SATURDAY'S SCORES
@Jacksonville State 7-9, Austin Peay 2-7
Eastern Kentucky 3, @Belmont 1
Morehead State 6, @Southeast Missouri 1
SIUE 3, @Murray State 1
UT Martin 7, @Tennessee Tech 5
IPFW 14,
@Eastern Illinois 3
JACKSONVILLE STATE 7-9, AUSTIN PEAY 2-7
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Griff Gordon and Galvin Golsan combined for 11 hits as Jacksonville State swept an Ohio Valley Conference double-header over Austin Peay on Saturday afternoon. The Gamecocks won 7-2 in the opener and then rallied for a 9-7 win in the night cap.
Jax State improves to 14-9 overall and 6-3 in the OVC, while Austin Peay drops to 9-13 overall and 3-3 in the league.
In the opener, Zachary Fowler (4-1) had four strikeouts and scattered four hits over six solid innings on the mound to earn his fourth straight win, while Graham Officer tossed the final three innings to pick up his first save of the year. Levi Primasing (2-1) gave up eight hits in five innings to suffer his first loss of the season for the Govs.
Jax State jumped out to an early lead after Michael Bishop scored on Gordon's RBI single, and then Gordon came around to score on an Austin Peay error as JSU took a 2-0 lead.
The Gamecocks scored two more runs in the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Bishop and Paschal Petrongolo drove in a run with a single down the right field line to give JSU a 4-0 lead.
Austin Peay scored a run in the sixth after Rolando Gautier scored on Dre Gleason's sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 4-1, but the Gamecocks answered in the home half of the inning after Daniel Gaither led off with a solo home run and Eddie Mora-Loera had a RBI single to push the lead to 6-1.
Ridge Smith led off the seventh with a solo home run for the Govs to cut the lead to 6-2, but Gordon had a RBI single to score Gavin Golsan in the bottom of the eighth for the final margin.
The Gamecocks finished with 12 hits, led by Gordon's three, while Bishop, Gaither and Golsan each finished with two hits. Alex Robles and Smith each had two hits to lead the Governors.
In the nightcap, the Gamecocks rallied for seven runs in the sixth inning to erase a 3-run deficit and claim a 9-7 win to earn the series sweep over Austin Peay.
Michael Mason (2-0) allowed just one hit in 1 1/3 inning to pick up the win in relief, while Travis Stout had six strikeouts over the final three innings to earn his seventh save of the year for the Gamecocks. Tommy Hager (2-1) gave up just one run, but got stuck with the loss for Austin Peay.
JSU took a 1-0 lead on Petrongolo's RBI single in the first inning, but P.J. Torres hit a two-run home run in the second and Garrett Copeland scored on a JSU error in the third as APSU took a 3-1 lead.
Austin Peay extended the lead to 4-1 in the fourth inning after Cayce Bredlau had a RBI single to score Smith, but the Gamecocks took the lead for good in the sixth inning.
Jax State sent 13 men to the plate in the sixth inning, including 10 with 2-outs as the Gamecocks scored the most runs in an inning this season.
Ryan Sebra and Tyler Gamble each got a RBI after walking with bases loaded, while Joe McGuire had a pinch-hit double to score two more runs. Golsan drove in two more runs and Mora-Loera added a RBI during the rally inning.
The Govs came back in the seventh to score three runs, highlighted by Kevin Corey's two-RBI single, but JSU added an insurance run in the home half of the seventh on Petrongolo's RBI single for the final margin.
Gordon and Golsan each had three hits, while Petrongolo had two hits to lead the Gamecocks. Mora-Loera extended his hitting streak to a season-high 12 games with a single in the sixth inning. APSU was led by Bredlau's two hits.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 3, BELMONT 1
NASHVILLE - Senior left-hander Tanner Perkins out-dueled his counterpart to lead the Eastern Kentucky University baseball team to a 3-1 win at Belmont University on Saturday. The Colonels have won the first two games of the series, securing their first Ohio Valley Conference series victory in three tries this season.
Perkins (2-3) allowed one run on six hits over eight innings of work. He struck out seven and walked two. Belmont’s Dan Ludwig (0-4) surrendered three runs on seven hits in nine innings. He struck out 11 and did not walk a batter.
Senior Anthony Bazzani came on to pitch the bottom of the ninth and earned his first save of the season. After a ground out to start the inning, the next two Belmont batters reached. A fielder’s choice got the second out, but left runners at the corners. However, Bazzani induced a ground ball to third to end the rally attempt.
TJ Alas gave Eastern Kentucky (10-13, 3-5 OVC) an early lead with an RBI single up the middle in the top of the second inning. Belmont tied the score in the fourth on a run scoring single by Jamie Ritchie.
EKU answered in the top of the fifth. Ben Fisher’s single to right center scored Kyle Nowlin and gave the Colonels the lead for good.
Fisher added an insurance run in the seventh with an RBI single to right. The freshman finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Nowlin and Alas also had two hits each. Drew Ferguson went 2-for-3 with a run scored for the Bruins (7-15, 0-5 OVC).
MOREHEAD STATE 6, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 1
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Sophomore right-hander Matt Anderson allowed just one run and three hits in 7.2 innings to help the Morehead State baseball team record a 6-1 Ohio Valley Conference win over Southeast Missouri on Saturday afternoon at Capaha Field.
The Eagles improve to 11-11 overall, 4-4 in conference action and 8-4 on the road. The Redhawks fall to 13-9 overall, 6-2 in league play and 5-3 at home. MSU has also won three consecutive games for the first time since a four-game streak April 19-22, 2013.
Anderson, who threw 78 strikes and 120 total pitches, improved to 1-3 with the victory. He walked just two and struck out eight. Senior left-hander Noah Smallwood, the only other hurler Morehead State used, allowed no runs or hits over the final 1.1 innings.
The Redhawks cracked the scoreboard with a run in the third inning, but the Eagles responded by crossing the plate twice in the sixth, seventh and eighth frames.
MSU junior second baseman Tyler Bigler highlighted the sixth with an RBI single, senior designated hitter Bobby Burns keyed the seventh with an RBI base knock and junior right fielder Brandon Rawe closed out the scoring by lifting a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
Morehead State took advantage of hit batsmen with the bases loaded in the sixth and eighth innings, while SEMO committed an error to allow another run to score in the seventh.
Rawe and Burns both finished 2-for-4, while junior catcher Chris Robinson turned in a 2-for-5 effort. The trio combined for four runs and two RBI. Rawe also extended his conference-best hitting streak to 18 contests with his 13th multi-hit performance in 2014.
Morehead State registered 11 hits, while Southeast Missouri managed just three. The Eagles tallied two extra-base hits, while the Redhawks recorded none.
Junior right-hander Ryan Lenaburg, Southeast Missouri's fourth-and-final pitcher, fell to 2-2 with the loss. He yielded three earned runs and 10 hits in 6.2 innings.
SIUE 3, MURRAY STATE 1
MURRAY, Ky. - SIUE got seven strong innings from freshman right hander Evan Martens and defeated Murray State 3-1 in the second game of a three-game Ohio Valley Conference baseball series at Reagan Field.
The Cougars improved to 6-2 in the OVC and 8-12 overall. Murray State is now 4-4 in league play and 9-11 overall.
Martens (2-2) allowed a single run on seven hits. He walked one and struck out a career-high five hitters in the longest outing of his career.
The Cougars picked up an unearned run in the third inning to go up 1-0. Austin Verschoore picked up an RBI on what would have been a ground out. Murray State shortstop threw high to first base allowing Verschoore to reach. Zach Little scored from third after a leadoff single. He stole second and went to third on an errant throw by the 'Breds' catcher Clay Fuson.
Little was 2-for-3 to lead SIUE.
Murray State threatened in the third and fourth innings, putting the leadoff hitter on base in both frames. In the third they left a runner on third. In the fourth inning the 'Breds left runners at second and third.
The Cougars loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth inning when Chase Green laced a single to right to plate two and give the Cougars a 3-0 lead. Green was 1-for-4 with the pair of RBIs.
The 'Breds scored their only run in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI-single by Matt McGowan. McGowan was 2-for-4. Murray State starter Brock Downey (4-1) went the distance allowing the three runs, two earned, on five Cougar hits. He struck out seven.
Murray State loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the ninth on a pair of hit batters and a hit against SIUE closer P.J. Schuster. Schuster struck out Fuson before MSU third baseman Matthew Johnson grounded into a game-ending double play.
UT MARTIN 7, TENNESSEE TECH 5
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - All nine of the University of Tennessee at Martin’s starting position players chipped in with a hit in an impressive 7-5 road victory over Ohio Valley Conference rival Tennessee Tech this afternoon.
In addition to each starter tallying a hit, all nine starters either scored or drove in a run against the OVC’s top pitching staff today. Ben Upton drove in two runs while Drew Erie had a pair of hits for UT Martin (3-18, 2-6 OVC). Taylor Douglas and Zack Malone also each scored once and drove in a run to lead the Skyhawks.
On the hill, starting pitcher Dalton Potts allowed just one hit but did not factor into the decision after tossing four innings. Carter Smith (1-1) relieved Potts and earned the victory after conceding two runs in four innings. John Houston nailed down the victory with his second save of the season after tossing a scoreless ninth.
Potts retired the side in order in the first, allowing UT Martin to take a lead in the top of the second. With two outs, Malone crushed a homer over the wall in left center to give the Skyhawks a 1-0 advantage.
Potts continued his rhythm with a perfect second inning, needing only five pitches to mow down the Golden Eagles (18-5, 5-3 OVC).
The Skyhawks then appeared to open the game up with four runs in the top of the third. Jake Deason doubled down the left field line to lead off the frame, followed by an Erie single. After a Chase Young walk loaded the bases with no outs, Douglas singled to make the score 2-0. Cox then plated Erie with a groundout to second and two pitches later, Upton drove a double down the right field line to clear the bases and give UT Martin a 5-0 lead.
Potts retired the first two batters in the third for his seventh and eighth consecutive outs to start the game. Tennessee Tech would load the bases later in the inning but Potts kept the Golden Eagles off the scoreboard.
Tennessee Tech chalked up two runs in the fourth off a leadoff walk and homer. The Golden Eagles would add another run in the fifth and two more runs in the sixth to even the score at 5-5.
Smith struck out the first two batters on his way to a perfect seventh inning. The Skyhawks then went back ahead in the top of the eighth. Fletcher Johnson singled up the middle to begin the inning, then stole second. Max Balter then singled to right to put baserunners on the corners with one out before Tennessee Tech brought in its closer, Seth Lucio. UT Martin then took advantage of a pair of Golden Eagle miscues, as Johnson would score on a wild pitch and Balter came in to score after stealing third and advancing home on an error by the catcher.
The Golden Eagles got their leadoff hitter on base in the bottom of the eighth thanks to a Skyhawk error but Smith erased the threat by inducing a double play, followed by another quick groundout.
Houston then pitched around a leadoff single in the ninth to seal the win with three groundouts against the heart of the Tennessee Tech lineup in the bottom of the ninth.
IPFW 14, EASTERN ILLINOIS 3
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Greg Kaiser went 4-for-5 with seven RBI and two runs to lead IPFW to a 14-3 win over the Panther baseball team on Saturday afternoon at Coaches Stadium.
The weekend series is tied 1-1 after EIU captured a 10-5 victory on Friday, March 21. EIU falls to 5-17 on the year while IPFW improves to 5-14.
IPFW scored in all but three innings of play and led 7-0 in the top of the fifth inning before the Panthers cut their deficit to four (7-3), scoring three runs on four hits in the bottom of the frame. Demetre Taylor hit a two RBI triple down the right-field line for the first two runs before Jacob Reese drove in the final run on a single up the middle.
The Mastodons responded by scoring seven unanswered runs, including six in the top of the sixth inning.
IPFW had eight more hits (17-9) than EIU and left one more runner on base (11-10). EIU had two errors in the contest while the Mastodons did not have any miscues.
Mitch Gasbarro and Caleb Howell both went 2-for-3 with one run to lead the Panther offense. Reese finished the day going 2-for-2 with a RBI while Taylor had a team-high two RBI.
In addition to Kaiser’s performance, Shane Trevino added three RBI and two runs while Kristian Gayday went 3-for-5 with three runs. Kevin Wirth also added three runs and two hits.
Connor Lawhead (1-2) earned the win for IPFW, striking out five batters and allowing only two hits in 4.1 scoreless innings. Dane Davis started the game and surrendered seven hits and three runs in 4.2 innings of work.
Jake Johansmeier (1-2) took the loss for EIU, allowing eight hits and six runs (four earned) in 3.1 innings of action. A total of six pitchers saw action the contest to combine for 10 strikeouts and seven walks.