri and Tyler Walsh, the Bruins pushed two across to make it a 3-2 game.
Dodd led off the ninth with a triple down the right field line and Veltri's second sacrifice fly of the game scored Dodd, tying the game at 3-3 and sending it to extra innings.
In the tenth, Ritchie doubled to right before Byrd's two-out single drove him in, giving the Bruins the win.
Austin Coley had a solid outing with a season-long seven innings of work. The right-hander matched his career-high of 13 strikeouts. He gave up four hits, three runs and walked five.
Chase Cunningham came on to relieve Coley, and went three innings, giving up two hits and matching a career-best three strikeouts.
MEMPHIS 8, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 4
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Southeast Missouri baseball team fell to 6-4 on the season Friday evening when they dropped an 8-4 contest to the Memphis Tigers (8-1).
An error-prone Redhawk infield in the fourth inning allowed Memphis to take a big lead and cruise to a game one victory.
For the seventh time this season, the Redhawks scored first in the contest. In the top of the third inning Branden Boggetto led off with a single through the left side, followed by another single through the left side by Scott Mitchell. With one out, Cole Bieser drew a walk to load the bases. Matt Tellor threaded a hit up the middle to score Boggetto and Mitchell to take a 2-0 lead.
The Tigers used two Redhawk errors in the fourth inning to get way out in front of Southeast. Blum committed his second error of the game on the third batter of the inning. With runners on first and second, Drew Griffin drove in Memphis' first run of the game. The tying run scored on a groundout to short. The Tigers squeezed in the go-ahead run off the bat of Darien Tubbs. Zach Willis hit a ground-rule double to drive in the fourth run of the inning. Jake Little pushed the Tigers' fifth run across the plate with an infield RBI single. Redhawk starter Tyler Iago was taken out of the game after allowing the five runs, only one of which were earned.
The Tigers extended the lead by a run in the fifth inning on an RBI single from Ethan Gross; 6-2 after five innings.
Andy Lennington led off the sixth inning with a single to center. Lennington stole second, advanced to third on a fly out, and scored on an RBI single from Derek Gibson to make the score 6-3.
Perry Middleton was brought in to the game in the seventh inning. Drew Griffin homered off Middleton to extend the lead to 8-3.
Dalton Hewitt drew a two-out walk in the top of the eighth inning. Hewitt advanced to third on a two-base passed ball. Hewitt crossed home on a single up the middle by Cole Ferguson to make the score 8-4.
Iago (2-1) suffered his first loss of the season. Out of the Redhawk bullpen, Garret Stockton pitched 2.1 innings, giving up two runs on five hits. Middleton went 2.0 innings of work.
The Redhawks were outhit 12-9. Ferguson was the lone Redhawk with a multi-hit night. Seven other Redhawks each contributed a hit.
Tiger starter Jon Reed improved to 2-0 Friday evening.
Kane Barrow went 3-for-4 while Willis and Griffin had 2-for-3 performances.
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN 9, UT MARTIN 4
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The top four batters in the University of Tennessee at Martin lineup combined for seven of the Skyhawks’ eight hits tonight but Stephen F. Austin came away with the 9-4 win at Jaycees Field.
Chase Young, Taylor Douglas and Phil Sorensen each had multi-hit outings for the Skyhawks (1-8). Zack Malone drove in a pair of runs while Jake Deason reached base three times on walks and scored twice for UT Martin.
On the mound, Taylor Cox (0-3) fanned six batters in six innings but was charged with the loss after conceding six earned runs. John Skubina finished off the game with two innings, allowing only one earned run.
The Skyhawks put baserunners on the corners with just one out in the top of the first but couldn’t push across a run. Stephen F. Austin (4-5) then scored four runs in the bottom of the first to take the early lead.
Cox struck out back-to-back Lumberjacks to end the second inning and made short work of Stephen F. Austin in the third frame.
UT Martin got on the scoreboard in the fourth, as a Deason leadoff walk got things going. He came in to score two batters later when Malone reached on an error. After the Skyhawks got a runner thrown out on the basepaths, three straight UT Martin hitters reached base safely with two away to extend the rally. Max Balter drew a five-pitch walk while Young singled to third base to load the bases. Douglas then singled to right to score Malone but Balter was thrown out at the plate while trying to make the score 4-3.
A Stephen F. Austin bases-clearing three-run double in the fourth inning stalled the UT Martin comeback attempt momentarily but Cox recovered with scoreless frames in the fifth and sixth.
UT Martin added a pair of runs in the fifth. Sorensen pulled a one-out single into the gap in right center and Deason followed with a four-pitch walk. Two wild pitches later, Sorensen came in to make the score 7-3. A Stephen F. Austin error allowed Deason to cross the plate and pull the Skyhawks within three runs after four-and-a-half innings of play.
The Lumberjacks then tacked on one run in the seventh and one run in the eighth to provide the final margin of 9-4.