FRIDAY'S SCORES
Eastern Illinois 10, @Eastern Kentucky 6
@Morehead State 10, Austin Peay 9
Jacksonville State 9, @Belmont 1
@Southeast Missouri 6, Murray State 5 (12 innings)
SIUE 14, @UT Martin 7
Tennessee Tech 4, @Lipscomb 1
EASTERN ILLINOIS 10, EASTERN KENTUCKY 6
RICHMOND, Ky. - Senior infielder Cameron Berra went 5-for-5 at the plate with six RBI and two doubles to lead the Panther baseball team to a 10-6 win over Eastern Kentucky on Friday night at Turkey Hughes Field.
The Panthers (15-29-1, 9-12-1) jumped out to an early lead, scoring seven runs through the first two innings of play. EKU got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning to make the score 7-1 before EIU scored three unanswered runs over the next two innings to take a nine-run lead (10-1).
The Colonels (21-24, 10-12) responded by scoring five unanswered runs, but the Panthers held onto their early lead as they improved to 3-0-1 in their last four conference games.
EIU had eight more hits (15-7) than EKU and left two more runners on base (6-4). The Colonels had one error in the contest while the Panthers did not commit any miscues.
The Panthers used a balanced offense as eight different players had a hit in the game, including four players with multiple hits. Caleb Howell and Mitch Gasbarro both had two hits and two runs while Demetre Taylor went 2-for-5 with a run and a RBI. Brant Valach, Tyler Schweigert and Frankie Perrone all added one RBI.
Matt Borens (3-4) earned the win for EIU, striking out eight batters while allowing seven hits and six runs in eight innings of work. Troy Barton retired the final batter of the game for his team-leading six save of the year.
Tanner Perkins (3-7) took the loss for EKU, surrendering 10 runs (seven earned) and 13 hits in six innings of action. Offensively, Bryan Soloman led the Colonels as he finished the day going 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs.
MOREHEAD STATE 10, AUSTIN PEAY 9
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Senior third baseman Jeff Birkofer smashed a two-run single to center field in the bottom of the ninth to give Morehead State a 10-9 victory over Ohio Valley Conference opponent Austin Peay before a season-best home crowd of 508 on Friday night at Allen Field.
The Eagles, who have won six straight tilts at Allen Field, improve to 24-21 overall, 12-10 in league action and 10-6 at home. The Governors, who entered the day with a nine-game winning streak in the series, slip to 18-29 overall, 10-12 in conference play and 5-13 on the road.
Morehead State continues to destroy its overall victories (16-40) and home wins total (5-9) from a season ago. The Eagles improve to 10-2 in one-run affairs this year and notch their third win when trailing after eight innings. The walk-off victory was MSU's first since March 15.
Birkofer's third base knock of the game capped Morehead State's rally. It was also the third straight hit in the bottom of the ninth after senior designated hitter Bobby Burns went opposite field with a lead-off single and junior left fielder Nick Newell crushed a double to center.
The Eagles trailed by three heading into the bottom of the eighth, but scored twice in each of their last two at-bats. Birkofer, who drove in three runs, recorded his second three-hit performance of the campaign. He also produced an RBI single in the first and single in the sixth.
Morehead State, which began play ninth nationally with 479 hits this season, added 13 to its total. Newell, junior first baseman Kane Sweeney and junior right fielder Brandon Rawe registered two apiece. Rawe is now hitting .413 on the campaign, including .473 in OVC play.
The Eagles jumped out to a 4-1 lead, but Austin Peay answered with five runs in the fifth. APSU added two markers in the sixth and one in the eighth before Morehead State manufactured its late comeback. Freshman left fielder Cayce Bredlau paced the Governors with three hits.
Morehead State used seven pitchers, while Austin Peay called on five. The last men standing in the three-hour and 36-minute contest -- MSU sophomore right-hander Tyler Keele and APSU senior right-hander Ryan Quick -- were the pitchers of record. Keele improved to 5-1 this year.
The contest was dubbed as Youth Baseball Night. Youngsters from the Morehead Little League packed the stands and were treated to a variety of promotions throughout the evening. Those dressed in uniform were also invited to stand with MSU's players during the national anthem.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 9, BELMONT 1
NASHVILLE - Andrew Bishop had a pair of hits, including a two-run home run, to lead Jacksonville State to a 9-1 win over Belmont in the opening game of a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series on Friday evening.
Zachary Fowler (5-5) had six strikeouts and scattered seven hits over six solid innings on the mound to earn the win, while Graham Officer picked up his third save after pitching the final three innings. Patrick McGrath (2-8) gave up nine runs on 10 hits to suffer the loss for Belmont.
The Gamecocks (25-19, 13-9 OVC) jumped out to an early lead after scoring four runs in the first inning, the fourth time JSU has scored 4-or more runs in the opening frame.
Bishop and Eddie Mora-Loera led off with back-to-back singles, and Griff Gordon followed with a triple to right center to score Bishop and Mora-Loera. Paschal Petrongolo followed with a double to left center to score Gordon and Petrongolo then scored on a Belmont error as the Gamecocks built a 4-0 lead.
Jax State extended the lead in the fourth inning after Ryan Sebra led off with a triple and Andrew Bishop followed with a two-run home run to right field to give JSU a 6-0 lead.
Belmont (18-26-1, 8-13-1) scored a run in the fifth inning after Drake Byrd scored on a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 6-1, but the Gamecocks added three insurance runs in the eighth inning.
Mora-Loera led off with a walk and Gordon walked, before Petrongolo singled down the left field line to score Mora-Loera. Both runners moved up on Ryan Sebra's sacrifice bunt, and Gordon scored on an infield grounder, while Petrongolo scored on a wild pitch for the final margin.
Andrew Bishop, Petrongolo and Mora-Loera each had a pair of hits to lead the Gamecocks' 11-hit attack. Belmont was led by Alex Diamond, Jamie Ritchie and Byrd with two hits each.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 6, MURRAY STATE 5 (12)
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - The Southeast Missouri baseball team officially punched their ticket to their 20th consecutive Ohio Valley Conference Tournament with a dramatic 12-inning walk-off 6-5 win over the Murray State Thoroughbreds (18-25, 10-12 OVC) Friday.
Southeast worked their way back from a 4-1 deficit to tie the game in the seventh. After both teams added a run in the eighth, the game was sent to extra innings; the Redhawk's second extra-inning game in a row. Clayton Evans entered the game in a one-out, bases loaded, pinch hit situation in the 12th and drew a walk-off walk to win the game.
The Redhawks are now 30-15 overall and 20-5 in OVC play. This is the Redhawks' first 30-win season since 2011. The Redhawks' magic number to clinch the OVC regular season title outright is now three.
Southeast Missouri's 12-game scoring first streak came to an end when Murray pushed two runs across in the first inning.
A failed pickoff attempt in the second put Southeast on the board in the second.
The Thoroughbreds widened the lead by two runs in the fifth inning on an error and an RBI groundout; 4-1 'Breds.
After Derek Gibson reached on a fielder's choice, Andy Lennington drove him in on a triple to center field. With Lennington on third, Dalton Hewitt flew out to center field, deep enough for Lennington to tag up and score; 4-3 Murray.
The Redhawks tied the game on a shallow sacrifice fly to right off the bat of Gibson, scoring Jason Blum and tying the game up at 4-4.
An error by Lennington allowed the Murray go-ahead run to score in the eighth.
Southeast re-tied the game on a safety squeeze play by Branden Boggetto in the bottom of the inning.
Murray put together a couple good chances to score in extras but came up short.
Gibson led off the 12th inning with a single to the third baseman. He was bunted over to second by Lennington. Hewitt was intentionally walked. Cole Ferguson singled through the left side but Gibson was held at third. Evans stepped up to the plate as a pinch hitter in a bases loaded, one-out situation. After falling behind 0-2, Evans worked the count full. He looked at ball four, drawing a walk-off walk, and winning the game 6-5 in dramatic fashion.
Scott Mitchell, Gibson, and Ferguson all had two hits in the game. Gibson extended his hitting and on base streaks to 22 games. Matt Tellor also extended his on base streak to 23 games.
Perry Middleton (1-0) recorded his first win of the season as he was the pitcher of record in the 12th. Redhawk starter Alex Winkelman worked eight innings. Winkelman gave up five runs, only three were earned, on six hits. Winkelman also fanned five batters. A total of five Redhawk pitchers were used Friday.
For the 'Breds, Taylor Mathews was the only hitter in the lineup with a multi-hit game. Tyler Lawrence finished 1-for-5 with two RBI.
Cody Maerz (1-6) suffered the loss. Maerz pitched five and a third innings in relief allowing three runs on five hits. Starter Cameron Finch worked six innings. Both Murray pitchers threw exactly 106 pitches.
SIUE 14, UT MARTIN 7
MARTIN, Tenn. - SIUE baseball scored seven unanswered runs Friday night to earn a come-from-behind 14-7 victory in the first game of a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series at Skyhawk Field.
The Cougars improved to 13-12 in conference play, equaling the school record for OVC wins set in 2012. SIUE also improved to 8-1 in series openers in OVC play. The Cougars have now won four of their last five games and are 17-26 overall. UT Martin dropped to 6-35 overall and 3-19 in league play.
Nick Lombardo, Devin Caldwell, Chase Green, and Jacob Stewart each had four hits for the Cougars. SIUE collected 25 total hits, establishing a new Division I era record.
Alec Saikal had three hits and three RBIs for the Cougars. Caldwell, Skyler Geissinger, and Brian Sipe each finished with two RBIs.
UT Martin got on the board first thanks to a two-run home run by Ben Upton in the first inning. The Skyhawks got to SIUE starter Ryan Daniels early. Daniels lasted just 3 2/3 innings, his shortest outing of the year. He allowed seven runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out six.
Trailing 7-5 after four innings, the Cougars erupted for nine runs in the game's final five frames. P.J. Schuster cooled the Skyhawk bats with 4 1/3 scoreless innings. He allowed just four hits and tied his career high with six strikeouts.
SIUE broke a 7-7 tie with five runs in the top of the seventh inning on seven hits. The Cougars added two more in the eighth for the final margin.
Upton finished 2 for 5 with four RBIs to lead UT Martin. Carter Smith suffered the loss in relief. Smith allowed five runs on five hits in 2 1/3 innings.
TENNESSEE TECH 4, LIPSCOMB 1
NASHVILLE - Just under one year ago, Tennessee Tech baseball fans witnessed one of the most dominating pitching performances ever displayed at Bush Stadium, if not one of the most impressive in program history, as the Golden Eagles defeated Belmont, 8-5, back on May 16, 2013.
A relief pitcher at that point in the year, then-sophomore David Hess took over the mound from the winningest pitcher in Tech history (Tristan Archer) and promptly struck out an unfathomable 11 of the 14 batters he faced. The right-hander set down 11 Bruins via the K in just four and one third innings, allowing a single hit and no walks.
While the Tech ace didn't quite match those barbaric numbers Friday evening, Golden Eagle fans couldn't help but reminisce as the junior struck out six of the first seven batters he faced while fanning a total of 10 Bison players in just six innings of work. Hess earned his eighth victory of the season as Tech (35-12) defeated Lipscomb (26-20) in Nashville, 4-1.
No win is possible without offense and the Golden Eagles received plenty from senior slugger Brandon Thomasson. The right fielder slugged his 16th long ball of the season to left field, crushing a two-run shot that would prove to be enough to give Tech its 35th win of the year. Thomasson led Tech with a 2-for-3 day at the dish with two runs scored and two RBI.
Senior reliever Stanton Taylor garnered his first save as a Golden Eagle, tossing the final three frames while allowing just one hit, one earned run, and one walk. He punched out a career-high five batters on the night, including the final two he faced in the ninth.
Despite being out-dueled by Hess, Lipscomb hurler Ian Martinez-McGraw put together a solid showing, allowing three earned runs while pitching eight innings for the Bisons. He took just his second loss of the season while striking out four and walking one.
Hess was just downright dealing right out of the gate for the Golden Eagles, setting down six of the first seven Lipscomb challengers via the swinging strikeout. All in all he finished with nine swinging Ks, totaling 10 strikeouts for the second straight outing and the third time this season. He became the first Tech pitcher in over 10 years to accomplish the feat and has now tied Archer for the most 10-plus strikeout performances in a career in the past 10 years with five.
Thomasson's blast in the sixth inning not only broke up a 0-0 tie, it drove the senior into a tie for fifth place on Tech's all-time career home run list with a mark of 28 in just two seasons. He also now ranks sixth in single-season history with 16 dingers. He is now batting .332 on the year with 34 extra base hits and 56 RBI, both team and conference-leading marks.
After Lipscomb cut the Golden Eagle lead in half in the bottom of the seventh, Tech head coach Matt Bragga elected to send in freshman outfielder Anthony El Chibani as a pinch hitter in the eighth. The move proved to be perfect as the Knoxville native crushed his first career bomb, a solo shot to dead center field. The four-bagger gave Tech a 3-1 lead and all the momentum the team would need to finish the contest.
Shortstop Dylan Bosheers added the final run for Tech in the same inning, driving in a run with an RBI single up the middle.