THURSDAY'S SCORES
Austin Peay 3, @Belmont 0
@Southeast Missouri 7, Eastern Illinois 5
@Morehead State 6, UT Martin 3
SIUE 4, @Eastern Kentucky 2
@Tennessee Tech 8, Jacksonville State 7
AUSTIN PEAY 3, BELMONT 0
NASHVILLE - Right-hander Alex Robles twirled a complete-game one-hitter to lead Austin Peay State University’s baseball team to a 3-0 Ohio Valley Conference victory against Belmont, Thursday afternoon at Rose Park.
Robles kept Belmont off balanced the entire game. He retired the first seven batters he faced before giving up his lone hit, a bloop single to right field. Robles would allow two walks, one in the fourth and another in the sixth, but worked around the free pass each time. He finished the game retiring the final 11 batters he faced.
Meanwhile, he got all the run support he would need before he even took the mound. Third baseman Kevin Corey hit a solo home run with one out in the first to put APSU in front 1-0. The Govs offense would tack on a pair of runs in the sixth – one on catcher P.J. Torres’ sacrifice fly and another on left fielder Ridge Smith’s single – to provide a little breathing room.
However, the day belonged to Robles (5-2) who won his third straight contest. He struck out a career-high nine batters in the contest, allowing one hit and two walks, facing three more batters than the minimum.
The one-hitter was the first by a Govs pitcher since 1997 when Craig Smith tossed a one-hitter in a seven-inning contest against Morehead State.
Ridge Smith and left fielder Cayce Bredlau each went 2-for-4 to lead the Govs offense which posted nine hits.
Belmont’s Patrick McGrath (2-6) surrendered three runs on nine hits in seven innings in the loss. First baseman Drake Byrd had the Bruins lone hit and was 1-for-3 on the day.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 7, EASTERN ILLINOIS 5
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - The Southeast Missouri baseball team picked up a game one victory Thursday evening over the Eastern Illinois (11-26, 5-11 OVC) Panthers, 7-5. Southeast improves to to 26-11 overall and 16-3 in Ohio Valley Conference play.
With Jacksonville State's 8-7 loss to Tennessee Tech Thursday, the Redhawks widen their lead to three and a half games on the Gamecocks in the league standings.
The Redhawks touched home three times in the first inning. Dalton Hewitt hit a one-out single followed by a walk to Matt Tellor. Derek Gibson reached on a bunt single. Hewitt scored and Tellor went to third on a throwing error by the catcher trying to get Gibson at first. A double steal by Gibson and Tellor scored the next Redhawk run. Scott Mitchell scored Gibson on a single threaded through the left side, putting the Redhawks up 3-0 after one inning.
With bases loaded and two out in the Panther half of the third, an error by Andy Lennington at third base allowed two runs to score, narrowing the Redhawk lead to one run, 3-2.
Tellor extended the lead with a laser home run down the right field line in the bottom of the inning, 4-2 Redhawks.
The Redhawks tacked on a couple more runs in the fifth inning. Clayton Evans doubled to lead off the inning. He came around to score on a single by Hewitt. A fielder's choice and a single put Tellor and Gibson on base with two out. Lennington doubled down the right field line to score Tellor and extend the lead to 6-2.
Alex Winkelman's day was done to begin the eighth inning. Greg Mosel was brought in to pitch.
With one out in the eighth, pinch hitter Jason Scholl wore a pitch. A double down the right field line by Cameron Berra put runners in scoring position. Another double scored Scholl. Mosel was pulled from the game and was replaced by Christian Hull with one out in the inning. With bases loaded and one out, Dane Sauer singled off the leg of Hull, who had no play. A run scored and all runners were safe. A fielder's choice scored another EIU run to pull the score within one run of Southeast, 6-5.
Lennington tripled with one out in the bottom of the inning. Pinch hitter Cole Ferguson sent the first pitch he saw up the middle, scoring Lennington and adding a much needed Redhawk insurance run, 7-5.
With Lennington's triple, he is now tied for eighth in career triples at Southeast as a junior with eight in his career. He is also now tied for tenth in single season triples with four in 2014, tying his total from last year.
Hull allowed one walk in the top of the ninth but otherwise shut down EIU, securing the 7-5 victory.
The Redhawks outhit the Panthers 10-8 in the game.
Hewitt, Gibson, and Lennington all scattered two hits each. Lennington had a double and a triple with an RBI and a run scored Thursday evening. Tellor was 1-for-3 and scored three runs with an RBI.
Winkelman improved to 3-2 with the win Thursday. He pitched seven complete innings, allowed two unearned runs on five hits. He also fanned eight batters, a new career-best for the sophomore. Hull picked up his fourth save of the season. Hull went an inning and two thirds of scoreless baseball, allowing only a hit.
Starter Matt Borens (1-4) recorded the loss. Borens pitched seven and a third innings, allowing seven runs, five earned, on nine hits. Borens walked and struck out two batters each.
Brant Valach and Berra both had two hits in the game.
MOREHEAD STATE 6, UT MARTIN 3
MOREHEAD, Ky. - The Morehead State baseball team notched its third consecutive win with a 6-3 decision over Ohio Valley Conference opponent UT Martin on Thursday evening at Allen Field.
The Eagles improve to 19-18 overall and 8-8 in league play, while the Skyhawks slip to 4-31 on the season and 3-16 in conference action. The victory was MSU's seventh straight over UTM.
Morehead State freshman right-hander Luke Humphreys allowed just one run, one walk and four hits in seven innings for the win. He struck out six, threw 107 pitches and is now 3-2 on the campaign.
Sophomore right-hander Tyler Keele, who entered with the bases loaded and tying run on deck in the eighth, picked up his first collegiate save. He yielded just one hit over 1.2 scoreless innings.
UT Martin junior left-hander Taylor Cox fell to 0-9 on the season with the loss. He allowed four earned runs, four walks and six hits in five innings. The Skyhawks used just two pitchers in the opener.
The Eagles jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third and pushed across four insurance runs in the sixth. Nine men came to the plate in MSU's big inning. The frame was highlighted by a lead-off triple from senior third baseman Jeff Birkofer and two-run single from junior catcher Chris Robinson.
Four Morehead State batters collected two base knocks apiece in the tilt. Birkofer, who extended his hitting streak to a season-best 10 games, was the only Eagle to score twice. MSU junior right fielder Brandon Rawe pushed his hitting streak to five contests with a 2-for-5 performance.
Morehead State tallied nine hits, while holding UTM to six. The Skyhawks were charged with all three errors in the affair, which led to a pair of unearned runs.
Freshman first baseman Ben Upton and freshman third baseman Nick Molina paced UT Martin with two hits apiece. Upton also posted a team-best two RBI.
SIUE 4, EASTERN KENTUCKY 2
RICHMOND, Ky. - Junior Ryan Daniels tossed his second straight complete game, and his third of the season, leading SIUE over Eastern Kentucky 4-2 Thursday in the opener of a three-game Ohio Valley Conference baseball series.
The Cougars improved to 10-9 in OVC play, and are now 6-1 in series openers during Conference play. SIUE is 13-22 overall. Eastern Kentucky fell to 17-21 overall and 7-9 in OVC play.
Daniels allowed two runs on just six hits. He walked one and struck out one. He used just 98 pitches to secure the complete game and run his record to 6-0.
The Colonels took a 1-0 lead on consecutive hits in the second inning. EKU's Taylor Blair drove home the run on a groundout. EKU starter Tanner Perkins kept the Cougars off the scoreboard until the eighth inning.
Brian Sipe led off the inning with a single. Nick Lombardo intended to sacrifice Sipe to second base, but beat the play to first for a bunt single. Both runners moved on a groundout by Chase Green. The Cougars had runners at second and third with two outs when Alec Saikal lifted a fly ball to left field Blair broke back on the ball before correcting to come in on the play. He appeared to make the catch, but dropped the ball allowing both runs to score and Saikal to get to second base. Skyler Geissinger followed with a double off the right field wall which scored Saikal and gave SIUE a 3-1 lead.
Perkins (3-6) left after the double by Geissinger. All three runs allowed were unearned. He walked two and struck out six.
The Colonels managed a run in the eighth on three straight hits. Kenny Hostrander doubled to drive in a run and cut the lead to 3-2. With runners at first and third, Kyle Nowlin hit a slow ground ball to third base. Jacob Stewart scooped it up and started a double play. Green made a strong turn at second base and Saikal made a great pick up at first on a close play. It was the second double play turned by the Cougars.
The Cougars added the insurance run in the ninth inning. Keaton Wright was hit by a pitch by EKU reliever Logan Hershenow. Stewart sacrificed Putkowski to second base. Brian Sipe then walked and Lombardo singled to load the bases. Hershenow unleashed a wild pitch to bring in Putkowski with the Cougars' fourth run.
SIUE finished with eight hits. Lombardo finished 4 for 5. Geissinger was 2 for 4 with the RBI.
TENNESSEE TECH 8, JACKSONVILLE STATE 7
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Jordan Parris had four hits - including two home runs - to lead Tennessee Tech to an 8-7 win over Jacksonville State in the opening game of a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series on Thrusday evening.
Tennessee Tech improves to 30-10 overall and 12-7 in the Ohio Valley Conference, while JSU falls to 21-15 and 11-5 in the conference.
Cain Sloan (2-0) had a pair of strikeouts and did not allow a hit in two innings of relief to pick up the win, while Seth Lucio recorded the final three outs to earn his ninth save for the Golden Eagles. JSU's Michael Mason (0-1) suffered the loss after giving up two runs for the Gamecocks.
Jax State struck first after scoring three runs in the third inning to build an early lead after Griff Gordon hit a 2-run home runs and Ryan Sebra had a RBI single to give JSU a 3-0 lead.
Parris hit a solo home run to lead off the home half of the third to cut the lead to 3-1, and the Golden Eagles took the lead in the fourth inning after Parris hit a 3-run home run and Dyland Bosheers hit a solo home run as TTU built a 5-3 lead.
Tennessee Tech added a run in the fifth inning on a RBI single by Zach Zarzour to take a 6-3 lead, but the Gamecocks battled back to tie the game in the sixth inning.
Sebra led off with a single and scored on a pinch-hit by Joe McGuire, and Michael Bishop followed with a single to center field to drive in two more runs and tie the game at 6-6.
Jax State took a 7-6 lead in the top of the seventh inning after Griff Gordon scored on a Stephen Bartlett sacrifice fly, but the lead did not last long as Tech came back to take the lead for good in the home half of the seventh.
Bosheers led off with a single and came around to score after Parris doubled down the left field line, and Zarzour followed with a one-out single to score the go-ahead run for the final margin.
Sebra led the Gamecocks with two hits, while Parris finished with four hits, while Zarzour and Bosheers each had three hits to lead Tennessee Tech.