FRIDAY'S SCORES
Southern Illinois 4,
Eastern Kentucky 1 (Emerson, Ga.)
#19 Kennesaw State 14,
@Jacksonville State 8
@Oral Roberts 6-12,
SIUE 2-7
Michigan 6,
Tennessee Tech 5 (Savannah, Ga.)
Western Michigan 6,
UT Martin 4 (Emerson, Ga.)
Illinois State 7,
Southeast Missouri 3 (Lake Charles, La.)
@Samford 11,
Austin Peay 3
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 4, EASTERN KENTUCKY 1
EMERSON, Ga. - Logan Hershenow allowed just two runs in seven innings, but Eastern Kentucky lost to Southern Illinois, 4-1, on Friday at the LakePoint Sports complex in Emerson, Georgia.
The Colonels (0-3) got on the board first when Ben Fisher drove in TJ Alas with a ground out in the bottom of the second inning.
The Salukis (1-3) scored the next four runs. A sacrifice fly in the fourth tied the score. Taylor Martin’s two-out, RBI single to right field in the sixth gave SIU the lead for good. Southern Illinois added two more in the top of the ninth to set the final score.
Hershenow (0-2) allowed just six hits and two walks while striking out five. The senior was out-dueled by SIU’s Aaron Hauge (1-1), who gave up just one run on five hits in eight innings of work. He walked one and struck out six.
Shea Sullivan finished 3-for-3 with a walk for Eastern. Alas went 1-for-4 with a run scored. Connor Kopach was the only Saluki to record a multiple hit game, going 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI.
#19 KENNESAW STATE 14, JACKSONVILLE STATE 8
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Jacksonville State suffered its first setback of the 2015 season as No. 19 Kennesaw State plated 12 runs in the first six innings to post a 14-8 win in the first game of a weekend series at Rudy Abbott Field
Both teams dealt with the frigid temperatures and wintry precipitation falling throughout the Friday contest. It was the Owls' bats that thawed out first as they tallied 12 of their 18 hits in the first six innings to key the 12 runs in the first six innings. After a scoreless first frame, KSU scored runs in the next five frames to build a sizeable lead. KSU also took advantage at the plate with key two-out hits to drive in eight of its 14 runs with two outs. The Owls' bottom half of the line up sparked the offensive explosion as the last three in the order connected on eight hits combined. Taylor Allum and Jeremey Howell were two of the four Owls who finished the day with three hits. Kal Simmons and Brennan Morgan also collected three hits. Simmons belted the lone home run if the contest with a solo shot to right in the sixth to highlight KSU's five-run sixth.
JSU (3-1) struggled offensively at the start, but plated three runs after three plate appearances to trim the KSU lead to 4-3. Even though the hits were not coming, the Gamecocks took advantage of a pair of KSU miscues and seven walks combined by KSU's first two pitchers. After getting on the board in the second, JSU plated two more runs in the third after Gavin Golsan started the inning by getting on base via an error and eventually would score on a bases loaded walk by KSU starter, Jordan Hillyer. Freshman Taylor Hawthorne would also get an RBI on a bases loaded walk.
Junior Paschal Petrongolo had the hottest bat for JSU as he extended his hitting streak to 17 games with a 3-for-4 performance at the dish and drove in a pair of runs in the loss. Petrongolo had a double in the eighth to highlight JSU's three-run eighth to cut the KSU lead to 12-8. Sophomore Joe McGuire was the other Gamecock with multi hits in the game.
KSU (4-1) touched Jax State starter Zachary Fowler for nine hits and seven runs in his second Friday start. Fowler, who had five strikeouts in 4.2 innings of work, suffered his first loss of the year. Freshman Grant Chandler pitched 2.2 innings and allowed just one earned run.
The Owls' Mason Ward notched the win in his first appearance of the season. Mason tossed three innings and allowed three JSU hits and two runs scored.
ORAL ROBERTS 6-12, SIUE 2-7
TULSA, Okla. - Oral Roberts swept a baseball doubleheader Friday, defeating SIUE 6-2 in the opener before taking the nightcap 12-7. SIUE dropped to 0-5 to start the season while Oral Roberts improved to 4-1 with the pair of wins.
Cougar starter Ryan Daniels (0-1) made his second start of the season in Friday's opener. Daniels worked into the fifth inning, allowing three runs on five hits. He walked one and struck out one. Brett Thomas tossed 3 1/3 innings in relief allowing three runs, but just a single earned run, on five hits. He struck out one.
The Cougars finished the game with 11 hits but left nine men on base. Parker Guinn was 3 for 4 to lead the Cougars in game one and had the only RBI for SIUE on a single in the sixth inning.
Dustin Woodcock and Nick Lombardo each had two hits in the first game for SIUE. The Cougars' only other run scored on a throwing error in the ninth inning.
Rolando Martinez had two hits to lead Oral Roberts in the opener. Matt Brandy was 1 for 4 with a home run.
The Golden Eagles built a 12-0 lead in game two before SIUE ever got on the scoreboard. SIUE's Jarrett Bednar (0-2) started and allowed nine runs on nine hits over the first 3 2/3 innings. He struck out one and waked two.
Kurt Giller (1-0) threw five shutout innings in the win for Oral Roberts. He struck out five and allowed just a single hit.
The Cougars got to ORU reliever Phillip Wilson in the eighth inning scoring six times on five hits. Guinn had a pair of RBIs in the inning on a double. Alec Saikal and Jacob Stewart also had RBI hits in the inning. Collin Book added an RBI single in the ninth inning for the Cougars.
Austin Verschoore was 2 for 3 to lead the Cougars. Guinn finished 1 for 3 with the pair of RBIs. Guinn leads the team with a .462 batting average.
Chase Green had a single hit in each of the games. He has hit safely in all five games this season and currently has a 22-game hitting streak dating back to last season.
Brandy was 3 for 4 with two RBIs to lead the Golden Eagles at the plate.
MICHIGAN 6, TENNESSEE TECH 5
SAVANNAH, Ga. - A back-and-forth battle in the home of Minor League Baseball's Savannah Sand Gnats went in favor of Michigan Friday afternoon, as the Tennessee Tech baseball team fell in its first game of the weekend, 6-5.
After canceling its three-game series at home against Youngstown State due to inclement weather in the area, the Golden Eagles managed to schedule three games for this weekend, playing Michigan on Friday and Saturday and Davidson on Sunday. The Wolverines captured the first game of the weekend, sneaking by in the top of the ninth after an eighth-inning rally by a young Tech squad.
Leading 3-2 headed to the top of the eighth inning, Michigan took advantage of a pitching change to score three runs in the frame and take a 5-3 advantage into the bottom half of the inning. The team looked well on its way to victory.
But the Wolverines continued to struggle with a problem that had hampered them all day. Free bases. After walking eight batters and hitting one more over the first seven innings, Michigan kicked off the bottom of the eighth by hitting Johnny Carpenter. They followed with a walk of Anthony El Chibani and immediately went to the bullpen.
That didn't seem to help, as the next reliever hit Jake Farr on his just his fourth pitch. Ryan Flick entered for Tech, pinch hitting with the bases loaded and no outs. Michigan changed its pitcher again, bringing in its first baseman to toss the final two innings of the contest.
With practically no time for warm up, Jacob Cronenworth struggled initially, walking Flick on four straight pitches as Tech cut the Michigan lead down to 5-4. He settled enough to strike out Dylan Bosheers and force Tyler Brazelton into a ground out to shortstop. Brazelton still managed to drive in a run on the play, tying the game for Tech at 5-5 before the final out of the inning was recorded.
In the top of the ninth, Michigan quickly found an advantage of runners on first and third with one out. Cody Bruder drove in the winning run, laying down a suicide squeeze attempt that turned into a base hit bunt to the pitcher and RBI single. Michigan took a 6-5 lead.
The Wolverines would hold on to capture their second win of the year.
Dylan Bosheers led the Golden Eagles on the day, driving in two runs on the power of a 2-for-5 day from the plate. He laced two doubles on the day.
John Gora took a no-decision on the day, tossing five and two thirds inning of solid ball. The senior southpaw scattered six hits and two walks, allowing just one earned run and two runs overall while striking out a career-high seven batters.
WESTERN MICHIGAN 6, UT MARTIN 4
EMERSON, Ga. - The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team led by a 4-1 margin after seven innings of play today but the Western Michigan Broncos were able to scratch out five unanswered runs to close out the game for a 6-4 win at the Lake Point Sports Complex.
The Skyhawks (1-4) received another great effort out of starting pitcher Carter Smith, the reigning Ohio Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week. The senior lefty allowed only one run while striking out five batters in 5.2 innings but was credited with a no-decision after Western Michigan pushed across four runs in the top of the eighth and an insurance run in the top of the ninth.
Nico Zych was responsible for his fourth consecutive multi-hit outing today, going 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI’s. Andrew Castillo launched his first home run in a Skyhawk uniform – a two-run shot in the seventh inning – while Nick Pribble and Taylor Douglas also tallied two hits for UT Martin.
Smith pitched around trouble in the top of the first, stranding a pair of Western Michigan runners. Smith then fanned a pair of batters in the second and did not allow a hit in a scoreless third inning, setting the tone for the Skyhawks to take an early lead.
Nick Pribble singled through the left side with one away in the bottom of the third and later advanced to third on a two-out single by Douglas. Zych then ripped an 0-1 pitch for a double out to left field that plated both runners and gave UT Martin a 2-0 advantage.
Smith sat Western Michigan down in order in the fourth and also breezed through a scoreless frame in the fifth, thanks to Skyhawk catcher Luis Paublini throwing out a would-be basestealer in the inning.
Back-to-back two-out hits in the sixth inning led to Western Michigan’s first run of the game but Patrick Bernard was able to come in and record the final out on a three-pitch strikeout to keep the UT Martin lead at 2-1.
Bernard breezed through the top of the seventh, needing only 10 pitches to retire the side in order. The Skyhawks then tacked on two more runs in the bottom half of the frame. Mike Murphy doubled to lead off the inning and two batters later, Castillo jumped on a 3-2 pitch for a homer out to left center, propelling UT Martin to a 4-1 advantage.
However, the Broncos took their first lead of the contest after scoring four runs in the top of the eighth, two of which were unearned. Zych tried to ignite a rally in the bottom of the eighth with a leadoff single but the Skyhawks could not generate any further offense.
Western Michigan added one more run in the ninth before Alex Martin ended the inning with a pair of strikeouts. Pribble singled with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to send the tying run to the plate but UT Martin ultimately could not extend the game.
ILLINOIS STATE 7, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 3
LAKE CHARLES, La. - The Southeast Missouri baseball team dropped a tough loss to Illinois State (2-2) Friday evening, 7-3. Alex Winkelman threw seven innings of scoreless baseball but would get a no-decision. He struck out a career-high nine batters.
Southeast is now 3-2 on the season.
Brendon Neel put Southeast on the board with his first home run in a Redhawk uniform. It was a no-doubter over the scoreboard in left field in the bottom of the third inning. The Redhawks would load the bases in the inning but couldn't capitalize on extending the lead.
The Redhawks extended their lead in the seventh inning. The inning started with three consecutive hit batsmen to load the bases for Southeast. Illinois State promptly went to the bullpen for their third pitcher of the night. A couple heads-up plays at home retired two runners but the bases remained loaded. Andy Lennington stepped in and knocked a single into center field to score Trevor Ezell and Garrett Gandolfo to extend the lead to 3-0.
Illinois State catcher Jean Ramirez tied the game at 3-3 with a swing of the bat in the top of the eighth when he hit a three-run home run to left off new Redhawk pitcher Joey Lucchesi.
Logan Leverett broke the tie and put the Redbirds ahead by a bunch in the ninth inning with a grand slam that cleared the scoreboard and put Illinois State up 7-3.
The deficit was too much for Southeast to overcome late in the game.
Winkelman pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing five hits, striking out nine, and walking only two. Brady Wright (0-1) suffered the loss after giving up the grand slam in the ninth.
Will Headean started for Illinois State and lasted only four innings. Headean gave up only one run on three hits, struck out seven, and walked five. Ryan Koziol (1-0) picked up the victory after a three-inning relief outing.
Offensively for Southeast, Branden Boggetto was the only Redhawk with a multi-hit game, recording two of Southeast's six hits.
Southeast left a total of 12 men on base; once leaving them loaded.
Illinois State had 10 hits in the game.
SAMFORD 11, AUSTIN PEAY 3
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - A failure to execute in key situations doomed Austin Peay State University's baseball team in an 11-3 series-opening loss to Samford, Friday night, at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
Austin Peay (2-1) left 14 men on base in the contest, including nine in scoring position, out of 17 baserunners allowed by Samford pitching. The Govs finished the game converting on just 2-of-17 opportunities with a runner on scoring position.
Samford (2-2) was far more efficient, leaving only three of the 14 base runners they created on base. The Bulldogs batted .600 (3-for-5) with runners in scoring position and were an impressive 11-for-18 (.611) advancing baserunners in the contest.
The Govs and Bulldogs slogged through a sloppy beginning to the contest as both teams acclimated to the sub-freezing (29 degrees at first pitch) weather. Austin Peay's first run was courtesy a Samford error in the first inning. Meanwhile, Samford took advantage of Austin Peay errors in the second and third inning to help it score its first four runs.
Samford led 4-3 after that error-filled opening three innings as both teams were held scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings. The Bulldogs broke the game open in their final three innings thanks to three home runs that scored seven runs. Second baseman Hunter Swilling hit a two-run home run to center field in the sixth. Right fielder Heath Quinn hit a two-run home run in the seventh and catcher Richard Greene capped the scoring with a three-run home run in the seventh.
Left fielder Cayce Bredlau went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored to lead the APSU offense. Third baseman Logan Gray was 1-for-3 with a RBI double and second baseman Garrett Copeland was 2-for-4 with a RBI single. Austin Peay batters suffered 15 strikeouts in the contest with catcher Ridge Smith and shortstop Clayton Smithson the only starters to escape without being struck out in the game.
Third baseman Alex Lee, Swelling and first baseman Damon Waller – the 4-5-6 part of the Samford batting order – combined for two hits each and were 6-for-10 with four RBI combined.
Austin Peay starter Jared Carkuff (1-1) suffered the loss after allowing six runs (four earned) on eight hits and a walk over five-plus innings.
Samford starter Alex Ledford (1-1) picked up the win after holding Austin Peay to three runs (two warned) on seven hits while striking out eight batters in five innings.