FRIDAY'S SCORES
Notre Dame 7,
SIUE 6 (Norman, Okla.)
Bowling Green 7-5,
@Southeast Missouri 6-6
@East Tennessee State 7,
Eastern Kentucky 3
@Austin Peay 15, Niagara 7
@Jacksonville State 13, Youngstown State 1
Longwood 8,
@Tennessee Tech 2
Wright State 14,
@Belmont 7
@Southern Miss 7,
Murray State 4
@Georgia 18,
Eastern Illinois 3
UT Martin 1, Texas-Pan American 0 (Jackson, Miss.)
Morehead State 10, @San Diego 3
NOTRE DAME 7, SIUE 6
NORMAN, Okla. - SIUE and Notre Dame battled in a back-and-forth contest Friday. In the end it was the Fighting Irish who earned a come-from-behind 7-6 win on the opening day of baseball season.
An uncharacteristically rocky first inning for SIUE starter Ryan Daniels allowed Notre Dame to take an early lead. The first three batters reached thanks to a walk and two hit batters. A pickoff by Cougar catcher Parker Guinn at first base, and a flyout made it two on, two out when RBI singles by the Irish's Robert Youngdahl and Lane Richards made it 2-0.
Daniels tossed three innings allowing the two runs on three hits. He struck out one.
Chase Green's first homer of the year with one out in the second got the Cougars on the board and made it 2-1.
Notre Dame went up 5-1 with a single run in the fourth and two runs in the fifth against Cougar reliever Zach Malach. Malach also threw 3.1 innings. He allowed the three runs on six Irish hits. He struck out five.
SIUE scored twice in the sixth thanks to an RBI-double by Alex Saikal and a sacrifice fly from Keaton Wright.
Guinn kicked off a three-run Cougar seventh inning with his first home run in a Cougar uniform. Dustin Woodcock doubled with one out and then scored on an RBI-triple from Nick Lombardo to tie the game. Denton Reed followed with an RBI-hit to drive home Lombardo and move the Cougars in front 6-5.
Notre Dame catcher Ryan Lidge hit a two-run home run off Brett Thomas in the bottom of the inning to move the Fighting Irish back in front for good.
Green finished 2 for 4 with the homer. Parker Guinn was 1 for 4 with the home run.
Notre Dame out hit SIUE 11-7. Richards led the way for the Fighting Irish. He was 3 for 5. Youngdahl was 2 for 4. In all Cougar pitchers hit four batters and issued six walks. Stoecklin pointed to the free passes as the key to the game.
BOWLING GREEN 7-5, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 6-6
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - The Southeast Missouri baseball team opened the 2015 season Friday with a doubleheader split against Bowling Green (1-1). Bowling Green won the season opener 7-6 and Southeast won the nightcap 6-5.
Newcomer Ryan Rippee and veteran Branden Boggetto highlighted the day both by going 3-for-6 and driving in a combined nine runs (five by Rippee, four by Boggetto).
In game one the Redhawks were the first to score in the 2015 season in the bottom of the first inning. Freshman Trevor Ezell drew a one-out walk and stole second to get into scoring position. Rippee then ripped a double to right in his first at-bat as a Redhawk to drive Ezell in and give Southeast a 1-0 lead.
A rough top of the third for Southeast allowed the Falcons to tie the game. After two errors put runners on first and second with one out, a two-base wild pitch by Alex Winkelman tied the game at a run apiece.
The Redhawks were quick to answer back in the bottom of the inning. Jason Blum and Ezell both singled to start the inning. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Brendon Neel. Rippee then hit a high fly ball to right center that the right fielder initially caught but proceeded to drop on the exchange. After tagging up, both runners scored but Rippee was ruled out on the play despite the dropped ball. It would go down as a two-run sacrifice fly to put Southeast back on top 3-1 after three innings.
In the top of the fourth, Bowling Green's Randy Righter launched a three-run home run to right field to give the Falcon's their first lead of the day, 4-3.
Boggetto retied the game with a single swing of the bat with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the inning, 4-4 after four innings.
The Falcons recaptured the lead in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Trey Keegan.
Southeast would retie the game in the bottom of the sixth with Dalton Hewitt's second career home run. 5-5 after six innings.
Greg Mosel entered the game to pitch for Winkleman in the seventh inning. With a runner on second, Brian Bien singled to score the runner and put Bowling Green ahead but was thrown out trying to stretch a double.
The Falcons added to the lead in the eighth on an RBI fielder's choice by Righter, his fourth RBI of the game. 7-5 Bowling Green after seven and a half innings.
Southeast narrowed the Falcon lead to a run in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Boggetto but that would be as close as the Redhawks would get to an opening day victory as they would fall 7-6 in game one.
Boggetto finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI. Rippee finished 1-for-2 with three RBI. The Redhawks were narrowly outhit 11-9 in the game.
Greg Basalyga was 3-for-4 in game one for Bowling Green and Righter was 2-for-4 with four RBI.
Winkelman pitched six complete innings, giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits. Winkelman fanned six batters and walked only one. Greg Mosel (0-1) suffered the loss after giving up the go-ahead run. Alex Siddle and Jacob Lawrence each pitched an inning in game one.
Falcon starter Andrew Lacinak pitched only four innings allowing four runs on five hits. Devin Daugherty (1-0) earned the victory. Daugherty pitched three innings and allowed only a single run. Jason Link earned his first save of the season.
The Redhawk bat came out ready to play in game two. Blum hit a leadoff single to start the first inning. Ezell recorded his first career RBI on a double to left center. Ezell then came around to score on a single off the bat of Rippee. Southeast led 2-0 after one inning.
Bowling Green got on the board after scoring on Southeast's first error of the game, 2-1 Southeast after two and a half innings.
Southeast added a run in the fourth inning when Hewitt scored on a single to left center by Boggetto; 3-1 Redhawks heading to the fifth.
A bases loaded sacrifice fly by Bein in the fifth narrowed the lead to a run. A wild pitch tied the game at 3-3 going to the bottom of the fifth.
The Redhawks answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. With two out and the bases walked full, Andy Lennington drove Blum in on a single to third base. Boggetto drew a bases-loaded walk to put Southeast ahead 5-3 after five innings.
Rippee drove in his fifth run of the day to tack on an insurance run for Southeast in the sixth.
The Falcons put up a pair of runs in the seventh inning but Brady Wright was able to fend of the surge to and hold on for his first save of the season.
Redhawk starter Travis Hayes (1-0) picked up the victory. Hayes pitched six innings, allowing three unearned runs on four hits. He walked three and struck out three.
Blum was 2-for-2 with three runs scored and a pair of walks in game two. Rippee was 2-for-4 with two more RBI. Boggetto was 1-for-2 with two RBI and a walk.
BGSU starter Trevor Blaylock (0-1) suffered the loss. Blaylock pitched four and a third innings, allowing four runs on five hits. He struck out five batters.
Not a single Falcon batter recorded more than one hit.
Southeast outhit Bowling Green 8-6 but committed four errors. The Redhawks had six total errors in the doubleheader.
EAST TENNESSEE STATE 7, EASTERN KENTUCKY 3
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - Junior TJ Alas hit a home run in Eastern Kentucky’s 2015 season opener at East Tennessee on Friday, but the Colonels lost 7-3.
Alas broke a 2-2 tie with a two-out solo shot over the right center field wall in the top of the fourth inning. EKU maintained its 3-2 lead until the bottom of the sixth. The New Albany, Ohio native finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.
Hagen Owenby’s two-run home run gave East Tennessee the lead for good. The Buccaneers added three more in the seventh inning, two of which came off a double to left by Jeremy Taylor.
The Colonels got on the board in the first inning when Alas had a two-out RBI infield single. Kyle Nowlin later scored from third when Alas was caught in a run down while attempting to steal second.
Senior Logan Hershenow started for EKU and allowed four runs on five hits in six innings of work. He did not walk a batter and struck out two. Jimmy Nesselt earned the win for ETSU after giving up three runs on four hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out six.
Taylor and Owenby each drove in two and each scored a run for the Buccaneers.
AUSTIN PEAY 15, NIAGRA 7
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay State University’s baseball team rallied from a six-run deficit to open the 2015 campaign with a 15-7 victory against Niagara, Friday, in the Governors Challenge at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Austin Peay (1-0) trailed 7-2 after the top of the sixth, but scored the game’s final 13 runs to secure the win. The Govs started their rally with a five-run sixth inning that was punctuated by shortstop Clayton Smithson’s two-run double that narrowed the deficit to 7-4. Catcher Ridge Smith then tied the game, 7-7, with a RBI triple that eluded the Niagara right fielder.
The Govs took the lead in a seventh inning that saw second baseman Garrett Copeland singled to start the inning. Right fielder Kyle Blackburn reached on an infield single, allowing Copeland to move to third base. Niagara reliever Michael Bucci was called for a balk, allowing Copeland to score the go-ahead run.
Austin Peay pushed ahead, adding five more runs to its tally as centerfielder Patrick Massoni’s two-run double and Smith’s two-run single extended the lead to 13-7. Bredlau and Smith would add a RBI each in the eighth to close out the Govs scoring.
Niagara (0-1) could not hold on to a 6-0 lead it build after the first two innings. Austin Peay starting pitcher Zach Hall could not get past the second inning, allowing seven of the 11 batters he faced to reach base. He ultimately allowed three runs – two in the first, one in the second – before departing.
APSU reliever Kacy Kemmer allowed back-to-back singles after entering the game and appeared to escape the inning with a strikeout, but a passed ball allowed the runner to reach base and extend the inning. Kemmer then surrendered back-to-back singles as Niagara took advantage to push its lead to 6-0.
Kemmer would settle in, tossing a scoreless third before striking out the Purple Eagles in order in the fourth. That inning ignited the Govs bullpen, which only allowed one unearned run from the third inning on.
APSU reliever John Sparks (1-0) would pick up the win after allowing that one unearned run, thanks to holding Niagara to one hit over three innings, striking out four and allowing three walks. Zach Walton and Hunter Lindley closed the game with scoreless efforts in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively.
Niagara’s Cody Eckerson was left with no decision despite holding Austin Peay to four runs on four hits over five innings, but allowed seven walks and struck out seven batters.
Smith led the APSU offense with a 3-for-4, three RBI outing. Massoni, Smithson, third baseman Logan Gray and designated hitter Alex Robles also had two RBI each in the win. The Govs, who were held to four hits through five innings, exploded for 11 hits in the final three innings.
Niagara designated hitter Daniel Procopio and right fielder Taylor Hackett each had two RBI.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 13, YOUNGSTOWN STATE 1
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Jacksonville State caught fire early on opening day as JSU scored six runs in the first inning en route to a 13-1 win over Youngstown State on a frigid Friday afternoon at Rudy Abbott Field.
The win was JSU's second-straight season-opening win after taking down Northwestern State to open the 2014 season. The 13 runs scored is the most since posting 11 in the 2010 season debut in a setback to Michigan in the Red Raider Classic in Lubbock, Texas.
The Gamecocks shook off the low temperatures with their early offensive numbers and took advantage of YSU starter Kevin Yarabinec ineffectiveness on the hill after being the Penguins' closer last season. Senior Ryan Sebra, who also tossed 2.2 innings of work in the win, highlighted JSU's first frame with a single up the middle to plate a pair of runs. Junior Tyler Gamble and freshman Taylor Hawthorne recorded an RBI in the first inning.
JSU had four newcomers in Friday's opening day line up and all four contributed throughout the game. Daniel Clayton, a freshman from Guntersville, Alabama, joined junior Paschal Petrongolo with three hits each. Clayton, who started at second base for the Gamecocks, went 3-for-5 in the contest with three runs driven in. He drove in two in JSU's two-run fourth to extend the lead out to 6-0. Petrongolo's big hit came in the home half of the seventh with a three-run blast to center. Junior transfer Elliott McCummings added a pair of hits and plated a run in his Gamecock debut.
The Gamecocks belted 15 hits off of YSU pitching, which is the most hits turned in by JSU since its contest with Eastern Illinois in the 2014 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.
It wasn't just a solid opener for the offense as the Gamecocks' pitching limited the Penguins to four hits. JSU Head Coach Jim Case gave senior Zachary Fowler the starting nod in the opener and he turned in a quality start. The Daphne, Alabama righthander threw five scoreless innings and tallied four strikeouts and no free passes. After YSU's Frank Califano singled to right and erased by a double play that was started by Fowler, the Penguins would be handcuffed as he would set down the next 14 batters he faced. Sebra came in relief of Fowler in the sixth and allowed YSU's lone run in that frame. Redshirt freshman Justin Hoyt finished out the contest and recorded a trio of strike outs.
LONGWOOD 8, TENNESSEE TECH 2
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - A somewhat dazzling performance from the Big South Preseason Pitcher of the Year played spoiler to the Tennessee Tech baseball team Friday night, as the Longwood Lancers defeated the Golden Eagles on opening day, 8-2.
Right-handed pitcher Aaron Myers held the Tech bats at bay for much of six innings, allowing just one earned run while striking out six batters and walking one. He allowed one run in six and a third innings of work, surrendering a solo home run to sophomore outfielder Tyler Brazelton in the bottom of the sixth.
Batting in the two-hole, Brazelton led the Tech offense on the night, going 1-for-2 at the dish with his solo shot and two walks. Fellow outfielder David Allen enjoyed success at the plate as well, gathering two base knocks in three at bats. He drove in his first run of the year in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Senior pitcher John Gora tied a career-high with six strikeouts in the contest, tossing five innings on the mound. The southpaw gave up five runs on eight hits while allowing just one walk. Newcomer Kyle Godwin relieved Gora, covering the next three innings with just two hits and one earned run allowed. He fanned five batters with a solo walk.
Kyri Washington led the Lancers offensively, hitting two home runs and driving in three in five trips to the plate. Travis Biddix drove in two runs on two hits and Colton Konvicka recorded two hits as well, adding a triple to the mix.
WRIGHT STATE 14, BELMONT 7
NASHVILLE - Belmont fell to Wright State 14-7 Friday night at Rose Park in their home opener.
Starting on the mound for the Bruins was senior Dan Ludwig who pitched four innings. After giving up three runs in the top of the first inning, Ludwig came back to the mound and faced three more innings, holding the Raiders from scoring.
Tyler Walsh in his first at-bat of the season hit a single Homerun to help put the Bruins on the board.
In the Bottom of the fourth, Drew Ferguson advanced to first on a walk, Matt Beaty followed with a single. A double steal advanced Ferguson and Beaty to scoring position. Newcomer Tyler Fullerton hit a triple down the right field line to tie the game 3-3.
Sophomore Dom Veltri started on the mound in the fifth. After tying the game, the Raiders fought back to score another three runs on 2 hits in the top of the 5th
After holding the Raiders scoreless in the bottom of the 6th, Beaty started off the inning with a single to left field. Beaty advanced on a balk before Tyler Fullerton hit a two run homerun, bringing the score to 8-9 Raiders. Walsh later singled to right center and advanced to second on an unassisted ground-out. Walsh then scored off a single to left by sophomore Brennan Washington tying the game again at 9-9.
In the top of the ninth, the Raiders were fearless at the plate and scored 7 runs which featured a grand slam by pitch hitter, Derreck Garcia. Belmont did not go quietly starting with a lead-off double from pinch hitter Joseph Stovall. Rookie Alex Ward advanced to first on an error by the Raider's short stop and Ferguson placed a sacrifice fly to right to score Stovall.
The Bruins fell to Wright State 14-7 after a good fight. Tyler Walsh hit his first homerun of the 2015 season and went 2-4 at the plate. Newcomer Tyler Fullerton went 2-4 at the plate with a homerun, tiple and 4 RBIs.
SOUTHERN MISS 7, MURRAY STATE 4
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - A six-run fifth inning by Southern Mississippi proved to be the deciding factor as the Murray State baseball team dropped its season opener to the Golden Eagles, 7-4 in Hattiesburg Friday afternoon.
Things started off well for the Racers (0-1) in the contest as Tyler Lawrence’s solo home run to left center field got MSU on the board first in the top of the first inning. Lawrence was one of seven Racers to collect a hit in the loss. Murray held the lead for the first three and a half innings before a Dylan Burdeaux’s solo shot in the bottom of the fourth tied things up at 1-1.
MSU was unable to capitalize in the early innings with men on base as the Racers had two runners on in both the third and fourth innings but couldn’t lengthen its lead at all. Southern Mississippi’s Christian Talley also started to find his rhythm as the game went on, striking out six Racer batters in a row and finishing with 11 K’s for the game.
USM was able to string together five hits and was aided by a pair of Racers errors in the six-run inning to take a commanding 7-1 lead in the game. Murray was able to cut the deficit in half in the eighth inning as the Racers scored three runs in the inning. Kollin Dowdy and Nick Moore both collected RBI in the inning.
Ryan Milton came on in the ninth inning and was able to sit the Racers down in order, to preserve the lead and pick up the save in the contest.
Brock Downey was saddled with the loss in the game. Downey pitched 4.1 innings and allowed six earned runs on eight hits while striking-out five and walking just one batter. The OVC’s Preseason Pitcher of the Year was very solid through the first four innings before the Golden Eagles’ offense came alive in the fifth inning. Brandon Hicks pitched 3.2 innings in relief of Downey and was effective, allowing no runs on three hits while striking-out one batter.
Anthony Bayus, Matthew Johnson, Lawrence, Taylor Mathews, Moore, Reed Thompson and Derek Yoder each collected a hit in the game for MSU. Burdeaux and Michael Sterling had three and two hits, respectively to lead Southern Miss.
GEORGIA 18, EASTERN ILLINOIS 3
ATHENS, Ga. - Eastern Illinois baseball fell behind early as the Panthers dropped their season opener on Friday afternoon, 18-3, at Georgia.
Georgia opened the game scoring two runs in the bottom of the first on a Mike Bell home run. Georgia would end the day hitting five home runs with Bell connecting for two.
The Bulldogs extended the lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the second with an RBI single by Skylar Weber and an unearned run.
EIU was able to cut the lead in half in the top of the third with RBI singles by Isaac Sampen and Jason Scholl. Joseph Duncan and Mitch Gasbarro came around to score for the Panthers.
Georgia broke the game open in the bottom of the third with a three-run homer by Keegan McGovern. The Bulldogs led 8-2 after the third inning and chased Panthers starter Jake Johansmeier (0-1) in the fifth.
EIU scored its final run in the top of the fifth as Brant Valach raced home on a passed ball. Georgia added runs in the fifth, sixth and eighth innings. The Panthers used freshmen pitchers Ben Hughes and Luke Dietz to close out the game.
Robert Tyler (1-0) picked up the win for Georgia going five innings and allowing two earned runs.
The Panthers were limited to seven hits with Duncan going 2-for-4 at the plate. Valach’s one hit was a double. Caleb Howell the nation’s top returning hitter was 0-for-3 but did reach base on a walk as he now has reached base in 36 consecutive games dating back to last season.
McGovern was 3-of-5 with four RBI to lead Georgia. Bell had five RBI.
UT MARTIN 1, TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN 0
JACKSON, Miss. - A dominant two-man effort on the mound and a solo round tripper by senior Nico Zych lifted the University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team to a 1-0 victory against Texas-Pan American, giving first-year Skyhawk head coach Rick Robinson his 700th career win this evening in the season-opening tournament held at Jackson State University.
UT Martin was able to post its first season-opening victory since 2010 thanks to a shutdown performance from Carter Smith and Patrick Bernard. Smith started the game and conceded only one hit while fanning eight batters over five innings, picking up the victory. Bernard entered in relief and was just as electric, fanning five batters while conceding only two hits in four frames to earn the save.
Together, the duo combined to rack up 13 strikeouts while allowing just three hits for the Skyhawks’ second shutout in the last 96 games. A good defense surrounded Smith and Bernard, as UT Martin did not commit an error tonight.
Zych provided all of the offense that UT Martin would need with his solo blast in the fifth inning. It was the third career home run for the first baseman out of Monee, Ill.
Taylor Douglas safely reached base twice (hit and a walk) while Mike Murphy, Luis Paublini and Andrew Massey also all collected hits for the Skyhawks tonight.
Paublini gave UT Martin an early spark defensively, as he nabbed a would-be basestealer to end the inning in the bottom of the first inning. Smith began the top of the second with a pair of strikeouts while cruising through another shutdown frame.
Massey provided the first hit of the season for UT Martin, poking an opposite field single to right field in the top of the third. However, the Skyhawks could not generate a run and the game remained scoreless.
Smith pitched around a pair of walks in the third inning, carving up two more strikeouts to escape any damage.
Douglas singled and stole second base in the fourth to provide UT Martin its first runner in scoring position but he could not cross the plate. Smith then needed only 11 pitches to get through the bottom of the fourth, recording a called strikeout on the final batter of the inning.
Two pitches later, Zych put the Skyhawks on the scoreboard. The 6-0, 180-pound right-hander drilled the second pitch he saw in the at-bat over the fence to make the score 1-0. Paublini followed with a double to right field and would later advance to third but the Skyhawks were unable to pad their advantage.
Smith made sure he left with the lead, notching two more strikeouts in the bottom of the fifth – his final inning of work.
In the top of the sixth, Murphy came up with a one-out single but Texas-Pan American was able to induce an inning-ending double play as UT Martin held on to its 1-0 lead.
Bernard won a lengthy battle against his first batter he faced, registering a called strikeout after a nine-pitch at-bat. He needed only four more pitches to get the final two outs of the sixth.
The Broncs managed two baserunners in the bottom of the seventh but Bernard responded with a three-pitch called strikeout to end the inning and keep the score at 1-0.
Bernard fanned the first two batters of the eighth before recording a groundout to the shortstop to end the eighth. He then recorded the first two outs with only three pitches in the bottom of the ninth before Texas-Pan American’s top hitter Victor Garcia, Jr. doubled to put the tying run just 180 feet away. However, Bernard bounced right back and concluded the game with yet another strikeout – sealing the victory for the Skyhawks.
MOREHEAD STATE 10, SAN DIEGO 3
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Junior pitcher Aaron Goe tossed 6.2 innings while allowing just five hits, and senior designated hitter Nick Newell crushed a seventh-inning grand slam to highlight a 10-3 victory for the Morehead State baseball team against San Diego in the 2015 season opener for both clubs Friday night at Fowler Park.
Goe, who made his first start since Feb. 23, 2013, coaxed 10 fly outs, struck out three and issued no walks in collecting his first victory since Feb. 15, 2013. He missed a majority of the 2013 campaign and the entire 2014 season with an arm ailment.
San Diego was ranked 34th in the Collegiate Baseball preseason top-40 poll.
Newell, who also added a double and scored twice, broke open a 4-1 game with his one-out round-tripper that plated senior shortstop Robby Spencer, senior right fielder Brandon Rawe and senior first baseman Kane Sweeney.
Senior left fielder Chris Robinson, who finished 3-for-4 at the plate, drove in the Eagles' first three runs and scored the fourth on a USD wild pitch. Sweeney added a pair of hits, while freshman second baseman Evan Warden collected two doubles.
Morehead State's offense recorded 12 hits, including six extra-base knocks.
Torero leadoff hitter Kyle Holder finished 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI, including a ninth-inning solo home run. Third baseman Jerod Smith was 2-for-3 with a double.
San Diego starter David Hill, the first of five Torero hurlers, was tagged with the loss. He was charged with six runs, five earned, off seven hits in 6.1 innings to go along with seven strikeouts. Reliever Hunter Parkinson gave up Newell's grand slam.
MSU cracked open a 1-1 tie with three runs in the fifth. Robinson laced a two-run double to score Warden and sophomore center fielder Ryan Kent. Four plays later, with Newell in the batter's box, Robinson raced home on a wild pitch.
Robinson added a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning, and sophomore catcher Jimmy Wright rapped an RBI single in the ninth to push the MSU cushion to 10-1.