WEDNESDAY'S SCORES
@Northern Kentucky 7,
Morehead State 3
@Tennessee Tech 13, Miami (Ohio) 5
@Eastern Illinois 9, Saint Louis 7
@Murray State 7, Southern Illinois 6 (10 innings)
@Austin Peay 7-9, Evansville 6-10
Maryville (Mo.) 7,
@SIUE 6
NORTHERN KENTUCKY 7, MOREHEAD STATE 3
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Northern Kentucky scored five runs over the sixth and seventh innings, and the Norse held on to defeat the Morehead State baseball team 7-3 at the Bill Aker Complex Wednesday.
The Norse, who defeated MSU for the second straight season, improved to 6-16 overall and 2-2 at home. The Eagles fell to 11-13 and 8-6 on the road.
The Eagles, who won the series over previous OVC unbeaten Southeast Missouri over the weekend, dropped their second consecutive game after winning three straight last week.
MSU junior reliever Noah Smallwood (2-2) was saddled with the loss after hitting a batter with the bases loaded in the sixth that allowed the go-ahead run to cross the plate. MSU fell behind 2-0 after three innings but scored once in the fourth and twice in the fifth to grab a 3-2 cushion.
NKU starter Aric Harris (1-1) tossed six innings and allowed just six hits for the win. Right-hander Drew Campbell struck out five of the six batters he faced in the seventh and eighth innings, and fellow righty Jake Shaw coaxed a one-two-three inning in the top of the ninth.
MSU had eight hits, led by a pair from sophomore third baseman Alan Mocahbee. Junior right fielder Brandon Rawe smacked his Ohio Valley Conference-best 13th double.
NKU second baseman Zac Asman and catcher Cody Kuzniczci each recorded two hits in four tries, while shortstop Brad Bohlen tallied three RBI. The Norse notched nine hits.
Morehead State cut the deficit in half with a run in the fourth. Junior Chris Robinson, who was the designated hitter, drew a one-out walk and scored on freshman Jimmy Wright's first career double.
The Eagles grabbed a one-run lead in the fifth. Junior shortstop Blaine Tanner doubled and scooted to third on the play via an outfield throwing miscue. Freshman center fielder Ryan Kent followed with an RBI double. Following a wild pitch, Kent trotted home on junior left fielder Nick Newell's ground out.
MSU starter Luke Schneider surrendered just three hits and struck out four in the first five innings.
TENNESSEE TECH 13, MIAMI (OHIO) 5
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - The bats really set the tone for the Tennessee Tech baseball team Wednesday afternoon, particularly that of senior Brandon Thomasson, as the Golden Eagles (21-5) took down the visiting Miami (Ohio) RedHawks (10-12) in a 13-5 onslaught.
Thomasson mashed and slashed his way into the Tech record books, becoming the first Golden Eagle in over 20 years to hit for the cycle. The right fielder led the Golden Eagles with a 4-for-5 day at the dish, driving in four runs while scoring two more.
Things looked a little bleak for Tech in the top of the first as Dan Walsh smacked a solo home run to right center field. Miami (OH) then followed with back-to-back hits, prompting TTU head coach Matt Bragga to make a mound visit to starter Jacob Honea.
And whatever he said to the junior righty worked. Honea cruised from that point on through the fourth inning, striking out five batters and scattering four more hits. Thanks to a predetermined rotation of himself and at least two other Tech pitchers, Honea picked up his second victory of the season.
Backing him up the whole way was the Golden Eagle offense. Designated hitter Tyler Brazelton kicked things off out of the leadoff spot, cranking a double to right field. Daniel Miles doubled two batters later, lacing one to left center field to drive in Brazelton. Thomasson followed suit on the next pitch, ripping his own double to left field to drive in another run and give Tech a 2-1 lead.
And that was just the start. Tech tallied four more runs in inning number two, using a sac fly from Brazelton, RBI single from Miles, and two-run triple from Thomasson down the left field line. Through two innings the Golden Eagles led 6-1.
In the bottom of the third, senior slugger Zach Stephens clobbered a solo shot over the center field wall. The home run marked the 50th of his career, placing him just one behind A.J. Kirby-Jones for the all-time Tech record. Already the career-leader in RBI in program history, Stephens sits just four away from becoming the first Golden Eagle to hit 50 home runs and drive in 200 runs in a career.
Inning number four was a big one for Thomasson as the senior destroyed a ball on the second pitch he saw, sending a towering shot down the right field line for his team-leading eighth dinger and leaving him just a single shy of the cycle.
Thomasson fell short in the sixth, flying out to center field and seeming to end his chances at history. But the Golden Eagles gave the slugger one more chance. In the bottom of the eighth, Thomasson made his mark, singling up the middle and completing the cycle.
Five Golden Eagle pitchers combined to cover the final five innings of the game, allowing just four earned runs on six hits while combining for three strikeouts. Included in that group were Garrett Baugh, Cain Sloan, Evan Fraliex, Stanton Taylor, and Ross Spurgeon.
Jake Rowland smacked his third long ball of the year, firing a three-run shot over the right center field wall. Miles finished the day 2-for-5, raking in two runs while scoring two more himself. Brazelton put together arguably his best game as a Golden Eagle so far, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 9, SAINT LOUIS 7
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Demetre Taylor went 3-for-5 at the plate with two RBI and two runs to lift the Panther baseball team over Saint Louis, 9-7, on Wednesday afternoon at Coaches Stadium. EIU improves to 7-17 on the year.
Trailing 7-6 with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, Taylor delivered a two-RBI double down the left-field line to give the Panthers a one-run lead. Jason Scholl scored Taylor on the next play with an RBI single to right field for the final insurance run.
After a leadoff hit in the top of the ninth inning for Saint Louis, Troy Barton struck out Danny Brennan before getting Drew Curtis to hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the game. Barton earned his third save of the season.
Saint Louis scored six unanswered runs before the Panthers got within three (6-3) in the bottom of the third inning, scoring three runs on two hits and one error. EIU would add a single run in each the fourth and sixth innings. The Billikens also scored a run in the top of the seventh inning.
EIU had six more hits (14-8) than Saint Louis and committed one more error (4-3). The Billikens left two more runners on base (10-8) in the contest.
Reese went 3-for-3 with two runs for the Panthers while Caleb Howell went 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI. Cameron Berra also added two RBI.
Joe Greenfield (3-1) earned the win for EIU, allowing one hit in one scoreless inning of relief. Jake Haberer started the game and surrendered three hits and three runs (two earned) in 1.1 innings of work.
Zach Girrens (0-2) took the loss for Saint Louis, allowing three hits and three runs in one inning of relief. Robert Plohr started the game and went three innings while allowing six hits and three runs (one earned).
Braxton Martinez led the Billikens offense as he went 2-for-5 with two runs. Brennan added two RBI and two runs.
MURRAY STATE 7, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 6 (10)
MURRAY, Ky. - Tyler Lawrence put a bunt down the third-base line that was thrown away, allowing the winning run to score and give Murray State a wild, 7-6, walk-off victory in 10 innings over Southern Illinois Wednesday afternoon at Reagan Field.
Matt McGowan got things going in the bottom of the 10th as he singled through the left side to start the inning. Anthony Bayus followed with a base on balls, setting up Lawrence’s game-winning play. Lawrence put down a perfect bunt that he beat out at first. The pitcher’s throw got past the second baseman covering, allowing McGowan to trot home with the winning run.
The game got off to a rough start as both starting pitchers struggled in the first couple of innings. After a Ty Stetson RBI double in the second inning, the score was tied 3-3.
The score would remain the same until the seventh inning when the Salukis (13-10) would get an RBI single from Parker Osborne and Jake Welch was walked with the bases loaded.
The Breds (10-12) looked the have a big inning of their own in the bottom half of the inning as they loaded the bases with no outs. A double play hurt their chances, but Clay Kelly was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to push across one run.
The eighth inning saw MSU take its first lead of the game. Stetson beat out a bunt single and scored on an Anthony Bayus double into the left-field corner. Lawrence followed with a fly ball to right field that was misplayed, allowing Bayus to score.
SIU forced extra innings as Welch delivered an RBI double into center field that just glanced off the glove of a diving Taylor Mathews.
Tyler Saltsman (1-0) was the eighth pitcher used for the Breds and he came away with the victory. He allowed a leadoff walk in the 10th, but struck out two of the next three hitters to get out of the inning. Kyle Pruenner (1-2) took the loss after giving up an unearned run on two hits without retiring a batter.
The top three hitters in the Breds lineup, Stetson, McGowan and Bayus, combined to score six of the seven runs. Stetson and McGowan each had two hits.
AUSTIN PEAY 7-9, EVANSVILLE 6-10
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - There were two walk off wins but unfortunately Austin Peay State University’s baseball team only had one walk their way in a Wednesday doubleheader with Evansville at Raymond C. Hand Park. The Govs won the opener 7-6 in 11 innings but dropped the nightcap 10-9.
Austin Peay (10-14) grabbed a 4-1 lead in the opener after right fielder Rolando Gautier’s two-run second inning home run. That lead was short lived as Evansville responded with the game’s next four runs – two coming on center fielder Kevin Kaczmarski’s two-run home run in the third – to take a 5-4 lead.
The Govs rallied back to tie the game in the sixth, only to surrender the lead in the seventh as Kaczmarski hit a solo home run. Austin Peay did not falter and saw the first two batters reach base to start the seventh. Left fielder Cayce Bredlau moved the runners with a sacrifice bunt and second baseman Kevin Corey tied the game with a ground out, forcing extra innings.
After three scoreless innings, Austin Peay first baseman Matt Wollenzin hit a two-out double and scored on third baseman Ridge Smith’s single through the infield, giving the Govs the walk-off win.
Reliever Jared Carkuff (1-2) faced the minimum over the final three innings, striking out two, to earn his season’s first win. That capped a Govs bullpen effort that held Evansville to one run over the final 7.2 innings, striking out six.
Evansville reliever Brent Jurceka (1-1) suffered the loss after allowing one run in 2.2 innings, despite striking out five of the 10 batters he faced. The Purple Aces bullpen allowed three runs over the final 5.2 innings.
Evansville (13-8), playing as the home team in the nightcap, dominated the second game early, scoring four runs in a second inning that included two Austin Peay errors that led to two unearned runs. The Govs got two of those runs back in the third inning courtesy third baseman Alex Robles two-run single.
The Purple Aces built its lead back to four runs with single runs in the third and fifth innings. However, the Govs again halved the lead with two runs in the sixth on a Smith RBI double and a Hager sacrifice fly, leaving APSU trailing 6-4.
Evansville seemingly broke the game open in its half of the sixth, striking for three runs in the frame. Second baseman Boomer Synek had the inning’s big blow with a two-run double. Shortstop Shain Showers added a RBI double to extend the lead to five runs, 9-4, after six innings.
Austin Peay responded in the seventh by showing patience at the plate. After leadoff hitter Logan Gray reached on an error, center fielder Cayce Bredlau doubled to give the Govs hope. The next three APSU hitters did not have to put the ball in play to reach base, capped by Robles getting hit by a pitch and first baseman Dre Gleason walking to push home runs.
The Govs closed the gap to one run with consecutive sacrifice flies, leaving pinch runner Chase Hamilton at first base with two outs. He moved into scoring position with a wild pitch and pinch hitter Rolando Gautier laced a single into right field. Hamilton scored to tie the game before Gautier could be thrown out attempting to advance to second, ending the inning.
However, Evansville needed just three batters in its half of the seventh to post the winning run. Leadoff hitter Jarod Perry singled to start the frame and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Evansville third baseman Jake Mahon ended the contest with a single through the infield, allowing Perry to score.
Austin Peay reliever Zach Walton (0-2) suffered the loss after allowing one run in one inning.
Evansville’s Conor Gilligan picked up the win after one scoreless inning of work.
Smith led the Govs offense with a 3-for-5, two RBI outing in the opener and followed that with a 1-for-3, two RBI effort in the nightcap. Bredlau went 3-for-4 with two doubles in the nightcap.
Evansville’s Kaczmarski was 3-for-5 with four RBI in the opener. Synek led the night cap with a 2-for-5, two RBI performance.
MARYVILLE 7, SIUE 6
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Maryville scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the top of the eighth inning Wednesday and held on for a 7-6 win over SIUE in nonconference action at Simmons Baseball Complex.
Maryville (8-10) took advantage of seven walks and two hit batters by Cougar pitchers.
Brett Thomas (2-1) suffered the loss, allowing a run on two hits in 1/3 of an inning of relief. Mike Miller started the game for SIUE and allowed two runs on three hits, while walking two in 2 1/3 innings. Zach Malach allowed three runs, two earned, while striking out four and walking two in 4 1/3 innings in relief. Caleb Wilkerson allowed a run in relief, while walking the only two batters he faced. Jarrett Bednar finished the night with two scoreless innings in relief. He did not allow a hit, struck out two, and walked one.
The Cougars (9-13) got an RBI triple from Denton Reed and an RBI double by Skyler Geissinger in the sixth inning to score three times to take a 6-3 lead.
The Saints quickly tied the game in the top of the seventh inning thanks to four walks in the inning. Maryville catcher Nick Stading drove in two runs with a two-out single. Stading finished 2 for 3 with the pair of RBIs.
After being retired in order in the bottom of the seventh, the Cougars had scoring chances in each of the final two innings. Reed walked to start the eighth inning and Devin Caldwell was hit by a pitch with one out before back-to-back strikeouts left both runners stranded.
In the ninth Keaton Wright, pinch-hitting, reached second on an error to start the inning, Doug Putkowski pinch ran at second and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Brian Sipe. Jake Michalak struck out before Nick Lombardo reached first on catcher's interference. Reed drew a two-out walk to load the bases before a strikeout by Chase Green left the bases loaded.
SIUE outhit the Saints 10-8 but didn't have a hit after the sixth inning. The Cougars left 15 runners on base, the second highest total of the season.
Reed finished 2 for 3 with the RBI and two runs scored. Alec Saikal was 2 for 5 with an RBI. Green was 2 for 6 with an RBI.
Maryville reliever Brandon Sarkissian (2-2) earned the win with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless, hitless relief. He struck out four.