WEDNESDAY'S SCORES
@Samford 5,
Jacksonville State 2
@East Tennessee State 4,
Eastern Kentucky 3
Southern Illinois 7,
@Belmont 6
SAMFORD 5, JACKSONVILLE STATE 2
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Brandon Powell had three hits and Drew McWhorter drove in a pair of runs as Samford claimed a 5-2 win over Jacksonville State in college baseball Wednesday evening.
Cody Pugh (2-0) had six strikeouts and scattered five hits in 5 1/3 innings to earn thie win for the Bulldogs, while Patrick McGavin tossed the final three innings to earn the save. Casey Antley (1-2) gave up two truns in two innings to suffer the loss for the Gamecocks.
Samford (8-4) jumped out to an early lead after McWhorter led of the second with a solo home run, and the Bulldogs added another run in the third after Brandon Haarer scored on a sacrifice fly to take a 2-0 lead.
Samford added another run in the fifth inning after Powell scored on a RBI single by McWhorter for a 3-0 lead, but the Gamecocks (6-5) would cut into the deficit in the sixth inning.
Eddie Mora-Loera led off with a single and scored after Paschal Petrongolo hit a RBI triple to the right center field wall, and Ryan Sebra then singled through the right side to score Petrongolo and cut the lead to 3-2, but the Gamecocks could not get any closer.
Samford added a run in the sixth after Walker led off with a solo home run and Powell followed with a one-out RBI single for the final margin. McWhorter, Waller and Navarretess each had two hits for the Bulldogs.
Mora-Loera, Petrongolo, Sebra, while Cal Lambert, Tyler Gamble and Gavin Golsan each had a hit for the Gamecocks.
EAST TENNESSEE STATE 4, EASTERN KENTUCKY 3
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - Eastern Kentucky University’s baseball team attempted a final inning comeback at East Tennessee State University but came up short in a 4-3 loss.
The Colonels (4-7) trailed 4-1 entering the final inning. EKU scored twice and got the tying run on first base, but ETSU (6-6) stopped the rally.
Kyle Nowlin led off the ninth with a double down the left field line. With one out, an infield single by TJ Alas put runners on the corners. A single to right by Bryan Soloman scored a run and pushed Alas to third. Taylor Blair’s sacrifice fly cut the deficit to a single run but Justin Cessna struck out to end the game.
Alas finished 3-for-4 with a run scored.
ETSU got on the board first when Trey York led off the fifth inning with s home run over the right field wall. Jordan Sanford followed a double by Zach Mize with a triple to right center for a 2-0 lead. The Buccaneers added a run in the sixth on an RBI single by Kevin Phillips and another in the seventh on an RBI single by Dylan Tritsch.
The Colonels cut into the lead in the eighth. Ben Fisher singled to left and then scored from first on a double to left center by Cole Warrenfeltz.
Ben Gullo (0-1) started for Eastern Kentucky and allowed two runs on five hits in four and one-third innings. He walked two and struck out two. Ben Brooks and Logan Hershenow each gave up a run in relief.
Senior Anthony Bazzani made his first appearance since suffering a season-ending injury on March 15, 2013. The former MLB draft pick did not allow a hit in two-thirds of an inning.
York went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI for East Tennessee. Tritsch had two hits in four at bats and drove in a run. Jamin McCann (1-1) earned the win after tossing five scoreless innings. He allowed just two hits, walked one and struck out six.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 7, BELMONT 6
NASHVILLE - Behind six unanswered runs, Southern Illinois came from behind to defeat Belmont (6-6), 7-6 Wednesday night at Rose Park.
Belmont had a 3-0 lead after two innings. Southern Illinois got on the board with a run in the top of the third. The Bruins responded with a run in their half of the third to extend their lead, 4-1.
SIU added a run in the fourth, then scored five unearned runs in the sixth to take a lead they would not relinquish. Belmont plated two in the seventh and eighth, but their rally came up short as the Salukis took the game, 7-6.
Offensively, senior William Dodd (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) went 3-for-3 and scored two runs. Senior James Buckelew matched his career-best seven strikeouts through 5.2 innings of work.