SUNDAY'S SCORES
Belmont 11-8, @Eastern Kentucky 4-3
Southeast Missouri 8-7, @Morehead State 6-11
@Austin Peay 10, Jacksonville State 8
@SIUE 8, Murray State 7 (10 innings)
@UT Martin 7, Tennessee Tech 5
@Memphis 11-5,
Eastern Illinois 1-2
BELMONT 11-8, EASTERN KENTUCKY 4-3
RICHMOND, Ky. - Eastern Kentucky lost both ends of an Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader to Belmont on Sunday. The Bruins won the first game 11-4 before taking game two 8-3.
In game two, Belmont took control with five runs in the third inning. Matt Beaty hit a two-run home run over the wall in right field. Tyler Walsh followed with an RBI double and he later scored on a wild pitch to cap the big frame.
Kyle Nowlin got three runs back with a towering home run over the wall in center in the bottom of fourth.
A pair of RBI singles by Walsh and Desi Ammons in the top of the fifth inning put the game away for the Bruins.
Beaty finished 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs for the visitors. Nowlin’s lone hit was the three-run bomb.
Eastern Kentucky came out strong in the first game, but an explosive fifth inning for Belmont led the Bruins to a victory, 11-4.
The Colonels scored the first run of the game when Shea Sullivan scored on a ground ball in the first inning. They added to the lead in the second when Kenny Hostrander drove in Ben Fisher with a single to left center.
Belmont came out on fire in the fifth inning, scoring four runs and taking a lead that it would not relinquish. The flood gates opened with a double from Alec Diamond that scored Drake Byrd. Drew Ferguson singled up the middle to score Diamond and William Dodd. Beaty finished off the scoring with a double that drove Ferguson home.
The Bruins added four more runs in the sixth inning and never looked back. Dan Ludwig (1-1) picked up the win with a complete game performance, throwing nine innings with 12 hits, four runs, three earned runs and six strikeouts.
Ferguson was the catalyst for Belmont, going 4-for-5 with four RBIs. Fisher came up big for the Colonels with two hits and two runs scored.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 8-7, MOREHEAD STATE 6-11
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Southeast Missouri baseball split a doubleheader with Morehead State Sunday. The Redhawks won game one, 8-6, before falling in the nightcap, 11-7.
The Redhawks saw their winning streak extended to four games but then saw it snapped at the end of the day.
Southeast remains at .500 on the season at 8-8 and is now 3-2 in Ohio Valley Conference play. Morehead is now 10-5 overall, 3-2 in OVC play.
In game one Trevor Ezell led off the game with a double to center field and advanced to third on a groundout to second by Jason Blum. Garret Gandolfo hit a blooper to left that the leftfielder lost in the sun and fell, allowing Ezell to score from third and putting Southeast on the board, 1-0.
Morehead hit Redhawk starting pitcher Alex Winkelman hard and early. Ryan Kent and Chris Robinson both scored on a double to left center by Kane Sweeney to go up 2-1 on the Redhawks. Morehead proceeded to load the bases but Winkelman worked out of the first inning jam without giving up any more runs.
Ryan Rippee hit a monster home run to lead off the fourth inning to tie the game at 2-2.
Morehead answered with a run of their own to retake the lead in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Robinson, 3-2.
Ezell blasted his first career home run over the high fence in right field to retie the game in the fifth inning, 3-3.
Southeast Missouri plated three runs in the sixth inning. Rippee doubled to lead off the inning followed by Dalton Hewitt drawing a walk. Both runners advanced a base on a sac bunt by Andy Lennington. Rippee scored on a single by Scott Mitchell to take a 4-3 lead. Branden Boggetto then plated a pair of runs on a double to center field. Southeast led 6-3 going to the bottom of the sixth inning.
Morehead chipped away at the Redhawk lead with a run in the sixth and two in the seventh to tie the game at six all.
Clayton Evans gave the Redhawks a lead once again with a long ball to center in the eighth inning, 7-6.
Rippee launched his second home run of the game in the ninth for a key insurance run, making it 8-6 Southeast.
Matthew Wade (1-0) earned his first career victory in game one against Morehead. Wade pitched two and a third hitless innings in relief. He struck out a pair and walked one. Winkelman went five innings, allowing four runs on five hits.
Southeast outhit the Eagles 14-6 in the game. Rippee finished 4-for-5 with a pair of RBI on his two home runs, and three runs scored. Ezell had a 3-for-4 game with his first career home run. Mitchell and Blum also contributed a pair of hits in the game.
Aaron Leasher (1-1) recorded the loss for Morehead State. He pitched two innings in relief, allowing one run on three hits. MSU starter Aaron Goe worked five innings, allowing three runs on seven hits.
Not a single Eagle hitter had a multi-hit game as six different hitters combined for Morehead's six hits. Robinson and Sweeney each had a pair of RBI.
In game two Morehead once again hit the Redhawk starter hard in the first inning. Kent and Robinson hit back-to-back home runs to lead of the inning for the Eagles. Another run was plated by Robby Spencer to make it 3-0 in the first.
The Redhawks narrowed the deficit to 3-1 in the second inning. With Mitchell on first, Boggetto doubled to left. Mitchell, who got a late stop sign at third, was able to score on a bad throw back to third by the second baseman.
The Redhawks officially erased the three-run deficit in the third inning. Gandolfo scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Hewitt. Lennington gave the Redhawks the lead with a two-run shot to dead center field to put the Redhawks on top 4-3.
Just as quickly as the Redhawks took a lead, Morehead recaptured it in the bottom of the inning. The Eagles put up a four-spot to go up 7-4 on Southeast. Redhawk starter Travis Hayes was knocked out of the game in the inning.
The Eagles plated another run in the fourth inning on a double by Nick Newell to make it 8-4.
Morehead added a run in the fifth inning on a sac fly by Robinson; 9-4 MSU.
An error by the third baseman in the sixth inning allowed Hunter Leeper to touch home and making it 9-5, Eagles.
Morehead plated two more in the bottom of the inning to extend the lead to 11-5.
Boggetto hit a two-run shot to right center in the eighth inning to bring the final score to 11-7.
Boggetto was the only Redhawk with a multi-hit game in the nightcap after going 2-for-4 with three RBI.
Hayes (3-2) suffered the loss. He worked two and a third innings, allowing seven run on seven hits. The Redhawks used six pitchers in the game. Greg Mosel and Zach Moore each threw an inning and two-thirds. Moore never allowed a hit in his outing on the mound.
The Redhawks walked 17 total batters and hit five batters in the doubleheader for 22 free bases on the day.
After no multi-hit performances in game one, Morehead had four hitters with two hits each in game two. Robinson finished with three RBI.
Luke Humphreys (2-0) picked up the victory for the Eagles. He pitched five innings, allowing four runs on seven hits. David Calderon earned a four-inning save in game two.
AUSTIN PEAY 10, JACKSONVILLE STATE 8
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay State University’s baseball team overcame a seven-run deficit to post a 10-8 Ohio Valley Conference victory against Jacksonville State, Sunday afternoon, at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Austin Peay (10-5, 4-1 OVC) trailed 7-0 after the top of the third and 8-1 after the top of the fourth. The Govs then scored the game’s final nine runs, tying the game with a three-run seventh and taking the lead with two runs in the eighth.
The Govs three-run seventh inning was pushed along by a key effort play by left fielder Cayce Bredlau. After his single set up men on the corners with one out, first baseman Dre Gleason hit a ground ball to shortstop. Bredlau beat the throw to second, loading the bases with one out. The Govs would ultimately strike for three runs – scoring on a fielder’s choice, wild pitch and a single – to tie the game, 8-8.
Austin Peay returned in the eighth and loaded the bases with one out. Third baseman Alex Robles hit a fly ball to deep center field, allowing shortstop Clayton Smithson to score. Pinch hitter Chase Hamilton raced to third where the throw went to the wall. He scrambled home with an insurance run, putting the Govs ahead 10-8.
The late rally made a winner of reliever Hunter Lindley (1-0) who picked up his first career win. He was part of an Austin Peay bullpen that allowed one run over the final six innings and none in the final five frames. Levi Primasing became the fourth Govs reliever to pick up a save, striking out the final batter of the contest.
Jacksonville State (8-7, 1-4 OVC) jumped out to its 7-0 lead courtesy a five-run second and two-run third inning against Austin Peay starter Caleb Powell. The Gamecocks sent all nine batters to the plate in the second, with catcher Daniel Gaither and second baseman Clayton Daniel each delivering two-run base hits.
Powell would put the first two batters he faced in the third on base, a strikeout negated by the runner reaching on a wild pitch that ended his outing. Reliever Jake Corum would surrender those two runs on a double, but closed the inning without further damage. Powell allowed seven runs on seven hits in two-plus innings of work.
The Gamecocks would threaten to extend their 8-1 lead in the fifth inning, as it saw the first two batters of the frame reach base. Reliever Michael Costanzo entered and worked around a two-out error, inducing an inning-ending ground out. He would allow just one base hit to the 10 batters he faced, but did not factor into the decision.
JSU reliever Ryan Sebra (1-1) allowed both the game-tying and game-winning runs in his 1.1 innings of work and suffered the loss. Gamecocks starter Tony Urban held Austin Peay to four runs on seven hits in five-plus innings, but did not factor into the decision.
Daniel led JSU with a 3-for-5, two RBI performance. Right fielder Elliot McCummings and Gaither each had two RBI.
SIUE 8, MURRAY STATE 7 (10)
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Parker Guinn's two-run home run in the bottom of the 10th inning lifted SIUE to an 8-7 win over Murray State in the second game of a three-game series Sunday at Simmons Baseball Complex.
SIUE improved to a perfect 5-0 in the OVC and 5-9 overall with the win. Murray State dropped to 6-13 overall and 2-3 in the OVC.
Guinn's home run followed a one-out single by Keaton Wright and came against Murray State reliever Tyler Anderson. Anderson dropped to 1-2 with the loss.
SIUE led the game 5-4 heading into the ninth inning before a two-run home run by Murray State's Clay Kelly put the Racers on top. Alec Saikal tied the game with a one out, RBI-double in the bottom of the ninth to score Dustin Woodcock.
Anthony Bayus came up with a two out RBI-double in the top of the10th to put the Racers back on top 7-6.
Trailing 2-0 in the second inning, the Cougars got back-to-back home runs from Mario Tursi and Nick Lobardo to take a 3-2 lead.
The Racers got a run in the third to tie the score 3-3, but SIUE scored single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 5-3 lead. Tyler Lawrence homered for the Racers in the eighth to put Murray State within a run at 5-4.
Jarrett Bednar started for the Cougars and pitched 4 1/3 innings. He allowed three runs on five hits. Ryan Agnitsch tossed 4 2/3 innings in relief allowing three runs. He struck out four.
SIUE finished with 12 hits and 26 hits over the first games in the series. Lombardo and Saikal each had three hits for the Cougars.
Matthew Johnson, Derek Yoder, and Lawrence each had two hits for the Racers.
UT MARTIN 7, TENNESSEE TECH 5
MARTIN, Tenn. - A four-run bottom of the seventh inning and lockdown late-inning relief guided the University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team to a 7-5 Ohio Valley Conference victory over Tennessee Tech this afternoon at Skyhawk Field.
UT Martin (3-11, 2-3 OVC) grabbed an early two-run lead before the Golden Eagles tallied five runs in the top of the fifth. The Skyhawks then pushed across one run in the fifth and four runs in the seventh while keeping Tennessee Tech off the scoreboard for the final four frames.
Mike Murphy collected three hits, scored a pair of runs and drove in a run today to lead UT Martin offensively. Taylor Douglas (two runs scored, RBI), Austin Taylor (two RBI’s), Andrew Castillo (RBI) and Matt Hirsch (run scored) also tallied two hits apiece while Nico Zych delivered the go-ahead two-run double late in the contest to pace the Skyhawks, who nearly doubled up Tennessee Tech in the hit column (13 to seven).
Michael Fidler (2-1) picked up the victory out of the bullpen after tossing 2.2 scoreless innings, allowing only one hit in the process. Patrick Bernard claimed his third save of the season with two shutout innings, also allowing just one hit. Daniel Shaw started the game and accumulated three shutout innings while allowing only one hit before turning the game over to the Skyhawk bullpen.
Shaw induced three groundball outs in the first inning and pitched around a leadoff walk in the second frame. He then sat the Golden Eagles down in order in the third inning before Dillon Symon entered the game with two baserunners aboard and zero outs. Symon was able to work his way out of the jam, keeping the game scoreless before UT Martin was able to take the lead in the bottom half of the inning.
Murphy led things off with an infield single and Douglas followed with a bunt single. Taylor then drove in the first run of the game with a single through the left side that scored Murphy. Castillo followed with a line-drive single to left field that plated Douglas and made the score 2-0 in favor of the Skyhawks.
Tennessee Tech then scored five runs on four hits in the top of the fifth to go ahead by a 5-2 margin. UT Martin clawed back with a run in the bottom half of the inning, as Douglas lifted a sacrifice fly out to right field that scored Nick Pribble, who reached on a one-out single.
Fidler then did his part to keep the Golden Eagles from slicing into their deficit. After recording the final two outs to halt Tennessee Tech’s rally in the fifth, he posted a shutout frame in the sixth and followed that with an 11-pitch scoreless frame in the seventh.
Hirsch ignited the Skyhawks’ comeback in the seventh, singling to left field to lead off the inning. After advancing to second on a Mikey Nantze sacrifice bunt, he came around to score when Murphy singled up the middle with two outs, making the score 5-4. Douglas then singled through the left side to put a pair of runners on the basepaths for Zych, who creamed a 2-2 pitch for a two-run double off the bottom of the wall in right center to tilt the score back in UT Martin’s favor at 6-5. Five pitches later, Taylor displayed a good piece of hitting by singling up the middle to score Zych and give the Skyhawks an important insurance run.
Bernard then took over on the mound and breezed through three batters for a perfect top of the eighth inning. He was able to get the first two outs of the ninth on seven pitches before Tennessee Tech loaded the bases. However, Bernard induced a slow groundout to second base to put the finishing touches on the comeback victory.
MEMPHIS 11-5, EASTERN ILLINOIS 1-2
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Eastern Illinois fell behind early in game one and then surrendered a couple of late runs in game two as they dropped both games on Sunday’s doubleheader at Memphis. The Tigers won the first game 11-1 and the second game 5-2.
EIU fell to 0-13 on the season; Memphis swept the weekend series improving to 9-4.
In game one Memphis took advantage of two walks to start the game by EIU starter Garrison Stenger (0-4). Following an RBI single by Kane Barrow, Stenger was able to record the game’s first out. Memphis then had three straight hits with the big shot a two-run single by Corey Chafin.
The Tigers added an unearned run in the second and scored on an infield hit by Barrow in the fourth as Barrow finished game one 4-for-4 at the plate.
EIU scored its lone run in the sixth inning against Memphis starter Dylan Toscano (2-1). Caleb Howell doubled to open the inning and came around to score on a Mitch Gasbarro single. Howell was 1-for-3 in the game while Gasbarro was 1-for-4.
Memphis tacked on more runs in the bottom of the sixth with Tucker Tubbs hitting a two-run home run.
In the second game Memphis once again scored first. Jake Overbuy drove home the Tigers run against EIU starter Jake Johansmeier with an RBI double. Johansmeier would settle down and pitch well for the Panthers working seven innings allowing five hits, two runs with seven strikeouts.
The Panthers tied the game in the fourth inning as Demetre Taylor reached on a single. He would come around to score on a sacrifice fly by Adam Casson.
In the fifth inning EIU took its first lead with singles by Cale Hennemann and Howell to open the frame. Brant Valach drove home one run to put EIU up 2-1.
Chafin tied the game in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out home run against Johansmeier.
In the bottom of the eighth Chafin opened the inning with a single against relief pitcher Christian Slazinik (0-2). EIU was unable to get the first out on a sacrifice bunt after Chafin reached and was lifted for a pinch runner. A second sacrifice bunt placed the go ahead run on third as Barrow put the Tigers on top with an infield single. Memphis added two insurance runs with a bases loaded walk and wild pitch.
Craig Caufield (2-0) picked up the win in relief while Nolan Blackwood got the final out to pick up his fifth save.
Howell was 4-for-4 in the second game while Hennemann was 2-for-4. Chaffin and Barrow both had two hits for Memphis.