SUNDAY'S SCORES
Belmont 3, @Morehead State 2
Jacksonville State 8, @Eastern Illinois 6
Murray State 6, @Austin Peay 4
Southeast Missouri 11, @UT Martin 1
Tennessee Tech 10, @SIUE 6
Eastern Kentucky 3, @Evansville 2
BELMONT 3, MOREHEAD STATE 2
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Belmont Baseball (9-18, 2-7) won its first OVC series Sunday afternoon with a 3-2 win over Morehead State.
After two close plays at the plate in the third, Belmont took a 3-0 lead. Alec Diamond and Jamie Ritchie had RBI doubles in the inning.
Morehead State got on the board in the bottom of the fifth behind an RBI single from Robby Spencer.
Behind a pair of doubles in the bottom of the seventh, the Eagles threatened getting one run across and cutting Belmont's lead to one. A Belmont double play ended the threat and sealed the victory for the Bruins.
Austin Coley went 4.1 innings, allowing two hits and striking out four. The right-hander retired nine in a row before giving up a hit in the bottom of the fourth.
Scott Moses picked up his first save of the season.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 8, EASTERN ILLINOIS 6
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Tyler Gamble had three hits, including a home run, to lead Jacksonville State to a 8-6 win over Eastern Illinois as the Gamecocks swept the Ohio Valley Conference series after winning their eighth straight game over the Panthers.
Michael Mason (3-0) had six strikeouts and allowed just one hit over three innings of relief to earn his third win of the season, while Travis Stout recorded the final six outs to pick up his eighth save of the season. EIU's Joe Greenfield (3-3) gave up just four hits, but got stuck with the loss for the Panthers.
The Gamecocks improve to 17-10 overall and 9-3 in the OVC, while Eastern Illinois falls to 7-20 and 2-7 in the league. Jax State is currently in second place, just one game behind OVC leader Southeast Missouri State.
The Panthers took the early lead after scoring four runs in the first inning as School drove in a pair of runs, while Brant Valach and Berra each drove in a run to give EIU a 4-0 lead.
Gamble slugged his second home run of the season for the Gamecocks in the second inning to cut the lead to 4-1, but Eastern answered in the home half of the second after Demetre Taylor had a RBI single for a 5-1 EIU lead.
Jax State cut the lead to 5-2 in the fifth inning after Ryan Sebra reached on a one-out single and came in to score after Gamble drove in his second run of the game with a RBI single, but the Panthers tacked on a run in the home half on a RBI single by Valach.
The Gamecocks then scored three runs in the fifth on Eddie Mora-Loera's RBI double, who later came in to score on an infield grounder, and Stephen Bartlett drove in another run with a single up the middle to cut the lead to 6-5.
Jax State took the lead in the sixth after Gavin Golsan was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored on Michael Bishop's double. Griff Gordon then knocked in Bishop to give JSU a 7-6 lead.
The Gamecocks added an insurance run in the ninth after Sebra singled and later scored on Andrew Bishop's RBI double for the final margin.
Gamble had three hits, while Sebra, Mora-Loera, Andrew Bishop and Michael Bishop each finished with two hits as the Gamecocks posted 13 in the game. Howell and Valach each had a pair of hits to lead Eastern Illinois.
MURRAY STATE 6, AUSTIN PEAY 4
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Murray State scored four runs in the top of the first inning and then turned the game over to left hander Brock Downey for a 6-4 victory over Austin Peay Sunday afternoon at Raymond C. Hand Park.
MSU (12-12, 6-5 OVC) wasting little time on getting the offense going as Ty Stetson was hit by the second pitch of the game. One-out walks to Anthony Bayus and Tyler Lawrence loaded the bases for Michael Hargrove to deliver a two-run single off the glove of the second baseman. A Kollin Dowdy single loaded the base again for a two-run Rick Linton single to right field.
Downey (5-1) did not have his best stuff, but battled throughout to earn the victory. He fell one out shy of his third-straight complete game. The junior went 8.2 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and five strikeouts.
The Govs (10-16, 3-5 OVC) got back in the game in the third as Logan Gray hit a solo home run to left field. A single and a walk later in the inning set up Dre Gleason for a two-run double into the right-field corner.
The Breds responded the next half inning with a Stetson leadoff double to right center and a Bayus RBI single through the right side. MSU looked to make it an even bigger inning by loading the bases, but failed to push across anymore runs.
A leadoff walk in the fifth inning helped the Breds to extend the lead to 6-3. A failed sacrifice bunt was followed by a stolen base to put a runner on second with two outs. Matt McGowan drove in the runner with single just inside the bag at third.
APSU had a great shot to tie the game in the seventh as a leadoff double and a walk was followed by an RBI double to left center. But, that would be all the Govs would get as Downey got a flyout to shallow center, strikeout looking and popup to shortstop ended the inning.
John Lollar (2) earned the save as he retired the final hitter on a lineout to first base.
Levi Primasing (2-2) took the loss after giving up four runs on three hits and five walks over 2.2 innings.
McGowan, Bayus and Hargrove each collected two hits, while Linton went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a pair of walks.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 11, UT MARTIN 1
MARTIN, Tenn. - The Southeast Missouri baseball squad finished a three-game series sweep of the UT Martin Skyahwks (3-22, 2-10 OVC) Sunday with an 11-1 victory. The Redhawk offense was powered by Matt Tellor, who hit three home runs in the game. Southeast remains atop the Ohio Valley Conference after improving to 10-2 in league play, 17-10 overall.
This is the first time since April 6, 2008 that a Redhawk has hit three home runs in a game. The last Redhawk to do so was Tyrell Cummings at home against the Murray State Thoroughbreds. Southeast Missouri won the game 9-8.
In the series sweep, the Redhawks gave up only four runs, all of which were unearned. Southeast put up 33 runs on the weekend to the Skyhawk's four.
Tellor wasted no time jump-starting the offense in the first inning when he blasted his first home run, second home run of the series, to right center field with two out in the inning.
The Skyhawks tied the game in the bottom of the second inning. Kenny King hit a one out double, then advanced to third on a passed ball. King scored on an RBI groundout by Taylor Cox.
The Redhawks retook the lead in the top of the third inning on Tellor's second home run of the game, this time to right field.
The score remained 2-1 until the Redhawks' half of the seventh inning. Andy Lack drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, followed by a base on balls by Cole Bieser. With Tellor due up, the Skyhawks went to their bullpen for right-hander Stu Jones. On the first pitch he saw, Tellor drove his third home run of the game to right for a three-run bomb. Derek Gibson followed with a single, taking second on a throw back to the infield. Gibson scored on a double by Andy Lennington. After Lennington took third on a groundout, he scored on a Clayton Evans double. This prompted UT Martin to make their second pitching change of the inning. After Southeast batted around in the inning, the Redhawks were ahead 7-1.
Southeast widened the lead in the eighth inning with a double by Gibson to score Jason Blum. An error by the left fielder also allowed Tellor to score on the play. Gibson then scored on Lennington's second RBI double of the game to put Southeast ahead 10-1 in the eighth.
The Redhawks tacked on another run in the ninth with a sacrifice fly by Bieser to score Branden Boggetto from third, who reached on a one out triple earlier in the inning. Southeast led the Skyhawks 11-1 going to the bottom of the ninth inning.
Southeast finished with 14 hits in the game. The offense was led by Tellor, who finished 4-for-5 with four runs scores and five RBI in the game. He finished the series with 11 RBI and four home runs against the Skyhawks. Gibson was 3-for-5 Sunday with two runs and an RBI. Lennington used two RBI doubles to go 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI and a run scored. Five other Redhawks contributed hits in the game.
Starter Alex Winkelman (1-2) pitched six complete innings, giving up one unearned run on two hits, three strikeouts and two walks on only 64 pitches. Winkelman, Alex Siddle, and Greg Mosel combined for the two-hitter.
Starter Alex Martin (0-5) worked six and a third innings for the Skyhawks Sunday. He allowed four runs on five hits but struck out four Redhawk batters. Other than leaving a few up to Tellor early in the game, Martin looked good against Southeast early in the game.
Nico Zych and Kenny King were the only two Skyhawks with hits Sunday.
TENNESSEE TECH 10, SIUE 6
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - The Tennessee Tech baseball team (23-6, 8-4) took a big step towards a second Ohio Valley Conference championship Sunday afternoon, rallying for its fourth league series victory in a come-from-behind, 10-6 win against the Cougars (10-15, 8-4) of SIU Edwardsville.
It was a back-and-forth affair most of the day, as the Golden Eagles jumped out to an early, 1-0 lead behind the bat of designated hitter Jordan Hopkins. The junior kicked off the scoring with an RBI double to center field.
Shortstop Dylan Bosheers added to the lead in the top of the fourth, blasting his fifth home run of the season over the left field fence, propelling the Tech squad to a 2-0 lead.
SIUE answered in the bottom half, however, using solo shots by Devin Caldwell and Alex Saikal, as well as an RBI double from Jacob Stewart, to take a 3-2 advantage. The Cougars added to that lead in the fifth, scoring twice more to seemingly knock the wind out of the Tech squad.
But the Golden Eagles proved they are not to ever be counted out, scoring a run in the top of the sixth thanks to a pinch-hit, RBI single by junior David Allen. Tech seemed destined to tie the game right there in the sixth, loading the bases with just one out. SIUE forced two fly balls and seemed to avoid the Tech offensive outburst that the Golden Eagles routinely display, hanging on to a 5-3 lead.
The Cougars couldn't hang on forever though, as the Golden Eagle bats took another step in the seventh inning, tying the game with two runs. The Tech bunch started with a walk by slugger Zach Stephens and followed that with senior Daniel Miles getting hit by a pitch.
Both runners advanced a base thanks to a wild pitch and Bosheers followed a Tech out with a sacrifice fly that put the Golden Eagles within one. Center fielder Jake Rowland drove in the tying run, singling to to his own position and driving in Miles to knot things up at 5-5.
The Tech offense had more to offer, blowing the game open and taking the lead (this time for good) with a five spot in the eighth inning. Things started with a leadoff single by Allen, who took a ball up the middle on an 0-2 count. Jordan Parris laid down a sacrifice bunt to move him into scoring position and second baseman Zach Zarzour set up a score with a base hit up the middle. Allen rounded third and slid in safely at the plate thanks to a throwing error by the Cougars.
Hopkins kept things going with his own single up the middle, driving in a second Tech run. Stephens and Miles followed with back-to-back walks, loading the bases for Brandon Thomasson. The senior singled through the left side for Tech's third run of the inning. Bosheers made it four runs in the frame with his second sac fly of the game and Rowland finished the scoring with an RBI single down the left field line.
Closer Seth Lucio came on in the bottom of the eighth inning, making his second appearance in two games. The junior did surrender his first home run in two years in the eighth, but shut down the Cougars over the long haul, striking out two batters while also forcing SIUE into a double play.
Reliever Kyle Keatts grabbed his second win of the season, tossing one inning of relief while surrendering just hit.
On the day, Bosheers led the offense with three RBI and two runs scored on a 1-for-3 effort. Rowland collected three hits in four at bats, driving in two runs while walking once. Hopkins also collected two RBI in the contest, scoring a run while reeling off two hits.
Zarzour scored two runs out of the leadoff spot and Miles scored twice as well, despite losing his 14-game hitting streak. Allen went 2-for-3 with a run scored after pinch-hitting in the sixth inning.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 3, EVANSVILLE 2
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Freshman Caleb Johnson allowed just two runs in six innings of work and two Eastern Kentucky relievers combined to hold Evansville to just one hit over the final three innings as the Colonels won the final game of the series, 3-2, on Sunday.
Johnson allowed nine hits, but walked only one batter and struck out two on his way to improving to 3-0 this season. Logan Hershenow gave up one hit in two innings of work. Senior Anthony Bazzani pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn his second save of the season.
The Colonels (12-15) got on the board early when Sean Hagen hit a solo home run over the left field wall in the top of the first inning. It was his sixth dinger of the year. The Purple Aces (15-9) took the lead in the second on a RBI ground out by Eric McKibban and a run-scoring single to left by Jarod Perry.
After the first two batters in the top of the fifth struck out, EKU staged a two-out rally. Hagen was hit by a pitch and then stole second base. Bryan Soloman followed with a double to right center to tie the score. Freshman Ben Fisher then gave the Colonels the lead with an RBI single to left center.
Hagen finished 1-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Soloman went 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Fisher had four hits in four at bats with an RBI.
Jake Mahon led Evansville with three hits in five at bats. Cole Isom (2-2) suffered the loss after allowing three runs on nine hits in four and two-thirds innings. He did not walk a batter and struck out six.