TUESDAY'S SCORES
Illinois State 18,
@Eastern Illinois 14
UNC Asheville 14,
@Tennessee Tech 5
@Murray State 9, Southern Illinois 8
@Belmont 17, Lipscomb 2
@Eastern Kentucky 15, Northern Kentucky 4
Morehead State 16, @East Tennessee State 9
Austin Peay 11, @Middle Tennessee 0
Evansville 15,
@UT Martin 11
Arkansas State 12,
@Southeast Missouri 10
Alabama A&M
, @Jacksonville State (cancelled)
ILLINOIS STATE 18, EASTERN ILLINOIS 14
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois looked like it might have squeezed across its first win of the season in the bottom of the eighth only to see Illinois State rally for six runs in the ninth as ISU won an 18-14 slugfest over EIU on Tuesday afternoon at Coaches Stadium. The two teams combined for 44 hits (22 for each team), eight doubles and eight home runs.
EIU fell to 0-21 on the season.
EIU trailed 10-3 following the top of the sixth inning but scored nine runs between the sixth and seventh innings to make it a contest. With the game tied at 12-12 heading into the bottom of the eighth, EIU opened the inning with a single by Dane Sauer. Following a wild pitch, Adam Casson would move Sauer to third with a bunt and John Devito would use a squeeze bunt to score Sauer and give EIU a 13-12 lead.
Illinois State tied the game to open the ninth inning as Joe Kelch hit his second home run of the day as he finished the game 5-for-6 at the plate. Dennis Colon would reach on an infield error which opened the offensive gates for the Redbirds against relief pitcher Casson (0-1) who took the loss despite allowing five unearned runs.
The Redbirds closed the ninth inning allowing EIU to score one run as Jake Sale (2-1) was credited with the win during 1.2 innings of work. Ryan Koziol who was 3-for-5 with four RBI as a hitter, closed out the ninth.
Illinois State scored in the first inning on a double play ball as EIU starter Andrew Grahn worked two innings. EIU answered with two runs in its half of the first was Caleb Howell delivering an RBI double. Howell was 3-for-6 with six RBI on the day. All three hits were doubles for the senior.
Illinois State scored four runs in the second and three runs in the third. Paul Dejong hit a three-run home run in the second. Dejong had three home runs on the day driving home six runs. Jared Hendren, Colon and Kelch added home runs in the second and third innings as ISU connected for seven home runs.
Casson hit a solo homer in the fourth for EIU as he was 3-for-4 with three runs scored. After giving up a two-run homer to Dejong in the top of the sixth, EIU began its rally in the bottom half of the frame. Howell had a two-run double and Demetre Taylor added a two-run single for the Panthers four runs in the sixth.
In the seventh EIU took the lead with five runs against the Redbirds bullpen. Howell had a three-run double in the inning while Brant Valach added an RBI double and Taylor an RBI single. The Panthers 3-4-5 hitters in the line-up rive home 11 runs on the afternoon going 8-for-18. Valach had two doubles while Taylor was 3-for-6 with four RBI.
The Redbirds tied the game in the top of the eighth on Dejong’s third blast of the game.
UNC ASHEVILLE 14, TENNESSEE TECH 5
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee Tech baseball team couldn't overcome a tough first inning or a hot-hitting Bulldog squad Tuesday afternoon as the Golden Eagles (10-17) fell to UNC Asheville (15-14) in Cookeville, 14-5.
The Bulldogs entered the contest having won all seven of its midweek contests in the 2015 season and used big performances at the plate to push that record to 8-0. UNC Asheville plated five unearned runs in the top of the first, taking advantage of three Golden Eagle miscues.
The visitors added to their lead in the second before the Tech squad grabbed its first run of the game in the bottom of the third of a sacrifice fly from freshman first baseman Chase Chambers.
Both sides fought to scoreless frames in the fourth and fifth before the Bulldogs swiped a three-spot in the top of the sixth. Tech tallied a second marker in the frame as well, this time a solo moon shot to right center field from freshman Ryan Flick. The designated hitter tied senior Dylan Bosheers for the team-lead in home runs with an absolute bomb into some pretty blustery winds, his fifth of the season.
The Golden Eagles crossed home plate three more times in the bottom of the ninth, with freshman Adam Reed driving in Chambers with a single down the first base line. With two outs in the frame, Andrew Contreras laced a two-run double to left field to keep Tech's hopes alive, but in the end, the deficit proved too great.
Five Bulldog batters recorded multiple hits in the contest and were led by Hunter Bryant, who tallied three in four at bats. He also drove in a team-high four runs. Spencer Orr picked up his third victory of the year after allowing one run over five innings.
Flick led the offensive attack for the Golden Eagles, going 2-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI. He drove in his 29th run of the season, tops on the Tech squad and tied for third in the Ohio Valley Conference.
MURRAY STATE 9, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 8
MURRAY, Ky. - Kipp Moore delivered a single through the left side of the infield and drove-in Taylor Mathews for the game-winning RBI as the Murray State baseball team survived a late-inning collapse to walk off with a 9-8 victory over Southern Illinois Tuesday at Johnny Reagan Field.
The Racers (12-17) were pushed to the bottom of the ninth inning after SIU (5-22) scored four runs in the top half of the inning to tie the game at 8-8. The Salukis trailed by six runs on two separate occasions, at 6-0 and 8-2 during the contest. Mathews led-off the inning for MSU with a triple that hit off the wall in right center field on the first pitch of the at-bat.
Clay Kelly, who Moore replaced in the field in the ninth inning, went 3-for-3 at the plate in the win and delivered three RBIs. While Mathews and Derek Yoder each scored two runs as MSU recorded its first season sweep over SIU since 1989.
The Racers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Kelly singled to right field to score Anthony Bayus and Yoder. Murray State added another run in the third on a Nick Moore single up the middle to bring home Pokey Harris. A Matt McGowan single up the gut lengthened MSU’s lead to 5-0 as he scored Kelly and Mathews in the fourth.
The Racers looked to be well in control as they got their sixth run and Kelly’s third of the ball game with a single to right center that scored Yoder to make it 6-0. SIU chipped into the lead in the sixth with a pair of RBI singles but could only muster two runs even with the bases loaded and no outs in the inning.
Tyler Lawrence’s fifth home run of the season in the sixth inning pushed the Racer lead back to six runs at 8-2 as Lawrence blasted a shot over the left field fence. Again, the Salukis would respond in the eighth with two runs to make it 8-4, before rallying to tie the game in the ninth.
Nick Moore and Yoder both went 3-for-5 in the game while Yoder had MSU’s first triple of the contest as he hit a ball halfway up the wall in center field in the fifth inning. Bayus, Mathews and McGowan also had multi-hit games in the win for the Racers as they all went 2-of-4.
John Lollar just missed his second win of the season as he got the start for MSU. Lollar pitched five solid innings, allowing two runs off six hits while striking-out three batters. Tyler Anderson, Sheldon Baxter and Tanner Edge all pitched in relief of Lollar before Cody Maerz came on in the ninth for MSU. Maerz picks up his fourth win of the season after allowing four hits, four runs, just one earned and striking-out one in an inning of work.
BELMONT 17, LIPSCOMB 2
NASHVILLE - The Bruins returned home to Rose Park and continued their tremendous effort at the plate adding another five homeruns to the team total. The Bruins defeated the Lipscomb Bisons 17-2 on Tuesday and split the series with the Bisons 1-1.
Starting on the mound for the Bruins was Senior Patrick McGrath who pitched a solid 7.0 innings for the Bruins. In McGrath's outing, he allowed only 1 run, in the top of the first, on five hits. McGrath struck out 5 and and held the Bisons to 6 scoreless innings after the first.
Sophomore Nick Egli started as the Designated Hitter and went 2-4 at the plate with two, two run home runs. This outing follows his two homerun outing on Sunday against UT Martin.
Senior Drew Ferguson went 4 for 6 at the plate with 5 RBI. Ferguson hit a three run homerun in the bottom of the second to extend the Belmont Lead.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 15, NORTHERN KENTUCKY 4
RICHMOND, Ky. - Eastern Kentucky University’s baseball team used a six run first inning to take a lead it would never give up against visiting Northern Kentucky University, winning 15-4.
The scoring started with a single from junior Mandy Alvarez that brought sophomore Shea Sullivan home. The runs kept coming in thanks to doubles from sophomore Ben Fisher and junior Luke Wurzelbacher.
The Colonels (8-16) pilled on more with five runs in the second, highlighted by a bases loaded single from Alvarez that scored Sullivan and junior Kenny Hostrander. Hostrander went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs. Alvarez would finish 2-for-5 with three runs batted in.
Junior Doug Teegarden went 2-for-4 and scored three runs. Fisher also went 2-for-4 and had two RBIs.
Northern Kentucky (9-15) scored two runs in both the third and fourth innings to shrink the gap to 11-4, but they would not get any closer thanks to a spectacular performance by Matt Lynch. The senior right-hander went seven and two-thirds innings and only gave up four runs. He struck out four and walked only one.
Logan Spurlin was responsible for half of the offensive productivity of the Norse, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Junior TJ Alas would put the icing on the cake in the eighth inning with a double that brought in three runs.
MOREHEAD STATE 16, EAST TENNESSEE STATE 9
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - Senior right fielder Brandon Rawe homered twice, including a grand slam, and the Morehead State baseball offense produced its second straight 20-hit game as the Eagles defeated East Tennessee State 16-9 at Thomas Field Tuesday night.
Morehead State improved to 14-13 overall, 8-7 on the road and evened the two-game season series with the Buccaneers, who slipped to 12-15 overall. The Eagles had 23 hits last Sunday vs. Eastern Kentucky and had 20 tonight, marking the first back-to-back 20-hit outbursts since a doubleheader on April 17, 2010.
In the last four games, the Eagles have generated 56 runs and 78 hits, including 17 doubles.
The Eagles scored in six of the nine innings and had multi-run tallies in four. Morehead State took a 2-0 lead after three at-bats, but a pair of ETSU round-trippers staked the hosts to a 3-2 lead heading to the fourth. MSU plated eighth runs via five hits and three Buccaneer errors in the fourth.
MSU also scored twice in the fifth, seventh and eighth stanzas.
Rawe finished 4-for-5 with five RBI and scored four times. He raised his batting average to .342 after being below .200 earlier this month. He extended his hitting streak to a team-high eight games, and has base hits in 17 of his last 18 outings.
Five additional players had multi-hit days, including four with three base knocks apiece. Sophomore center fielder Ryan Kent, senior designated hitter Chris Robinson and senior left fielder Nick Newell were 3-for-6, while senior shortstop Robby Spencer went 3-for-5. Senior first baseman Kane Sweeney had a pair of hits.
The top four in the lineup, Kent, Sweeney, Rawe and Robinson have combined for 46 hits in the last four contests and are hitting .528 in that span.
Freshman right-hander Brent Stoneking was credited with his first career victory, tossing 3.2 innings and allowing four runs. Junior Patrick McGuff started on the hill but left in the fifth with an injury after giving up just three hits.
ETSU had a pair of three-run innings, in the third and fifth.
Ryan Simpler fell to 1-3 with the loss. He surrendered seven runs in three innings of work before giving way to five other relievers. Jordan Sanford entered in the fourth as a pinch hitter, stayed in the game at shortstop, and led the hosts with a 3-for-3 effort in the batter's box.
AUSTIN PEAY 11, MIDDLE TENNESSEE 0
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Starting pitcher Jared Carkuff threw seven scoreless innings to lead Austin Peay State University's baseball team to an 11-0 victory against Middle Tennessee, Tuesday night at Reese Smith Jr. Field.
Just three days removed from a short Saturday start, Carkuff (4-3) dominated on the mound allowing just two hits in seven innings. He worked around a pair of errors in the first inning but kept Middle Tennessee off the board. Carkuff would allow a leadoff double in the fourth, but retired the next three batters to end the threat.
Carkuff allowed two hits in seven innings and struck out six en route to the win. Shane Lantigua and John Sparks followed Carkuff and pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth, respectively, to lead the Govs to their first shutout since Alex Robles' shutout of Belmont nearly one year ago.
Austin Peay (15-10) churned out plenty of offense in support of the shutout bid. Catcher Ridge Smith's two-run double in the first provided all the runs needed for the win.
However, the Govs would go on to record 11 runs on 18 hits, including seven extra base hits. Center fielder Patrick Massoni and third baseman Logan Gray each had run-scoring doubles in a three-run second inning, extending the APSU lead to 5-0.
Designated hitter Alex Robles doubled to start the fifth, stole third base and scored on a wild pitch in a two-run fifth inning as the lead reached 8-0. Shortstop Imani Willis led off the seventh with a double and scored on Gray's single later in the frame.
Reserve catcher T.J. Marik closed the scoring with his first collegiate home run – a two-run blast to left field that put the Govs ahead 11-0.
Massoni led the Govs with a 3-for-5, three RBI performance. Left fielder Wesley Purcell and first baseman Dre Gleason also had three hits each. Gray, Smith and Marik had two RBI a piece.
MTSU starter Tyler Troutt (0-2) allowed four runs on three hits and two walks in the first inning of the loss. The Blue Raiders offense was held to four hits.
EVANSVILLE 15, UT MARTIN 11
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team had several noteworthy individual offensive performances but it was visiting Evansville who claimed a 15-11 win at Skyhawk Field.
UT Martin (8-18) led 2-0 early before the Purple Aces delivered three straight multi-run innings. The Skyhawks then scored six runs in the bottom of the fourth to get back in the game but ultimately could not completely make up the ground.
Andrew Castillo and Taylor Douglas each had identical 2-for-5, two-RBI and a run scored line in the boxscore, while Matt Hirsch and Jake Deason each drove in a pair runs. Hirsch reached base safely four times, scoring a pair of runs while Nick Pribble, Austin Taylor and Mike Murphy also scored two runs apiece for UT Martin, who rounded up 12 hits on the day.
On the mound, Matt Poteete and Cole Schaenzer combined to allow just one run over the final five innings out of the bullpen. Daniel Shaw (0-3) started the game and tossed 3.2 innings while Dillon Symon (0.1 inning) also made a relief appearance.
Shaw was unscathed in the first inning, with the help of his battery mate Mikey Nantze throwing out a would-be basestealer to eliminate a leadoff walk.
The Skyhawks followed with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the frame. Pribble ripped a leadoff double and two batters later, Douglas split the gap in right center with a double to make the score 1-0. After Nico Zych walked, Douglas swiped third base and easily made it home on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Taylor.
Shaw responded with a pair of strikeouts during a perfect second inning but the Purple Aces scored three runs on four hits in the third inning. Evansville then accumulated eight runs in the fourth to go on top by an 11-2 margin.
However, the Skyhawks pushed across six runs of their own in the bottom half to get right back within striking distance. Zych’s leadoff single led a barrage where UT Martin’s first four batters all reached base safely. A double by Murphy scored Zych and Hirsch came through with an RBI single to score Murphy. Later in the inning with two outs, Castillo creamed a two-run double to score Pribble (who reached on a walk) and Hirsch. Douglas then sent a double down the right field line to plate Castillo and make the score 11-8.
Evansville responded with three runs in the fifth to push its lead back out to six runs. The Skyhawks got one run back in the bottom of the fifth, as a leadoff double by Taylor turned into a run when Hirsch brought him in on an RBI fielder’s choice.
Poteete, who had retired three of the four batters he faced in the fifth, received some help from his defense in the sixth after UT Martin turned an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play. The Purple Aces added a solo homer in the seventh but that was all the scoring that the Skyhawks would allow from that point forward. Schaenzer put the finishing touches on a successful appearance with a quick eighth and ninth innings in which all he conceded was a single and a walk.
UT Martin loaded the bases in the seventh and put another runner in scoring position in the eighth but ultimately came up empty in both frames. The Skyhawks capitalized in the bottom of the ninth, as Murphy (single) and Hirsch (walk) each reached base with two outs. Deason was then announced as the pinch hitter and he lived up to his title, lining a two-run triple into right center to make the score 15-11. However, Deason would be the final baserunner that the Skyhawks could generate.
ARKANSAS STATE 12, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 10
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - The Southeast Missouri baseball team dropped a midweek game to Arkansas State Tuesday evening, 12-10. Southeast and Arkansas State split the home-and-home series this season.
The Redhawks are now 17-11 on the season while the Red Wolves climb to 12-14.
This is only Southeast's second home loss and are now 6-2 at Capaha Field in 2015.
After going 3-for-3 with six RBI Sunday, Dalton Hewitt followed it up going 3-for-4 with three RBI, three runs scored, two doubles, and a home run Tuesday evening.
Hewitt led off the second inning for Southeast with a home run down the right field line. After a fly out, Branden Boggetto hit a home run of his own, this time to left field, to make it 2-0. Clayton Evans and Trevor Ezell hit back-to-back doubles to extend the early lead to 3-0 after two innings.
Garrett Gandolfo hit a leadoff home run in the third inning. After a pair of walks, Scott Mitchell doubled to drive in Ryan Rippee. Hewitt scored on a groundout by Boggetto, widening the Redhawk lead to 6-0 in the third.
Collin Massanelli got the Red Wolves on the board with a solo home run to left in the fourth, 6-1 Southeast. After a hit batsman and a walk, an RBI single and a two-base error by Hewitt in right field plated two runs for the Red Wolves. An RBI single then narrowed the Redhawk lead to 6-4.
Arkansas State put up another four spot in the fifth inning to wipe away the Redhawk lead and go ahead on Southeast, 8-6. After Garret Stockton was knocked out of the game, Southeast brought in three more pitchers in the inning.
Southeast got a run back in the bottom of the inning when Hewitt scored on an RBI base hit by Boggetto, 8-7 Red Wolves.
The Red Wolves plated three more runs in the sixth to go out in front, 11-7, on the Redhawks.
A bases loaded wild pitch with nobody out got a Southeast run back in the sixth inning, 11-8. The Redhawk rally died when Adam Grantham came in to pitch and struck out the side to end the inning.
A home run by Matt Burgess in the seventh inning added to the Red Wolves' lead, 12-8.
After a pair of one-out walks, Hewitt drove in both runners on a double down the right field line to bring the score within two in the eighth, 12-10.
Southeast got the tying runs on base with two out in the bottom of the ninth but couldn't hit anything Grantham was throwing, falling to the Red Wolves, 12-10. Arkansas State narrowly outhit Southeast, 15-14. Both teams had three home runs each in the game.
Aside from Hewitt, Ezell also finished with a trio of hits in the game, going 3-for-4 with an RBI, a run, and two walks. Jason Blum, Gandolfo, and Boggetto all had two hits each. Boggetto finished with three RBI.
Zach George went 3-for-5 for ASU. Four other Red Wolf hitters each had two hits.
Brady Wright (0-3) suffered the loss after giving up the go-ahead three-run home run in the fifth inning. Stockton worked four innings in his fifth start of the season. The Redhawks used six pitchers in the game. Zach Moore pitched three innings in relief to finish the game.
Chandler Hawkins (2-5) earned the win for the Red Wolves. He pitched three innings out of the pen. Grantham earned his first save of the season after four innings of work to close the game. Grantham struck out eight of the 14 batters he faced.