FRIDAY'S SCORES
Tennessee Tech 4, @Eastern Illinois 0
@SIUE 3, Belmont 2
Eastern Kentucky 9, @UT Martin 1
@Jacksonville State 7, Murray State 2
@#23 Indiana 13,
Morehead State 1
@Austin Peay 22, Southeast Missouri 4
TENNESSEE TECH 4, EASTERN ILLINOIS 0
CHARLESTON, Ill. - The Tennessee Tech baseball team kept its momentum rolling forward Friday afternoon, as the Golden Eagles (27-9, 10-6) used an excellent pitching performance and clutch hitting to down the Eastern Illinois Panthers (10-23, 4-9), 4-0.
Long balls were the key to the day offensively as senior Brandon Thomasson launched a solo shot in the top of the sixth to propel Tech to a 1-0 lead. A historical three-run shot wrapped up the scoring as slugger Zach Stephens hammered a bomb to left field in the top of the seventh.
The home run marked the second hit of the game for Stephens, and more notably, another career record for the first baseman. The hit marked the 254th of his career, giving him the most in the history of Tennessee Tech.
Stephens' massive shot also propelled him into a tie for the Ohio Valley Conference career record for home runs. It marked the 53rd home run of his career and took the wind out of any comeback hopes the Panthers may have had.
On the mound, the Golden Eagles received a dominating performance from starter David Hess. The junior tossed eight and a third of an inning, scattering six hits and striking out five Panther batters.
Closer Seth Lucio came on for the final two outs, striking out the first batter he saw on three pitches before forcing a ground out on the next offering to end the game. The junior collected his eighth save of the season, giving him 20 in his career.
SIUE 3, BELMONT 2
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Ryan Daniels improved his season record to 5-0 and tossed his second complete game of the season as SIUE baseball defeated Belmont 3-2 Friday night at Simmons Baseball Complex.
The win improved SIUE's Ohio Valley Conference record to 9-7, breaking a five-game slide in league play. SIUE ran its overall record to 12-20. Belmont fell to 13-20 overall and 5-8 in the OVC.
The same two teams are back out at Simmons Complex Saturday for the second game of a three-game series. The first pitch is set for 1 p.m.
On Friday, Daniels outdueled Belmont starter Patrick McGrath. After passing the 100-pitch mark in the eighth inning, SIUE Head Coach Tony Stoecklin didn't hesitate to send Daniels out in the ninth.
Daniels, who finished with a season-high nine strikeouts, was dominant early against the Bruins. He retired the first 12 batters he faced and didn't give up a hit until the sixth.
The Cougars provided just enough run support for the victory.
Devin Caldwell scored the Cougars' first run in the fourth inning. Caldwell reached first on a base hit through the left side. With designated hitter Keaton Wright at the plate, Caldwell took off on a hit and run and moved over to third on a single to right field by Wright.
Caldwell kept running though as he approached third. He was waved into home after Belmont right fielder William Dodd bobbled the ball and then threw into second base.
The Cougars padded the lead in the sixth as they took advantage of two infield errors and an RBI single by Zach Little to take a 3-0 lead.
Belmont threatened in the eighth and plated two runs on a bases-loaded single by Matt Beady.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 9, UT MARTIN 1
MARTIN, Tenn. - Tanner Perkins cruised on the mound and seven batters recorded at least one hit as the Eastern Kentucky University baseball team opened a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series with an 9-1 victory at Tennessee-Martin.
Perkins (3-5), a senior transfer from Western Kentucky, held the Skyhawks (3-28, 2-14 OVC) scoreless over seven innings. He scattered seven hits, did not walk a batter and struck out five. It was his third quality start in his last four outings.
The Colonels (16-18, 6-7 OVC) wasted little time getting on the board. The first three batters reached on walks to start the game. Bryan Soloman then ripped a single up the middle to drive in Kyle Nowlin and Doug Teegarden. UT Martin starter Taylor Cox issued four walks in the first inning.
EKU batters drew nine walks in the game.
Two Skyhawk errors led to two more EKU runs in the second. TJ Alas and Luke Wurzelbacher scored on a ground ball by Nowlin that got through under the shortstop’s glove.
Taylor Blair’s RBI single in the fifth extended the lead to 5-0. Nowlin added an RBI single to left center in the sixth inning. With two outs later in the inning, Sean Hagen blasted his seventh home run of the season. The two-run shot over the left field wall made it 8-0. Eastern capped its scoring on Ben Fisher’s RBI triple in the ninth.
Hagen finished 2-for-3 with two walks, two RBIs and a run scored. Nowlin had one hit in three at bats, scored twice, drove in one and also walked two times. Soloman went 1-for-5 with two RBIs.
Tennessee-Martin scored in the bottom of the eighth when Max Balter drew a bases loaded walk. Taylor Cox (0-8) suffered the loss after allowing four runs, three of which were earned, on just one hit in 1-plus innings. He walked five and did not strike out any batters.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 7, MURRAY STATE 2
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Andrew Bishop had a pair of hits, including a solo home run, to lead Jacksonville State to a 7-2 Ohio Valley Conference win over Murray State in the opening game of a three-game conference series.
Jax State improves to 20-13 overall and 10-3 in the OVC as the Gamecocks won their sixth straight conference game, while Murray State falls to 14-17 and 8-8 in the league.
Adam Polk (4-1) scattered four hits and had four strikeouts in six solid innings on the mound to earn the win, while Graham Officer did not allow a hit over the final three innings to pick up his second save of the year. Cameron Finch (3-4) gave up all seven runs on eight hits in just four innings to suffer the loss for Murray State.
The Gamecocks took the early lead after scoring a pair of runs in the first inning after Paschal Petrongolo scored on a sacrifice fly and Ryan Sebra drove in another run with a RBI single to right field to give JSU a 2-0 lead.
Murray State scored a run in the fourth inning after Kollin Dowdy got the 'Breds first hit with one out and came around to score on Michael Hargrove's infield grounder to cut the lead to 2-1. Dowdy finished with two of the 'Breds' four hits in the game.
Jax State answered in the home half of the fourth after Bishop led off with a solo home run, while Gavin Golsan and Tyler Gamble both scored on a Murray State throwing error. Eddie Mora-Loera and Griff Gordon each drove in another run as the Gamecocks pushed the lead to 7-1.
The 'Breds scored their final run in the sixth inning on Luke Daugherty's RBI single, but the Gamecocks turned an inning ending double play to end the scoring threat and Officer shut down MSU over the final three innings to secure the win.
Mora-Loera, Gordon and Bishop each had a pair of hits, while Stephen Bartlett hit a double in the eighth inning to extend his hitting streak to a team-best and career-long 15 games.
#23 INDIANA 13, MOREHEAD STATE 1
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Junior first baseman Sam Travis belted a pair of two-run homers and senior left-hander Joey DeNato became No. 23 Indiana's all-time wins leader in a 13-1 series-opening victory over Morehead State on Friday night at Bart Kaufman Field.
The Hoosiers, who sit atop the Big Ten Conference with an 8-1 record, improve to 20-10 overall and 7-1 at home with their eighth consecutive win. The Eagles, who own a 7-8 mark in the Ohio Valley Conference, slip to 16-17 on the season and 11-8 on the road.
IU's No. 2, 3, 4 and 5 batters combined to go 9-for-13 with three roundtrippers, nine runs and 10 RBI. Travis recorded a 3-for-4 performance with four runs and six knocked in. Senior third baseman Dustin DeMuth added a 3-for-3 effort with one score and two RBI.
Indiana entered the tilt first in the Big Ten with a .401 slugging percentage and 19 homers. The Hoosiers tallied two doubles, one triple and three dingers en route to 27 total bases.
DeNato, who fired 88 pitches, improved to 7-1 this season and 31-9 in his career with the victory. He allowed just one run, three walks and five hits while striking out four in five innings.
Indiana took advantage of a Morehead State fielding error with two outs in the opening frame to plate three unearned runs. The Hoosiers added two scores in the third, three in the fourth, four in the sixth and one in the eighth. IU put a runner on base in all eight of its at-bats.
Indiana's bullpen, which tossed four innings after DeNato departed, allowed no runs and just two hits. The Hoosier relievers gave up no walks while striking out five of the 14 batters they faced.
Junior right fielder Brandon Rawe, who began the day second in the nation with 58 hits, led Morehead State by going 2-for-4. He now owns multiple hits in a team-high 19 games this year.
Freshman right-hander Luke Humphreys, who allowed five earned runs and seven hits in four innings, suffered the the loss. The Eagle relievers yielded five earned runs and seven hits in four frames.
AUSTIN PEAY 22, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 4
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - A two-and-a-half hour rain delay proved worth the wait as Austin Peay State University’s offense powered its way to a 22-4 Ohio Valley Conference victory against Southeast Missouri, Friday night at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Austin Peay (14-20, 6-7 OVC) came to the plate in its half of the first trailing Southeast Missouri by two runs. However, the Govs sent 10 men to the plate in its half of the first and scored six times. Shortstop Logan Gray put APSU ahead for good with a bases-loaded walk to give APSU a 3-2 lead. Two batters later center fielder Chase Hamilton laced a two-run single into right center, giving APSU a 6-2 advantage.
Southeast Missouri (22-11, 13-3 OVC) would claw back a pair of runs in the second inning. A balk by Austin Peay starter Alex Robles led to one run and shortstop Andy Lack added a run on a ground out. However, the Redhawks could not continue the rally.
Robles (4-2) settled in after surrendering that fourth run. He allowed just four base runners in his final four innings, retiring the side in order in the sixth to complete his outing. Robles’ second-straight win came after a six-inning outing that saw him allow four runs on seven hits while striking out five.
Meanwhile, the Govs offense scored the game’s final 16 runs. They immediately responded to the Southeast Missouri second-inning burst with two runs in its half of the frame. They then tacked on three in the third, two in the fourth and a seven-run fifth ended any doubt as to the final decision. Austin Peay would add two runs in the eighth to set the final score.
Austin Peay recorded a season-high 22 hits in the win. Robles went 3-for-3 with three RBI before leaving the game in the sixth inning. Third baseman Ridge Smith joined Gleason, Gray and Hamilton with three-hit outings.
Southeast Missouri starter Tyler Iago (4-2) allowed eight runs on five hits and two walks and recorded just four outs. The Redhawks used six pitchers, including two players making rare mound outings, in the loss.
Designated hitter Brandon Boggetto and center fielder Cole Bieser each had two hits to pace the Redhawks offense which finished with nine hits.