FRIDAY'S SCORES
Murray State 8, @Eastern Kentucky 3
Eastern Illinois 7, @UT Martin 3
@Belmont 2, Tennessee Tech 1
Jacksonville State 11, @Morehead State 9 (13 innings)
@SIUE 1, Austin Peay 0
Southeast Missouri 6-9, @IPFW 3-7
MURRAY STATE 8, EASTERN KENTUCKY 3
RICHMOND, Ky. - Kollin Dowdy belted a pair of home runs and Anthony Bayus added another as Murray State defeated Eastern Kentucky, 8-3, Friday afternoon at Turkey Hughes Field. All eight of the MSU runs scored with two outs.
With the Breds (23-28, 14-15 OVC) trailing by two in the fifth, Bayus ripped a solo home run to right field with two outs. Five pitches later, Dowdy joined in with his first career home run to left field. He would add his second solo home run of the game in his next at-bat in the seventh. The two home runs by Dowdy made him the first Bred to hit a pair of homers in the same game since Wes Cunningham did it against Austin Peay on March 27, 2010.
MSU got on the board in the first inning as Bayus singled and came around to score on Michael Hargrove's two-out single to left field.
EKU (23-31, 11-18 OVC) quickly took the lead with a pair of runs in the first inning, and another in the second on a Kyle Nowlin triple to left center.
That would be all that the Colonels would get from there as Brock Downey settled in and kept EKU off the board the next seven innings. He finished the day allowing the three runs on eight hits and eight strikeouts, without walking a batter. It was the fourth complete game of the season for the junior.
Hargrove's leadoff single in the sixth inning helped the Breds take the lead for good. A pair of groundouts moved him to third with two outs, and Matt McGowan ripped a ball just inside the bag at third for an RBI double.
The Breds extended their lead in the eighth inning as Hargrove singled to left center and came around to score on McGowan's sacrifice fly to left field. The game was broken open in the ninth as two Colonel errors with two outs allowed the Breds to add two more runs.
Ben Gullo (2-2) took the loss, allowing four runs on nine hits over six innings.
Bayus led the offense by going 4-for-5 with a double, home run and two runs scored. Dowdy went 2-for-5 with a pair of home runs, two RBIs and two runs scored, while Hargrove was 3-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored. McGowan added two hits and two RBIs.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 7, UT MARTIN 3
MARTIN, Tenn. - After winning the first game of the day (suspended in the third inning from Thursday night), Eastern Illinois picked up another win by taking game two of the series by a 7-3 margin.
EIU improves to 20-31-1 on the year and 14-14-1 in conference play while UT Martin falls to 9-41 overall and 5-24 in OVC action.
Taylor drove in the first run of game two in the first inning, giving the Panthers an early 1-0 advantage before Jake Deason hit a two-RBI double to left field in the second inning to give the Skyhawks their first lead of the day, 2-1.
A Frankie Perrone sacrifice fly in the fourth inning tied the game at two before EIU regained the lead, 4-2, in the fifth inning, scoring two runs on two hits and one error. The Panthers pushed their lead to six (7-1) in the seventh inning as they scored three runs on four hits. A Taylor two-run homer scored the first two runs before Schweigert drove in the final run with a fielder's choice RBI.
In the bottom of the seventh, Phil Sorensen hit an RBI single to center field to get UT Martin within four (7-3) before relief pitcher Ben Kennedy retired the final two batters to end the comeback effort. The senior pitcher threw four strikeouts in 2.2 scoreless innings of relief while only allowing one hit to earn his second save of the year.
Matt Borens (5-4) earned the win for EIU, striking out four and surrendering 10 hits and three runs in 6.1 innings of action.
UT Martin had two more hits (11-9) than EIU and committed three more errors (3-0). The Skyhawks also left five more runners on base (12-7).
Valach led the Panther offense as the junior infielder went 3-for-5 with two runs and a RBI. Taylor added three RBI and two runs.
Alex Martin (0-8) took the loss for UT Martin, surrendering six hits and six runs (four earned) in 6.1 innings of action. Ben Upton paced the Skyhawks at the plate as he finished the day 3-for-5.
BELMONT 2, TENNESSEE TECH 1
NASHVILLE - Tyler Walsh ended a classic pitcher's duel with a solo shot over the left field fence in the bottom of the ninth Friday night, leading Belmont to a 2-1 win over Tennessee Tech.
Austin Coley pitched eight solid innings, and Christopher Carroll got the Bruins out of a ninth inning jam to earn the win.
Belmont struck first in the sixth on a RBI double from William Dodd, scoring Matt Beaty, who had walked to lead off the inning.
The Golden Eagles tied it in the seventh behind a double from Zach Zarzour that drove in Anthony El Chibani.
The score remained tied until Walsh delivered his ninth inning heroics.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 11, MOREHEAD STATE 9 (13)
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Jacksonville State rallied from six runs down to claim an 11-9 win over Morehead State in 13 innings as the Gamecocks moved into sole possession of second place in the Ohio Valley Conference on Friday.
Jacksonville State improved to 30-23 and 18-11 in the league to move into second in the OVC after Belmont defeated Tennessee Tech, 2-1, to give the Gamecocks a one-game lead over TTU for a bye in next week's Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.
Morehead State held a 9-3 lead after five innings, before the Gamecocks scored one in the sixth, three in the eighth and two in the ninth to force extra innings. Michael Bishop scored on a sacrifice fly in the sixth to cut the lead to 9-4, before Paschal Petrongolo had a RBI double and Andrew Bishop hit a two-run home run to make the score 9-7 in the eighth inning.
After Michael Bishop walked in the ninth inning, the Eagles were able to get the next two outs, before Petrongolo slugged a two-run home run to tie the game 9-9 and force extra innings.
The Gamecocks scored the go-ahead run in the 13th after Chase Silvani drew a one-out walk and Eddie Mora-Loera followed with a two-out single to right field as Silvani moved to third. The throw from right field sailed over the catchers head and Silvani scored to give the Gamecocks a 10-9 lead. Griff Gordon followed with a RBI single up the middle to score Mora-Loera for the final margin.
Travis Stout (3-0) picked up the win in relief after tossing 4 1/3 innings with four strikeouts, while Graham Officer recorded the final two outs to pick up the save after coming in with bases loaded in the bottom of the 13th inning. Tyler Keele (5-2) got stuck with the loss after giving up two runs in four innings of relief for Morehead State.
Gordon finished with a career-high five hits, while Mora-Loera, Petrongolo and Andrew Bishop each added three hits, while Gordon, Petrongolo and Bishop each also finished with a home run. Kane Swinney led Morehead State with four hits.
The Eagles jumped out to an early lead after scoring four runs in the first, two in the second and one more in the third to chase JSU starter Taylor Shields from the game after he gave up nine hits and seven runs in just 2 2/3 inning. Bradley Raulston then pitched the next 2 1/3 innings and allowed two runs, before Michael Mason allowed just one hit over the next three innings for the Gamecocks.
SIUE 1, AUSTIN PEAY 0
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - A bang-bang play at the plate went against Austin Peay State University’s baseball team as it dropped a 1-0 Ohio Valley Conference contest to SIUE, Friday night at Simmons Baseball Complex.
In a game scoreless through six and a half innings, SIUE (20-31, 15-14 OVC) saw center fielder Denton Reed walk to start the bottom of the seventh. The Cougars moved Reed to second on first baseman Alec Saikal’s sacrifice bunt. The Govs countered by intentionally walking right fielder Devin Caldwell to put the double play back in order.
Shortstop Skyler Geissenger followed with a single to left field that put the wheels in motion. Reed made the turn at third and headed home as Austin Peay left fielder Ridge Smith fielded and threw the ball on the run. Smith’s throw was to the right of home plate but catcher P.J. Torres caught the ball and lunged toward Reed who had not reached the plate. When the dust settled, Reed was called safe at home, scoring the game’s lone run.
The Cougars lone run was enough to support starter Ryan Daniels (7-0) who tossed a two-hit shutout, walking two batters and striking out seven. He carried a no-hit bid until Austin Peay second baseman Alex Robles hit a two-out double in the seventh. Robles would advance to third on a single by first baseman Dre Gleason, but the Govs could not capitalize on their best scoring opportunity of the night.
Austin Peay (22-32, 14-15 OVC) could not find runs to support starter Jared Carkuff who threw a complete game of his own, allowing one run on three hits in a career-long eight-inning outing. Carkuff retired the first 14 batters he faced and was perfect until second baseman Chase Green’s two-out single in the fifth.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 6-9, IPFW 3-7
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Southeast Missouri baseball swept a doubleheader with IPFW Friday, winning game one 6-3, followed by a come-from-behind 9-7 victory in game two.
Southeast has now beaten IPFW five times this season.
Matt Tellor highlighted the day as he had five hits and drove in four RBI to break the single season RBI record of 67 set by Brian Schaefer; a record that stood since 1995. Tellor now has 70 RBI this season.
The Redhawks wasted no time getting the offense rolling in game one. Jason Blum and Cole Bieser both reached to begin the game. Tellor tied the school's single season RBI record with a first inning base hit, scoring Blum. Southeast stranded two runners in the inning but led 1-0.
With runners on first and second, Andy Lennington doubled down the left field line, scoring Bieser and extending the Redhawk lead to 2-0 in the third.
Lennington drew a one-out walk, stole second, then scored when Dalton Hewitt hit a base hit up the middle; 3-0 Redhawks in the sixth.
IPFW's Kristian Gayday homered to left in the bottom of the inning to bring the score within one run, 3-2.
Greg Kaiser reached on a leadoff error in the seventh inning. Kaiser was bunted over to second and took third on a wild pitch. A groundout scored him to tie the game at 3-3.
Derek Gibson drew a one out walk then was awarded second on a balk call. Gibson scored on a base hit to left to break the tie.
Tellor made school history in the ninth inning when he drove in two runs, breaking the single season RBI record. Southeast held the 6-3 lead through the bottom of the ninth to win game one.
Bieser, Tellor, and Hewitt all had two hits in the game; responsible for six of the Redhawks' eight hits. Gibson's 28-game hitting streak was snapped after going hitless in the opening game of the doubleheader.
Alex Winkelman improved to 5-2 with the victory. Winkelman worked seven complete innings, allowing three runs on four hits. Winkelman also fanned four batters. Alex Siddle earned his first save of the season.
For the Mastodons, Gayday recorded two of IPFW's four hits, and drove in two runs to lead the offense.
Ryan Wells (3-2) recorded the loss. Wells worked six innings, allowed three runs on four hits and struck out seven Redhawk batters.
IPFW found their first lead of the doubleheader when they plated four runs on two, two-RBI singles in the third inning.
Southeast Missouri put three runs on the board in the top of the fifth inning. With two out and runners on first and second, Tellor hit a bloop single to center, deep enough to score Nolan Fisher. Cole Ferguson then singled to left center to score two more runs and narrow the Mastodon lead to 4-3.
With runners on second and third in the seventh inning for Southeast, Hewitt grounded out to the second baseman but scored Tellor to tie the game at 4-4.
The Redhawks took the lead in the eighth inning. Fisher doubled to lead off the inning. He was bunted to third and scored on a base hit by Blum. Blum scored from first on a double by Bieser, who was thrown out at third, trying to stretch a triple but Southeast led 6-4 going to the bottom of the eighth.
A three-run eighth inning by the Mastodons put them in front 7-6. Malcolm White hit a two-run single to give IPFW the lead.
The Redhawks pushed three runs across in the ninth inning. Back-to-back singles put the tying and go-ahead runs on. Andy Lack doubled in both runs to put the Redhawks ahead. Alex Burridge then laid down a fantastic safety squeeze bunt to put Southeast ahead 9-7.
Brady Wright retired the Mastodons in order in the ninth to secure the win for the Redhawks.
Tellor led the offense going 3-for-5 with an RBI in game two. Gibson, Ferguson, and Lack also contributed two hits each in the game.
Tellor combined for five hits and four RBI in the doubleheader.
Starter Travis Hayes got a no decision in the game after working six innings. Hayes allowed four runs, all in the third, on eight hits. Hayes also fanned five batters. Wright improved to 3-0 with the victory. Wright threw one and a third innings, allowing only a hit.
Three Mastodon batter had two hits each while five others contributed a hit.
Cody O'Neal (0-2) recorded the loss after giving up the go-ahead runs in the ninth.