TUESDAY'S SCORES
@UT Martin 9, Saint Louis 2
@Southern Illinois 5,
Southeast Missouri 2
Morehead State 12, @Ohio 4
@Belmont 13, Lipscomb 3
@#17 Kentucky 15,
Tennessee Tech 13
@Illinois 3,
Eastern Illinois 2
@Evansville 6,
Murray State 3
UT MARTIN 9, SAINT LOUIS 2
MARTIN, Tenn. - Senior right-handed pitcher Chris Ross pitched his best career game in a University of Tennessee at Martin uniform to help the Skyhawks soar past Saint Louis by a 9-2 margin at Skyhawk Field.
Making his 11th appearance and fourth start of the season, Ross was electric for most of the afternoon – tallying career-highs with six innings pitched and seven strikeouts. The Pembroke Pines, Fla. native conceded just two runs on six hits and one walk while firing 65 of his 99 pitches for strikes against a Billikens (23-15) squad that entered the game sitting atop the Atlantic 10 Conference standings.
Ross (1-4) was given plenty of run support thanks to a six-run bottom of the second inning. Taylor Douglas provided the biggest hit of the game – a two-out grand slam that gave UT Martin its first lead of the contest.
Nick Molina went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a walk while Jake Deason also tallied two hits, two stolen bases, an RBI and a run scored. Chase Young also crossed the plate twice for the Skyhawks, who opened a season-long seven game homestand this afternoon.
Carter Smith, Alex Boshers and John Houston also cooled the Saint Louis bats today, each accounting for a scoreless inning out of the bullpen for UT Martin (5-33).
Ross set the tone early with a pair of strikeouts in the top of the first inning. He would dial up two more strikeouts in the top of the second before the Billikens took a brief 2-0 advantage.
The Skyhawks answered with a big inning in the bottom half of the second. Molina drew a one-out walk and advanced to second when Drew Erie shot a single to right field. The bases were then loaded after Zych reached on a fielder’s choice. UT Martin got on the scoreboard thanks to a wild pitch and Deason followed with a walk to load the bases once again. Balter then lifted a sacrifice fly to right that scored Erie and evened the score at 2-all. Following a walk to Young and a Saint Louis pitching change, Douglas crushed a 1-0 pitch beyond the wall in left center to give the Skyhawks a 6-2 lead they would not relinquish the rest of the day.
After another shutout frame from Ross, Molina lined a double down the left field line to lead off the bottom of the third. Molina would eventually move up on a wild pitch and come around to score when Deason delivered a clutch RBI single up the middle to make the score 7-2.
Despite a pair of errors, Ross posted another scoreless frame in the fourth and that allowed the Skyhawk to build upon their lead even more. Young split the gap in right center for a double to begin the bottom of the fourth and would advance to third on a deep fly ball off the bat of Taylor Cox. Young then crossed the plate on a wild pitch to provide UT Martin with an 8-2 lead after four innings of play.
Ross pitched around a one-out double in the fifth and a leadoff single in the sixth, ending his game with a strikeout to cap off the bottom of the sixth.
Smith was aided by a double play in his lone inning of work in the top of the seventh. After the seventh inning stretch, the Skyhawks tacked on one more run when Upton laced a leadoff double and six pitches later, Molina drove him in with a single up the middle.
Boshers did a good job of working around a leadoff double in the eighth to post a scoreless inning. Houston then slammed the door on any potential Saint Louis comeback with a strikeout and pair of groundouts in the top of the ninth.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 5, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 2
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southeast Missouri baseball team dropped their game Tuesday evening to Southern Illinois (21-20), 5-2. Southeast Missouri falls to 27-13 on the season.
This is the first time Southeast has lost two in a row since Mar. 21 and 22 when they lost games one and two to Morehead State at home.
The Redhawks touched home once in the third inning. Jason Blum reached on a leadoff error by the shortstop. Blum was bunted over to second and took third on a wild pitch. He was able to walk home when Matt Tellor singled to center field, giving the Redhawks a 1-0 lead.
With one swing of the bat in the fourth inning, Jake Welch hit a leadoff home run to right, tying the score at 1-1. With one out and runners on first and second, Tyler Rolland singled up the middle to score the go-ahead run. An RBI single by Will Farmer made it 3-1, the eventual game-winning run. With bases loaded and the ninth batter of the inning at the plate, starter Tyler Iago appeared to have injured himself on a pitch, prompting Ryan Lenaburg to come in to the game. Lenaburg got Connor Kopach to fly to right on one pitch, ending the inning.
Dalton Hewitt began the sixth inning by drawing a leadoff walk. Tellor knocked a double in the right center gap to put runners in scoring position. Derek Gibson flew out to left to score Hewitt and narrow the Saluki lead to 3-2.
Cole Ferguson took the mound for the Redhawks in the seventh inning. Farmer hit a double off the left field wall to begin the frame. With Tellor playing in, he knocked down a hard hit ground ball that dribbled away from him. He went to throw the ball to Blum, who was covering at first, but threw it away, allowing the run to score. On the next play, Kopach laid down what was to be a sacrifice bunt. Ferguson picked it up and threw it just off the mark, forcing Tellor to catch it in the baseline. The batter ran directly in to Tellor's catching hand, forcing his glove to pop off. Tellor immediately went down in pain. Tellor came out of the game. Christian Hull was also brought in to the game to pitch after the play. Another SIU run scored on a fielder's choice, putting SIU up by 5-2.
The score would stand the remainder of the game as SIU would force a split in the home-and-home series.
Southeast was outhit 9-7 in the game. The Redhawks stranded nine runners on base.
Tellor was 2-for-3 with an RBI while Cole Bieser also registered two hits. Gibson extended his hitting and on base streaks to 17 games Tuesday evening.
Iago suffered the loss and falls to 4-3 on the season. Iago worked three and two thirds innings, allowing three runs on six hits. Lenaburg pitched two and a third innings out of the pen allowing only one hit, striking out two. Hull worked two scoreless, hitless innings also Tuesday.
Rolland and Farmer were the only Saluki batters with more than one hit in the game. They each had two with an RBI apiece. Welch finished 1-for-4 with two RBI.
Austin McPheron (3-1), whom the Redhawks defeated two weeks ago in Cape, recorded the victory. McPheron worked six complete innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits to Southeast. Tyler Dray earned his seventh save of the season after coming in and slamming the door on the Redhawks in the ninth.
MOREHEAD STATE 12, OHIO 4
ATHENS, Ohio - The Morehead State baseball team exploded for seven runs on seven hits in the top of the fifth and rolled to a 12-4 victory over Mid-American Conference opponent Ohio on Tuesday evening at Bob Wren Stadium.
The Ohio Valley Conference Eagles improve to 22-18 overall and 13-9 on the road with their sixth consecutive win. The streak is MSU's longest since winning eight straight in 2005. The Bobcats fall to 6-31 overall and 0-12 at home.
Morehead State opened its fifth at-bat with five consecutive hits. The seven-run inning broke a 4-4 tie and the Eagles never looked back. MSU finished with four doubles, two triples and one roundtripper en route to 13 base knocks for the contest.
Eight of Morehead State's nine starters recorded a hit, while eight others scored. Junior shortstop Robby Spencer paced the Eagles with three base knocks, including two triples. His two three-baggers tied an all-time conference record.
Junior first baseman Kane Sweeney, senior designated hitter Bobby Burns and senior third baseman Jeff Birkofer added two hits apiece for Morehead State. Birkofer drove home a game-high four runs, while Sweeney and Burns tallied two each.
Senior right-hander Dan Hyatt improved to 3-0 with the win for Morehead State. He allowed just one walk and two hits in 5.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Junior right-hander Dylan Ramage finished the game with a scoreless ninth.
Ohio plated one run in the first, one in the second and two more in the third, but went scoreless over its final six at-bats. Junior designated hitter Taylor Emody, who went 2-for-4 with one run, was the only Bobcat to post multiple hits.
Freshman left-hander Gerry Salisbury, who yielded nine total runs and 10 hits in 4.1 innings, fell to 0-6 with the loss. The Bobcats used a total of seven pitchers.
BELMONT 13, LIPSCOMB 3
NASHVILLE - Belmont's bats were hot Tuesday night at Rose Park as the Bruins shut down Lipscomb, 13-3.
The Bruins jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning behind a two-run triple from Matt Beaty, an RBI single from Jamie Ritchie and William Dodd's two-run shot over the right field fence.
Beaty's three-run homer in the second extended Belmont's lead to 8-0.
A triple from Mike Korte and a Josh Lee sacrifice fly in the third put Lipscomb on the board. The Bruins answered in the bottom half with an RBI double from Alec Diamond, putting BU ahead, 9-2.
The Bisons produced a run in the fifth, and Scott Moses scored the tenth run for the Bruins in the bottom half after Beaty was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Behind a balk, Drew Ferguson's sacrifice fly and a double from Diamond, Belmont added three more runs in the sixth for a 13-3 lead.
Beaty led the team with a career-best six RBI.
The Belmont pitching staff scattered seven hits and walked four.
#17 KENTUCKY 15, TENNESSEE TECH 13
LEXINGTON, Ky. - With a match-up featuring two of the nation's most prolific offenses, runs were expected to fall as the Tennessee Tech baseball team (32-11) took on No. 17 Kentucky (27-14) Tuesday evening. No one could have predicted what transpired between the two squads, however.
The two teams combined for 28 runs, 31 hits, and 10 home runs as the Wildcats pulled off a back-and-forth affair featuring power from all over the lineups. The contest tied two Tennessee Tech records and propelled the Golden Eagles into the national lead for home runs this season.
Three Tech players managed multi-long ball contests, including seniors Zach Stephens and Daniel Miles, as well as junior Dylan Bosheers. Senior Jordan Parris added a solo shot to give Tech its highest home run total since the team knocked out seven against Carson-Newman back in 1989.
The combined 10 jack jobs also proved to tie a Golden Eagle mark. The last time Tech and an opponent combined for 10 bombs was back in 1983 when Tech and East Tennessee State each had five in a contest.
The Golden Eagles actually held a 7-1 advantage after three and a half innings, using a solo shot by Bosheers to kick off the scoring in the second frame. Stephens and Miles followed in the third frame, hitting back-to-back solo bombs to grab a 3-1 advantage.
Parris gave Tech a 4-1 lead with a solo moonshot in the fourth inning and Zach Stephens drove in a run with an RBI double to left center. Miles then cleared the bases with his second dinger of the contest.
The potent Kentucky offense got going from that point on, scoring in every inning except the first and third. A three-spot followed by two more runs in the fifth cut Tech's advantage to just one run at 7-6. The Wildcats then opened things up, taking the lead with a five-run sixth, jumping to an 11-7 advantage.
Both sides traded runs in the seventh, sending the Golden Eagles into the top of the eighth with a four-run deficit staring them in the face. Tech responded, however, clubbing two more bombs to tie things up. Zach Zarzour drew a leadoff walk and Stephens crushed a two-run long ball two batters later to cut the lead in half.
A bloop single to centerfield set up the Tech squad again, and after recording its second out, Bosheers sent the team into a frenzy. The junior shortstop hammered a two-run homer deep to right field, notching things at 12-12 with less than two innings left in the contest.
Kentucky answered one more time, however, getting a hold of a two-run shot to left field and using a base hit to grab a 15-12 lead. Tech did manage to scrape one across in the ninth, but the Golden Eagles were denied the comeback bid as Kentucky closed out the contest with a line drive.
Stephens led the Tech attack on the day, clubbing two home runs on a 3-for-4 day at the dish. He drove in four runs while scoring three more and walking once. The senior now has a team and league-high 13 dingers on the year. Miles was close behind, going 4-for-5 with two long balls, three RBI, and three runs scored.
Bosheers collected his ninth and 10th moonshots of the year, going 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored.
UK's Matt Reida enjoyed a career performance, collecting four hits in four at bats with four RBI and four runs scored. He also walked twice while hitting his first home run in two years. JaVon Shelby also had a big day, collecting two hits and three RBI. He also homered for the Wildcats.
Eight Tech pitchers saw the mound in the contest, as well as six hurlers for the Wildcats. Spencer Jack earned his second victory of the year and Kyle Cody picked up his fifth save of the season. Tech reliever Austin Tolle was dealt his first loss of the season.
ILLINOIS 3, EASTERN ILLINOIS 2
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Eastern Illinois got back-to-back singles to start the top of the ninth inning before Illinois closer Tyler Jay settled down to retire the next three batters as the Fighting Illini held on for a 3-2 win on Tuesday night at Illinois Field.
Demetre Taylor and Brant Valach led off the top of the ninth inning with singles before a force out at third base on a failed sacrifice bunt recorded the first out. Jay struck out the final two batters to end the contest as the sophomore pitcher recorded his sixth save of the season.
The Panthers (12-28) got on the scoreboard in the first inning with a Taylor RBI ground out before the Illini (22-14) knotted the game at one in the bottom of the frame on a two-out RBI double by Jason Goldstein.
Illinois scored two runs on two hits in the third inning to make the score 3-1. EIU scored its final run on a Tyler Schweigert sacrifice fly in the fourth inning to get within one (3-2).
Illinois had five more hits (10-5) than EIU and left two more runners on base (7-5). Neither committed an error in the contest.
Caleb Howell led the Panther offense, going 2-for-4 with one run. Goldstein led the Illini at the plate as the sophomore catcher/designated hitter went 1-for-4 with two RBI. Will Krug added two hits and a run for Illinois.
Jaden Widdersheim (2-3) took the loss for EIU, allowing three hits and three runs in 2.2 innings of work. The Panthers used four relief pitchers that combined to walk two batters and throw one strikeout in 5.1 scoreless innings.
Rob McDonnell (3-0) earned the win for Illinois as the junior pitcher threw four strikeouts and issued two walks in five innings of work. He also surrendered two hits and two runs.
EVANSVILLE 6, MURRAY STATE 3
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Murray State put together a big rally in the ninth inning, but it was not enough as the Bred fell, 6-3, to Evansville Tuesday evening at Braun Stadium.
Trailing 6-1 going to the ninth, Tyler Lawrence started the inning with a single up the middle. Clay Kelly was hit by a pitch and Luke Daugherty walked. Matt McGowan delivered a chopper through the left side to score Lawrence and keep the rally going. The rally would stop there as the second run scored on a double play. A strikeout would end the game.
The Purple Aces (25-14) got on the board in the second inning with the help of a fielding error. With a runners on the corners and one out after the error, Shain Showers beat out a potential double-play ball to score a run.
The Breds (17-21) tied the game in the fifth as Taylor Mathews beat out an infield single and took second on the throwing error. Ty Stetson moved Mathews to third with a single to left, and Anthony Bayus delivered a sacrifice fly to right field.
A leadoff hit by pitch came back to haunt the Breds in the home-half of the inning. With two outs and two on, Kyle Pollock ripped a triple off the fence in right field to score both runners. Boomer Synek then drove in Pollock with a single up the middle.
The sixth inning saw more back luck for MSU as a routine double-play ball turned into a double after the ball took a bad hop off the dirt. Jake Mahon took advantage with an RBI groundout to third. Eric McKibban extended the lead with an RBI triple to right field in the seventh.
Kyle Cornett did not factor in the decision, despite his best start of the season. The left allowed one unearned run on three hits over four innings. He struck out one and walked one.
Andrew Bramley (1-3) took the loss after giving up three runs on two hits over two-thirds of an inning. Tyler Miller (3-1) picked up the victory in relief, allowing one unearned run on two hits over one inning.