SATURDAY'S SCORES
@Jacksonville State 10-3, Eastern Kentucky 1-2
@Eastern Illinois 4, Morehead State 0
Belmont 5, @Murray State 1
UT Martin 6, @Austin Peay 3 (12 innings)
Southeast Missouri 9, @Tennessee Tech 8 (12 innings)
SIUE 8, @Northwestern 2
JACKSONVILLE STATE 10-3, EASTERN KENTUCKY 1-2
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Eddie Mora-Loera had three hits and Zachary Fowler allowed just two hits to lead Jacksonville State to a 10-1 win over Eastern Kentucky in the first game of a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series on Saturday afternoon. Gavin Golsan scored on Michael Bishop's single off the left field wall for a 3-2 11-inning sweep over the Colonels in the night cap.
Jacksonville State improves to 28-21 overall and 16-10 and is now tied for second place in the OVC with Tennessee Tech as both teams are fighting for a bye in the OVC Tournament. Eastern Kentucky drops to 22-28 and 11-15 in the league.
In the opener, Fowler (6-5) threw just 71 pitches in seven solid innings on the mound and allowed just two hits to pick up the win for the Gamecocks. Tanner Perkins (3-8) allowed seven runs on six hits in just 1 1/3 innings to suffer the loss for the Colonels.
Jax State jumped out to an early 7-0 lead after scoring four runs in the first inning and three more in the second inning to take control of the game.
In the first, Griff Gordon, Paschal Petrongolo, Ryan Sebra and Stephen Bartlett each drove in a run, while Mora-Loera hit a three-run home run in the second inning to lead the Gamecocks.
Jax State added two more runs in the fourth after Gordon scored on a wild pitch and Andrew Bishop had a RBI single as the Gamecocks extended the lead to 9-0.
Ryan Sebra led off the sixth inning with a solo home run to push the lead to 10-0, and EKU scored its run in the top of the ninth inning on a solo home run by Taylor Blair for the final margin.
Mora-Loera had three hits and drove in three runs, while Sebra finished with a pair of RBI to lead the Gamecocks.
In the second game, EKU took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a RBI single by Ben Fisher, and Sean Hagen scored on a Gamecock error.
The Gamecocks scored in the second after Andrew Bishop reached on a two-out walk and came around to score on Golsan's double down the right field line to cut the lead to 2-1.
Jax State rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth inning after Sebra reached on a one-out double and moved to third on a deep fly ball, before scoring on a EKU wild pitch to tie the game at 2-2.
The Gamecocks won the game in the 11th inning after Golsan walked and stole second. Bishop then took a 1-1 pitch and hit it off the left field wall to allow Golsan to score the game-winning run.
Travis Stout (2-0) had three strikeouts and did not allow a hit in three innings of relief to earn the win for the Gamecocks, while Cody Creamer got stuck with the loss for the Colonels.
Michael and Andrew Bishop each had two hits, along with Gordon and Golsan as the Gamecocks finished with 10 hits in the game. Hagen finished with two hits to lead Eastern Kentucky.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 4, MOREHEAD STATE 0
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Pitcher Matt Borens led the Panther baseball team to a 4-0 shutout over Morehead State on Saturday afternoon at Coaches Stadium.
EIU improves to 18-30-1 on the year and 12-13-1 in Ohio Valley Conference play while the Eagles drop to 25-24 overall and 13-13 in conference action.
Borens (4-4) threw seven strikeouts in 8.1 scoreless innings, allowing nine hits and issuing three walks.
Ben Kennedy entered the game with one out and runners on second and third base and closed the game for EIU as the senior pitcher earned his first save of the year. After allowing an infield single, he got Bobby Burns to hit into a 4-6-3 double to end the Morehead State comeback effort.
EIU took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, scoring on RBI singles by Brant Valach and Tyler Schweigert. The Panthers added two runs on two hits in the sixth inning to make the score 4-0.
Caleb Howell and Schweigert both had two hits to pace the EIU offense while Valach went 1-for-3 with two RBI.
Morehead State had one more hit (10-9) than EIU and left four more runners on base (14-10). EIU had one error in the game while the Eagles did not commit any miscues.
Matt Anderson (2-7) took the loss for Morehead State, allowing two runs and seven hits in four innings of action. Four different players had multiple hits in the game led by Bobby Burns who went 2-for-5 with two doubles.
The Panthers are now 7-1-1 in their last nine conference games. The shutout was the Panthers first of the season and first since May 17, 2013.
BELMONT 5, MURRAY STATE 1
MURRAY, Ky. - Belmont defeated Murray State Saturday afternoon, 5-1 at Johnny Reagan Field.
A two-out double from Jamie Ritchie drove in Matt Beaty, putting the Bruins ahead 1-0 after the first. Behind Kollin Dowdy's RBI single through the left side, Murray State tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the third.
Belmont took a 3-1 lead in the sixth after Ferguson led off the inning with a single to left and Beaty drew a walk. The runners had a double steal before Ferguson scored on a MSU error and Nick Egli's sacrifice fly plated Beaty.
Beaty's two-run single in the seventh, extended Belmont's lead to 5-1. Beaty went 2-for-3 and drove in two runs.
Right-hander Austin Coley went six innings scattering just four hits. He struck out seven and walked only one. In two innings of relief, Chase Cunningham gave up one hit and struck out two. Greg Brody pitched the ninth and allowed just one hit and struck out one.
UT MARTIN 6, AUSTIN PEAY 3 (12)
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - A trio of University of Tennessee at Martin pitchers combined for 19 strikeouts while a pair of upperclassmen delivered clutch hits in the top of the 12th to propel the Skyhawks past Austin Peay, 6-3 in 12 innings at Raymond C. Hand Park.
UT Martin captured its fifth win in the last eight tries tonight while winning for the first time in Clarksville since May 4, 2008. As a result, the Skyhawks improved to 9-36 overall with a 5-20 Ohio Valley Conference mark after besting the Governors, who have represented the OVC in the NCAA Tournament in each of the past three seasons (2011-13).
Taylor Cox, Carter Smith and John Houston came out throwing strikes this evening for UT Martin. The 19 team strikeouts are the most in an OVC game since Eastern Illinois fanned 20 Austin Peay batters on April 6, 2012. The mark also came up just two shy of the UT Martin single-game strikeout record of 21, set against Washington University in 1972 and also against Arkansas-Little Rock in 2002.
Smith arguably pitched his best career game tonight, tying a career-high with 7.1 shutout innings out of the bullpen. The junior out of St. Louis, Mo. dialed up a career-high 12 strikeouts, which ties former teammate Dan Tobik (12 punchouts against Tennessee Tech on March 22, 2013) for the most in a single game by a Skyhawk over the last decade. Smith’s 12 strikeouts were five more than his previous career-high total.
Houston then earned the victory, moving to 3-1 on the season. The senior from O’Fallon, Mo. was his usual dominant self tonight, allowing just one hit and one walk while fanning six batters over 2.2 scoreless innings. The six strikeouts were a new season-high for Houston and fell just one shy of his career-best tally.
The Skyhawk relievers made appearances after UT Martin starter Taylor Cox allowed three runs in two innings with one strikeout.
Offensively, a rookie provided the early offense while a pair of veterans provided the timely hits in the top of the 12th. Freshman Nick Molina blasted his first career homer in the top of the first – a three-run shot that would give the Skyhawks the early advantage. After UT Martin spent the next 10 innings trying to get back on the scoreboard, Phil Sorensen and Nico Zych came up with RBI singles in the 12th to essentially put the game away.
Molina cranked his round-tripper after a Chase Young walk and Ben Upton single in the first. However, Austin Peay came back with a pair of runs in the first and another run in the second to even the score at 3-all.
After Austin Peay (19-31, 11-14 OVC) led off the third with a double, Smith was summoned out of the Skyhawk bullpen and kept the score at 3-all, fanning a pair of Governors to escape the jam.
Smith then faced the minimum in the fourth inning and tuned up another pair of strikeouts in the fifth. After a pair of fielder’s choices and a strikeout in the sixth, Smith retired the side in order in the seventh, polishing off the frame with two more strikeouts.
Catcher Mikey Nantze erased the potential go-ahead run when he threw out a would-be basestealer to end the eighth inning. Austin Peay would then single to lead off the bottom of the ninth and sacrifice bunt the runner over into scoring position. However, Smith buckled down and accumulated a pair of strikeouts to send the game into extra innings.
Smith began the 10th with another strikeout but after a walk and single put baserunners on the corners with one out, Houston mowed down back-to-back Governors by way of the strikeout to keep UT Martin’s hopes alive.
Austin Peay would once again lead off the 11th with a single but Houston recovered by inducing a 4-6-3 double play and another strikeout to send the game into the 12th.
Taylor Douglas singled with one away in the top of the 12th. Upton’s sacrifice bunt attempt was then thrown away by the Governor third baseman, resulting in baserunners on second and third base. Sorensen then jumped on a 1-0 pitch for a single into center that plated Douglas and gave UT Martin a 4-3 lead. After a strikeout, Zych went the opposite way with an RBI single which also brought in Sorensen on a throwing error by Austin Peay’s first baseman on the relay throw to the plate.
Houston then wrapped up the victory with three strikeouts in the bottom of the 12th.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 9, TENNESSEE TECH 8 (12)
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Southeast Missouri solidified a series win over Tennessee Tech (36-15, 16-10 OVC) Saturday with a 9-8, 12-inning victory over the Golden Eagles. The 12-inning affair began with a two hour weather delay.
The Redhawks improve to 33-16 overall and 23-6 in Ohio Valley Conference play. If the Redhawks sweep Tech Sunday, they will tie a record for conference wins in a season with 24, set by TTU last season.
Mere minutes after first pitch was thrown, the game was sent in to a two hour weather delay. Southeast had runners on the corners with one out in the top of the first. Derek Gibson, who had a 0-2 count at the start of the delay, resumed the game with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Jason Blum and giving Southeast a 1-0 lead.
A single, a walk, and an error plated the first Tennessee Tech run in the bottom of the inning. Brandon Thomasson then homered to dead center field for a three-run blast, putting the Golden Eagles up 4-1 after the first inning.
With one out in the fifth inning, Gibson tripled down the right field line. He immediately scored on a base hit by Andy Lennington. With two out, Tennessee Tech pulled starting pitcher Evan Fraliex. The new pitcher, Stanton Taylor, walked the first three Redhawk batters he faced, the last one a bases loaded walk by Andy Lack to bring the score to 4-3. Blum then gave Southeast the lead with a two-out, two-RBI base hit, 5-4 Redhawks.
Tech quickly regained the lead with a two-run home run to left by Daniel Miles in the bottom of the inning, 6-5 TTU.
Another two-run home run, this time by Jake Rowland, extended the Golden Eagle lead to 8-5 in the sixth inning.
Southeast's never quite attitude continued to show as Southeast tied the game in the eighth inning. Gibson started the scoring with a two-run bomb to right. TTU then went to the bullpen for All-OVC closer Seth Lucio. Lucio gave up a base hit to Lennington then threw two wild pitches to put Lennington on third. Dalton Hewitt then flew out to left, scoring Lennington, and tying the game at 8-8.
Neither team could break the tie and the game was sent in to extra innings.
The game remained tied through the 11th inning. Cole Bieser hit a one-out triple in the top of the 12th. TTU then intentionally put Matt Tellor on base for runners on the corners with one out. Gibson, who was only a double shy of hitting for the cycle, flew out to center field, scoring Bieser, and breaking the tie 9-8.
An error by Gibson in left in the bottom of the inning put a Tech runner on third to begin the bottom of the inning. With one out, Southeast intentionally put Thomasson on base. A 1-6-3 double play ended the game and secured the series win for Southeast.
Once again, Southeast out powered the powerful offense of Tech as they outhit the Golden Eagles 17-9.
Nearly every hitter in the Southeast lineup contributed Saturday. Gibson finished 3-for-4 with four RBI, Lennington had four hits on the night, Blum tallied three of his own with two runs knocked in, and Cole Ferguson and Tellor also had two hits apiece.
Redhawk starter Alex Winkelman worked six complete innings but go a no-decision in the game. Winkelman allowed eight runs, six earned, walked one and struck out five. Sunday's scheduled starter Travis Hayes pitched four innings in relief Saturday. Hayes picked up his eighth win of the season after allowing only one hit in four innings out of the pen.
For the Golden Eagles, Rowland finished 3-for-5 with two RBI. Zach Zarzour was the only other TTU hitter with a multi-hit game with two.
Lucio (2-2) recorded the loss in the game. Tech once again used six total pitchers in the game.
SIUE 8, NORTHWESTERN 2
EVANSTON, Ill. - SIUE baseball scored four times in the first two innings Saturday and cruised to an 8-2 win over Northwestern in the second game of a three-game nonconference series at Rocky Miller Park.
The Cougars improved to 19-29 overall. Northwestern fell to 16-32.
Denton Reed tripled to drive home Nick Lombardo, who had singled to start the game. Reed scored on a sacrifice fly by Devin Caldwell to make it 2-0 Cougars. Caldwell and Reed each picked up RBIs in a two-run second inning for the Cougars to make it 4-0.
Wildcats starter Reed Mason (0-0) allowed the four runs over six innings in the loss.
Northwestern got on the board with an RBI single by Walker Moses in the fourth inning. The run came against SIUE starter Evan Martens. Martens allowed just the run on three hits. He walked two and did not strike out a batter.
The Cougars pushed four more runs across in the top of the seventh inning. Caldwell doubled with the bases loaded to drive in two. Geissinger followed with an RBI groundout and then Chase Green doubled to bring in Caldwell to make it 8-1 SIUE.
Caldwell finished 2 for 4 with four RBIs, tying his career high for RBIs in a game. Reed was 3 for 5 with the pair of RBIs. Green was 3 for 5 with an RBI.
The Wildcats managed a run against Cougar reliever Caleb Wilkerson in the eighth inning. Joe Hoscheit singled to bring a run and make cut the SIUE lead to 8-2. Moses and Hoscheit each were 1 for 4 with an RBI for the Wildcats.
Wilkerson pitched four innings allowing just the run on five hits. He struck out one and improved to 1-2 with the win.
Northwestern put a pair of runners on in the ninth inning against Wilkerson before P.J. Schuster came on in relief. Schuster struck out the first two hitters he faced before getting a line out to end the game.