SATURDAY'S SCORES
Murray State 18, @Eastern Illinois 7
@Morehead State 11, Eastern Kentucky 10
Southeast Missouri 10, @SIUE 0
@Austin Peay 9, Tennessee Tech 8
@UT Martin 5, Belmont 4 (10 innings)
@Jacksonville State 7, Air Force 6
MURRAY STATE 18, EASTERN ILLINOIS 7
CHARLESTON, Ill. - The Murray State baseball team tied a school record by hitting six home runs on its way to an 18-7 victory Saturday over Eastern Illinois to open the three-game set with the Panthers. The six blasts ties the record set in 1983 and 1981 when MSU hit six against Nebraska-Omaha and North Dakota, respectively.
The Racers’ (9-17, 5-5 OVC) 18 runs scored are the most in the game since 2013 when they scored 19 in a win over Mid-Continent. The 14 hits by the team are a team-high on the season. Anthony Bayus, Pokey Harris, Matthew Johnson, Tyler Lawrence, Kipp Moore and Nick Moore all hit long balls in the victory.
MSU opened the game with a nine-run first inning. All nine of the runs scored came with two outs in the inning. A Taylor Mathews single to right scored Bayus and Lawrence to put the Racers up and the flood gates opened after that. Yoder scored the next at-bat on a double steal while Nick Moore hit an RBI single up the middle to score Mathews from second and MSU was up 4-0 quickly.
Kipp Moore’s homer to left center field was the first blast of the day which scored Nick Moore as well. After a Matt McGowan double to left, Harris doubled to right center to score McGowan to put the Racers up 7-0. Johnson then hit his two-run home run the very next batter and MSU had a nine-run lead after one half inning.
Bayus led-off the second inning with a solo shot to right center and two batters later, Nick Moore homered to left center to score three runs and pushed the Racer lead to 13-2. Murray State got a five-run sixth inning to cap-off its scoring in the win. After back-to-back walks by Kipp and Nick, Harris hit a three-run bomb to left for the fifth homer of the day and the Racers went up 16-4. Johnson walked in the next at-bat and Lawrence hit his fourth homer of the season to left to push the score to 18-4 and tie the program record.
Harris’ home run was his second of the season and second consecutive game with a homer. Bayus, Johnson and Kipp Moore all hit their second blasts of the season while Nick Moore’s was his first of the year.
Bayus led the Racers by going 3-for-5 with two runs scored while Harris, Nick Moore and McGowan all had two hits in the win. Harris and Nick Moore each led the squad with four RBIs in the game while Moore also scored three runs on the day. All nine of the MSU starters got a hit in the win.
Brock Downey earned his fourth win of the season as he got the start and pitched five innings, allowing four runs on six hits and struck-out six batters. Tanner Edge pitched four innings of relief and allowed three runs on five hits and struck-out four batters. EIU (0-17, 0-7 OVC) used seven pitchers in the contest.
MOREHEAD STATE 11, EASTERN KENTUCKY 10
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Senior utility man Chris Robinson hit a walk-off RBI single in the ninth inning Saturday as the Morehead State baseball team put the skids on a six-game losing streak with an 11-10 triumph against Eastern Kentucky at Allen Field.
Robinson, who was 4-for-5 with two doubles and a triple, lifted a one-out line drive that dropped into right centerfield to score sophomore centerfielder Ryan Kent. Kent led off the last frame with a double off the wall in deep left center.
Morehead State improved to 12-13 overall, 2-4 at home and 4-7 in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Colonels, who defeated MSU 11-10 a day earlier, slipped to 7-15 overall and 2-5 in the conference.
The Eagles fell behind 6-1 after three frames and had an 8-3 disadvantage heading to the fourth. MSU plated one in the fourth, two in the fifth and took a 10-9 lead in the sixth.
EKU's leftfielder dropped what would have been the second out in the sixth, and following a wild pitch that allowed a run, senior shortstop Robby Spencer delivered a three-run homer to tie the game 9-9. Four batters later, another EKU fielding miscue allowed the go-ahead run to cross the plate.
Colonel centerfielder Kyle Nowlin blasted his third home run of the afternoon in the eighth to knot it back up at 10-10.
Kent was 3-for-5 from his leadoff spot in the batting order, while senior rightfielder Brandon Rawe and senior first baseman Kane Sweeney were 2-for-5. Sophomore third baseman Alex Stephens added a pair of hits. MSU's top four spots in the lineup - Kent, Sweeney, Rawe and Robinson - are now 24-for-46 (.521) in the first two contests versus EKU.
The visitors nailed five round-trippers today and have nine out of the park in the series. Third baseman Mandy Alvarez and shortstop Kenny Hostrander also went deep today.
Junior Aaron Goe (3-0) earned the win. The last of five Eagle hurlers, he only allowed the game-tying homer from Nowlin as his lone hit. Ben Gullo (0-1), who tossed 2.1 innings and gave up four hits, surrendered the final run to be pinned with the loss.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 10, SIUE 0
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Joey Lucchesi pitched seven scoreless innings and only allowed two hits and struck out 11 in Southeast Missouri's 10-0 shutout of SIUE Saturday afternoon. With the win, Southeast forces a rubber game with the Cougars Sunday.
Southeast improves to 16-10 on the season and 8-3 in Ohio Valley Conference play. SIUE falls to 9-12, 9-2 OVC.
The Redhawks ended an 11-inning scoreless drought dating back to game one in the fifth inning with a three-spot against the Cougars. Scott Mitchell reached on an error by the third baseman. Branden Boggetto singled but was forced out on a fielder's choice, allowing Clayton Evans to reach. Mitchell scored on an infield single by Trevor Ezell to snap the scoreless streak. The Redhawks appeared to be out of the inning with a high pop up to center by Jason Blum but the centerfielder dropped the ball, allowing two runs to score and putting Southeast up 3-0 in the fifth.
Ryan Rippee led off the sixth inning with his first triple of the season. He came home on a single by Dalton Hewitt. Brendon Neel doubled down the left field line to plate Hewitt from first and extend the lead to 5-0.
Southeast extended the lead to 6-0 in the seventh inning when Blum scored on a double in the left center gap by Garrett Gandolfo.
The Redhawks put up a four-spot in the eighth inning to increase the lead to double digits. With bases loaded, Neel scored on a throwing error by the catcher trying to pick him off at third. Boggetto scored on a groundout by Ezell. Blum then doubled to plate Evans. After an SIUE pitching change, Blum touched home on a base hit by Gandolfo to bring the score to 10-0.
Lucchesi improves to 4-0 on the season and has picked up the four wins in four-straight starts. Brady Wright and Ryan Lenaburg each pitched an inning in relief to combine with Lucchesi for the shutout.
Three Redhawks (Gandolfo, Hewitt, Mitchell) had two hits each in the game. Southeast had 12 total hits in the game.
PJ Schuster (3-1) suffered the loss. He allowed five runs on eight hits. He struck out five Redhawk batters and walked one. Schuster pitched four scoreless innings to start the game.
AUSTIN PEAY 9, TENNESSEE TECH 8
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay State University’s baseball team outlasted Tennessee Tech for a 9-8 Ohio Valley Conference victory, Saturday afternoon at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Austin Peay (13-10, 7-4 OVC) had to survive an early barrage of Tennessee Tech home runs. The Golden Eagles had three home runs in the first four innings, including a two-run blast by catcher Jordan Hopkins and solo shots by both shortstop Dylan Bosheers and second baseman Trevor Putzig.
The Govs climbed out of an early 4-2 deficit with a three-run third inning. Third baseman Logan Gray led off the inning with a home run and first baseman Dre Gleason chipped in a two-run double to give Austin Peay its first lead, 5-4.
The Govs extended their lead in the fourth – after Putzig’s home run halved the lead – when first baseman Josh Wilson hit a two-run double into the right field corner to give APSU a 7-5 advantage.
Both pitching staffs settled down in the middle portion of the contest. Austin Peay relievers A.J. Gaura and Levi Primasing combined to hold Tennessee Tech scoreless for four consecutive innings. The Govs would not score in either the fifth or sixth innings off reliever Kyle Keatts.
However, Austin Peay would break through for two runs off Keatts in the seventh inning. Wilson was hit by a pitch with one out and second baseman Garrett Copeland followed with a single to put runners on the corners. The Govs then executed a delayed double steal to add a run as pinch runner Chase Hamilton scored. Designated hitter Alex Robles then added his only hit of the day, a RBI double, to push the lead to 9-5.
Those two runs proved pivotal as Tennessee Tech (10-15, 4-7 OVC) rallied in the ninth inning. APSU reliever Hunter Lindley walked the only two batters he faced to start the inning. He was replaced by John Sparks who retired the first two batters he faced.
However, Tennessee Tech rallied with two out as Hopkins hit a two-run double to again halve the Austin Peay lead. The Golden Eagles tacked on another run when an infield error extended the inning. TTU had the tying run at second base when Sparks finally got the third out on a strikeout looking.
Gaura (1-0) picked up his season’s first decision with 2.2 scoreless innings of relief, allowing two hits and striking out three of the 12 batters he faced. Primasing followed and held Tennessee Tech scoreless for two innings, allowing one hit and striking out two.
Austin Peay starter Jared Carkuff opened the game with back-to-back strikeouts but could not get past the second inning, allowing three runs in one-plus inning.
Copeland led the Govs offense with a 3-for-4 outing with a RBI and two runs scored. Right fielder Josh Wilson recorded two RBI for a second consecutive day and was 2-for-2 at the plate. Gray’s home run was his fourth and his last six games and he was 2-for-5 with a RBI and two runs scored.
Tennessee Tech starter Evan Fraliex (2-2) suffered the loss after allowing seven runs (six earned) on nine hits in four innings. Hopkins paced the TTU offense with a 2-for-4, four RBI performance.
UT MARTIN 5, BELMONT 4 (10)
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team notched its fourth straight victory this afternoon with a 5-4 walk-off victory against Ohio Valley Conference leader Belmont at Skyhawk Field.
With the win, the Skyhawks (8-16, 4-7 OVC) clinched at least a series win over Belmont for the first series win over a conference opponent since UT Martin defeated Tennessee Tech on March 23-25, 2012.
The Skyhawks were able to nab the win today behind a 10th inning double off the bat of Andrew Massey, who drove in Taylor Douglas with an opposite field shot down the right field line.
Andrew Castillo finished a double shy of hitting for the cycle today, tallying three hits with two RBI’s and two runs scored. Taylor Douglas doubled to lead off the 10th and scored the winning run to cap off a two-hit, two-run and RBI performance. Pribble also scored a run while Fletcher Johnson came away with a multi-hit effort to lead the Skyhawks, who outhit Belmont by a 10-6 margin.
Senior right-hander Alex Martin pitched two scoreless innings to receive the win, improving to 1-3 on the season. Quinton Stevens started the game and tossed a season-high five frames, allowing three runs on only four hits. Jackson Zarubin also saw time on the mound today, accounting for three innings with zero hits allowed for UT Martin.
Belmont (12-11, 5-2 OVC) struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the first before Stevens held the Bruins off the scoreboard in the second. Belmont was able to take a 3-0 lead in the top of the third before the Skyhawks evened the score in the bottom half of the inning.
Pribble reached on an error with one out and Castillo followed with an RBI triple. Douglas then singled to make the score 3-2 and Zych would tie the game with an RBI single after Douglas stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch.
Stevens then took over, retiring the side in order in the fourth and holding the Bruins scoreless in his fifth and final frame.
UT Martin took its first lead of the contest in the bottom of the fifth, as Castillo connected on a one-out round tripper beyond the fence in left field to give the Skyhawks a one-run lead. It was the third homer of the season for Castillo and second in the last five days for the junior out of Kennewick, Wash.
Zarubin followed with a shutout sixth before sitting the Bruins down in order in both the seventh and eighth innings to keep the Skyhawk lead at 4-3.
Belmont tied the game in the top of the ninth but UT Martin escaped any further damage with a strikeout and caught stealing double play to end the Bruin threat.
Martin pitched through a scoreless 10th inning, thanks in large part to Castillo throwing out a baserunner trying to nab the extra base at third for the second out of the inning.
Douglas and Massey then doubled in the bottom half of the frame to give the Skyhawks the victory.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 7, AIR FORCE 6
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Jacksonville State claimed its third consecutive weekend series after preserving a 7-6 win on Saturday over Air Force at Rudy Abbott Field.
The Gamecocks have now won seven in a row and 10 of the last 12 games to improve to 16-8 overall. The Falcons' slide continued with their sixth loss in a row and fell to 9-16 on the season. Jax State will look to complete its second straight weekend sweep on Sunday against Air Force with a 1 p.m. series finale on Sunday at Rudy Abbott Field.
After the Falcons manufactured a run off of Tony Urban in the first inning, Urban settled in for the next five innings and held Air Force in check until he ran in to trouble in the seventh. The senior southpaw from West Deptford, New Jersey was solid throughout with five strikeouts and did not give up a free pass in 6.1 innings pitched - which matched a season-high.
The Gamecocks had two big innings with three runs in the second and a trio in the fourth. After Tyler Gamble led off the second frame with a single, Air Force starter Jacob DeVries ran in to trouble with a hit by pitch and a walk to load the bases of Gamecocks. A pass ball equalized the contest and JSU would add two more runs on RBIs by Josh Bobo and a run-scoring single by catcher Daniel Gaither.
JSU expanded the lead to 6-1 after a three-run fourth that was highlighted by a pair of doubles from Bobo and Gavin Golsan. After back-to-back singles by Elliot McCummings and Peyton Williams, Bobo ripped a double down the left field line to plate McCummings. Golsan drilled one just inside the line in left field for a pair of RBI. The Trussville, Alabama-native turned in a 3-for-5 day at the dish along with a pair of stolen bases.
With the Gamecocks cruising thanks to solid pitching by Urban, things tightened up in the seventh. Air Force cut the lead to 6-4 after Russell Williams belted an Urban 3-2 pitch over the left field fence. The Falcons added a run in the eighth after scoring on a Gamecock's pass ball.
JSU would get that run back after it manufactured a run in the home half of the eighth, which would be the eventual game winner. A leadoff walk came back to haunt the Falcons as Peyton Williams was moved around the base paths via a sacrifice bunt and scored on a ground out to second.
Senior Travis Stout earned his seventh save of the season and worked around trouble in the ninth. Air Force's Tyler Saleck tripled to center after one out in the frame and scored on a sacrifice fly to right. Stout finished off the Falcons with a ground ball back to him.
Gamble also had a multiple hit game with two hits, while Bobo matched Golsan with a pair of RBI.