TUESDAY'S SCORES
Western Kentucky 6,
@Austin Peay 5
@Saint Louis 11,
Eastern Illinois 2
@Missouri 6,
Southeast Missouri 5 (11 innings)
@Arkansas State 7,
Murray State 6
Eastern Kentucky at Marshall (cancelled)
Alabama State
at Jacksonville State (cancelled)
WESTERN KENTUCKY 6, AUSTIN PEAY 5
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay State University’s baseball team saw a late rally come up short in a 6-5 loss to Western Kentucky, Tuesday night at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Trailing 6-2 after the top of the seventh, Austin Peay (18-27) would chip away at the lead in its final three innings. Left fielder Ridge Smith’s solo home run in the seventh cut the deficit to three runs. Austin Peay would close within a run with two runs in the eighth – one courtesy a Western Kentucky error and another on third baseman Alex Robles’ groundout.
However, the Govs left the tying run at third in that eighth inning. Austin Peay had another chance to tie and even win the game in the ninth, placing runners on second and third after shortstop Logan Gray’s double with one out. After getting the inning’s second out, Western Kentucky intentionally walked second baseman Garrett Copeland to load the bases. Center fielder Cayce Bredlau battled to a full count but was called out on strikes out end the game.
Austin Peay scored the game’s first runs when Robles hit a two-run double in the bottom of the first. However, the Govs did not score again until the seventh inning off Western Kentucky starter Ryan Thurston, who retired 13 of 14 batters during a stretch from the second through the sixth innings.
Western Kentucky (24-21) responded to the Govs quick scoring burst with a five-run second inning. Second baseman Scott Wilcox delivered two runs with a hard hit single that second baseman Garrett Copeland could not corral. The Hilltoppers would not score again until the seventh when first baseman Ryan Church added the eventual game-winning run with a RBI double.
Thurston (1-0) picked up his season’s first victory after holding the Govs to three runs on five hits while striking out six in seven innings. Closer Ian Tompkins shut the door in the eighth and then escaped the ninth to record his 12th save in a 1.1-inning outing.
The Govs used 10 pitchers in the contest with reliever Jake Corum suffering the loss after allowing five runs while recording one out in the second.
Gray paced the Govs eight-hit offensive attach with a 3-for-4 outing. Robles finished the night 1-for-4 with three RBI.
Western Kentucky right fielder Regan Flaherty’s 3-for-5, one RBI night was part of a nine-hit offensive effort
SAINT LOUIS 11, EASTERN ILLINOIS 2
ST. LOUIS - The Billikens baseball team defeated Eastern Illinois, 11-2, on Tuesday night at the Billikens Sports Complex. EIU falls to 14-29-1 on the year.
Saint Louis (25-17) scored six runs on five hits in the first inning to take an early lead. A Cameron Berra RBI single in the top of the fourth inning made the score 6-1 before the Billikens added three runs on four hits in the bottom of the frame to take an eight-run lead (9-1).
EIU scored its final run in the top of the fifth inning on a John Devito solo home run before Saint Louis scored two runs on three hits in the bottom of the frame to make the score, 11-2.
The Billikens had seven more hits (14-7) than EIU and left three fewer runners on base (7-4). Neither team committed an error in the contest.
Devito led the Panther offense as he finished the day 1-for-2 at the plate. Brant Valach went 1-for-3 with a run.
Chase Thurston (0-4) took the loss for EIU as the freshman pitcher allowed six runs and three hits in 0.2 innings of action. EIU used five pitchers in the game who combined to throw seven strikeouts and issue three walks.
Damian Rivera (3-4) earned the win for Saint Louis, surrendering three hits and one run in four innings of action. Drew Curtis led the Billikens offense as he went 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI.
MISSOURI 6, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 5 (11)
COLUMBIA, Mo. - It was a drizzly game for much of the night. Southeast Missouri thought they had the game in hand, up 5-3 going to the bottom of the ninth, but Missouri never gave up as they tied the game in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings. Both teams put together scoring chances in extra innings but the Redhawks lone error of the night decided the game in the 11th. It was the only Redhawk error compared to the Tigers' five in the contest.The Redhawks drop the 11-inning affair 6-5.
Southeast falls to 19-15 while Mizzou climbs to 20-24.
A costly error by the third baseman in the first extended the inning just long enough for the Redhawks to push a run across. Cole Bieser hit a one-out single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Derek Gibson hit a slow roller to third, which the third baseman booted around, allowing Bieser to third and Gibson to reach. Andy Lennington then hit a flare to shallow right field, enough to score Bieser and give Southeast an early 1-0 lead.
The Redhawks scored another run in the third inning. Matt Tellor hit a bullet just fair down the right field line to begin the inning. He took third on a failed pickoff attempt by Mizzou starting pitcher Alec Rash. Gibson singled to short, scoring Tellor. After hitting Lennington, Rash was taken out of the game, replaced by Ryan Phillips. The Redhawks stranded two runners in the inning but were ahead 2-0. Gibson extended his hitting streak to 21 games with the infield single while Tellor is now sporting a 22-game reached base safely streak.
Dillon Everett put the Tigers on the board in the fourth inning when he homered to left. The last time he homered was on April 30, 2013 against Southeast. 2-1 Redhawks after four innings.
Dalton Hewitt drew a leadoff walk in the sixth inning. In an effort to sacrifice bunt, Clayton Evans ended up reaching on a throwing error by the third baseman. Hewitt took third on the play. A wild pitch allowed Hewitt to score and Evans to take second. 3-1 Redhawks.
Coming out of the seventh inning stretch, Kendall Keeton doubled to right center. Keeton then scored on a single to center field by Ryan Howard, narrowing the Redhawk lead to 3-2.
The Redhawks took the run back in the top of the eighth inning. Cole Ferguson hit a laser up the middle with one out. Ferguson was pinch ran for by John Logan Zink. Andy Lack bunted Zink to second. Jason Blum then singled up the middle, scoring Zink. Blum took second as the center fielder overran the ball on the play. Blum put the Redhawks out in front 4-2.
Mizzou scored one run in the bottom of the inning. A one-out walk came around to score on an RBI single by Dylan Kelly. The Redhawks were still out in front, but only by a run, 4-3.
Gibson put a huge insurance run on the board for Southeast when he hit a line drive home run down the right field line in the ninth. 5-3 Southeast Missouri going to the bottom of the ninth.
Just one out away from ending the game with runners on first and second, Eric Anderson doubled to left center field, scoring both runs, tying the game at 5-5, and forcing extra innings.
In the bottom of the 11th inning, Greg Mosel took the mound. With one out, Anderson doubled to right center. As he was trying to stretch a triple, the relay throw by Blum was tossed into the stands, allowing Anderson to score, and giving Mizzou the walk-off win on an error, 6-5.
The Redhawks outhit Mizzou 13-9. Nine of the Redhawks' hits came on three hits each by Tellor, Gibson, and Lennington, the three, four, and five hitters in the lineup. Gibson finished with two RBI.
Mosel (2-3) suffered the loss after giving up the walk-off run in the 11th. Starter Tyler Iago went six and a third innings, allowing two runs on five hits. Christian Hull pitched two and two thirds innings in relief, allowing three runs.
Keeton led the Mizzou offense, going 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Kelly and Anderson also contributed two hits apiece.
Andrew Schwaab (1-0) earned the victory. Schwaab pitched two and two thirds allowing three hits to Southeast.
ARKANSAS STATE 7, MURRAY STATE 6
JONESBORO, Ark. - Murray State put the tieing run on third base with one out in the ninth inning, but were not able to push across the run in falling 7-6 to Arkansas State Tuesday evening at Tomlinsson Stadium.
Kollin Dowdy started the ninth inning by being hit by a pitch. With one out, Michael Hargrove drew a walk. After Pokey Harris pinch ran for Hargrove, Matt McGowan blooped an RBI single down the right-field line. Harris hustled to third, forcing a throw. The throw got away at third, allowing McGowan to take second. Unfortunately, that would be as close as the Breds would get as back-to-back strikeouts ended the threat and the game.
The Breds (18-24) jumped out to an early advantage as they pushed across a run in the second, and then added four more runs in the fourth. Dalton West drove in the first run of the game with a two-out double to left center, scoring Hargrove who reached on a single.
The fourth inning saw MSU score four more runs without the benefit of a hit. The Breds drew six runs in the inning, with Clay Kelly, Taylor Mathews and Ty Stetson each walking with the bases loaded. Anthony Bayus added a sacrifice fly to make it a 5-0 lead.
ASU (26-19) began their comeback in the home-half of the inning as Austin Baker delivered an RBI double off the wall in left field, before Ty Michelotti drove in two runs with a single to right field.
The Red Wolves continued to swing the bats with two outs in the fifth inning. A walk and a hit batter set up Baker’s two-run double to left center. Baker later scored on Matt Burgess’ single up the middle. Michelotti added his second RBI of the game with a run-scoring single to right in the sixth.
Tyler Saltsman (2-1) took the loss, allowing two runs on four hits and two strikeouts over one inning. Coulton Lee (2-1) got credit for the win after allowing one hit and striking out two over 1.2 innings.Tyler Zuber (2) earned the save after allowing one run on one hit and two strikeouts over one inning.
Hargrove paced the offense by going 2-for-3 with a pair of walks and two runs scored. McGowan added two hits and an RBI.