FRIDAY'S SCORES
@Eastern Illinois 9, Eastern Kentucky 5
@Austin Peay 8, Morehead State 4
@Jacksonville State 8, Belmont 6
@SIUE 4, UT Martin 3
Southeast Missouri 10, @Murray State 3 (10 innings)
@#5 Arizona State 6,
Tennessee Tech 3
EASTERN ILLINOIS 9, EASTERN KENTUCKY 5
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois had some timely hitting in the middle innings Friday afternoon as the Panthers won the Ohio Valley Conference series opener, 9-5, over Eastern Kentucky at Coaches Stadium.
EIU improved to 8-28 overall, 5-14 in the OVC. EKU dropped to 14-23, 7-11 in the OVC.
Trailing 4-3 heading into the bottom of the fourth EIU scored three runs in the bottom of the inning. EIU loaded the bases with a Bobby Wenthe walk, John Devito single and Joseph Duncan infield hit. Marshawn Taylor then drew a bases loaded walk to tie the game as EKU starter Alex Hamilton (3-4) issued five walks on the day. Caleb Howell then delivered a two-run single through the right side that gave EIU the lead.
The Panthers tacked on two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth as Demetre Taylor had an RBI triple and Wenthe followed with an RBI double. Demetre Taylor was 4-for-5 for EIU with two RBI.
The offense would be enough for Panthers starter Jake Johansmeier (2-4) who won his second straight game going six innings. Chase Thurston picked up his second save of the year with three innings of relief.
EIU opened the game with two runs in the first on a Brant Valach sacrifice fly and infield hit by Demetre Taylor. The Panthers plated a run in the second on a Adam Casson single after Mitch Gasbarro opened the inning with a triple to right.
EKU scored single runs in the second and third innings. Shea Sullivan scored the Colonels first run stealing home on a double steal. Kyle Nowlin drove home EKU’s run in the third with a single up the middle.
The Colonels took the lead in the top of the fourth as Doug Teegarden and Mandy Alvarez had RBI singles. Teegarden finished the day 3-for-5 while Alvarez was 2-for-3. Logan Starnes and Kenny Hostrander also added two hits for EKU.
Both teams added a single run in the late innings. EKU scored in the seventh on an RBI single by Starnes. EIU’s run in the eighth was driven home by Valach with a single to right as he extended his hitting streak to ten games.
Duncan, Howell and Devito all had two hits for EIU.
AUSTIN PEAY 8, MOREHEAD STATE 4
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay State University’s baseball team scored eight runs in its final five innings to post an 8-4 come-from-behind victory against Morehead State, Friday night in Ohio Valley Conference action at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Trailing 3-0 after three innings, Austin Peay (22-17, 13-9 OVC) quickly rallied to tie the game in the fourth. Second baseman Logan Gray drove in the Govs first run with a double. Two outs later, first baseman Dre Gleason tied the game with a two-run home run to right center.
Austin Peay broke the tie with runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. The Govs took advantage of a Morehead State error to plate a run in the fifth. In the sixth, the Govs got back-to-back singles to start the inning, center fielder Patrick Massoni moved the runners with a sacrifice bunt and catcher T.J. Marik drove in a run with a sacrifice fly for a 5-3 lead.
Morehead State (25-17, 11-8 OVC) threatened in the seventh. APSU starter Alex Robles began the inning by hitting a batter and surrendering a single before leaving the game. Reliever Levi Primasing couldn’t quell the threat, issuing a walk to the only batter he faced to load the bases.
Austin Peay turned to closer A.J. Gaura at that point with the bases loaded and no outs. Gaura would surrender a run on a wild pitch, but then got back-to-back strike outs. He induced an inning-ending fielder’s choice to end the threat with APSU leading 5-4.
The Govs added three insurance runs in the eighth. Robles hit a leadoff home run – his first since Feb. 18, 2014 – to start the rally. An Eagles error in a single by Massoni gave the Govs another opportunity to score and third baseman Ridge Smith made it pay off with a two-run single, extending the lead to 8-4.
Robles (5-2) won his fifth straight start, going six-plus innings and allowing four runs on seven hits. He struck out four batters, but a first-inning walk ended a streak of 20 consecutive innings without allowing a walk.
Gaura tossed the final three scoreless innings without allowing a hit, striking out four and walking two batters, to earn his season’s sixth save.
Gray, Robles and Gleason each had two hits as Austin Peay finished with 10 hits in the contest. Smith and Gleason also had two RBI each.
Morehead State right fielder Brandon Rawe went 2-for-4, including a first-inning two-run home run. Designated hitter Jimmy Wright led off the second inning with a home run and was 1-for-3 on the night.
Eagles starter Luke Humphreys (5-2) held Austin Peay scoreless through three innings. However, he ultimately was tagged for the loss after allowing five runs on six hits in six innings, finishing with six strikeouts.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 8, BELMONT 6
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Jacksonville State's Zachary Fowler looked like he did in last season's Ohio Valley Conference Championship game on Friday night as he went a season-high 7.1 innings along with 13 Gamecock hits en route to an 8-6 win over Belmont at Rudy Abbott Field.
Fowler, who was an out away from matching his career-best outing - which was the championship contest last season, kept a prolific Bruins' offense off balance throughout the night and induced a couple of double play balls in the outing. The Daphne, Alabama-righthander allowed just seven hits and gave up just three runs and matched his season-high in strikeouts with seven. Fowler improved to 6-2 on the season.
JSU needed a performance like that out of its senior Friday night starter as it snapped a four-game Ohio Valley Conference losing streak and improved the league mark to 8-11 on the season. The Gamecocks moved to a game over the .500 mark at 21-20. The Bruins have now lost three of their last four league contests after dropping two to Eastern Illinois last weekend.
After Fowler was touched for an early run in the first inning and handed a 2-1 lead after JSU's first plate appearance, he did not allow a Bruin to cross the plate until the fifth. By that time, Jax State put together six runs in the first three innings to take a 6-2 lead. The Gamecocks built the lead with timely hitting, highlighted by junior Tyler Gamble's pair of doubles in back-to-back plate appearances. Gamble drove in the first JSU run of the game in the first with a double to left field. The Alabaster, Alabama-product delivered another RBI double in the third. Gamble and Paschal Petrongolo combined for six hits in eight at bats against the Bruins' starter, Dan Ludwig. The 13 hits allowed by Ludwig is a season-high for him as he was chased in the sixth. Ludwig fell to 3-4 on the year with the loss.
Senior Ryan Sebra also had success off Ludwig with a pair of hits that combined for three RBI on the night. Sebra has now hit safely in 18 of the 19 OVC games this season.
BU's lone runs in the fifth and sixth trimmed the deficit to 6-4 entering the Gamecocks' half of the sixth. Ludwig looked like he was going to escape the inning after two outs, but a throwing error opened the door for JSU to add two insurance runs. Hayden White, who reached on a single, scored on the errant throw on a ball off of Clayton Daniel's bat. Petrongolo drove in the eighth run with a double down the left field line.
The Bruins made things interesting in the ninth with three runs in the final frame. The inning was highlighted by Nick Egli belting his second home run of the night to make it an 8-6 contest. Egli was 3-for-4 with four RBI.
SIUE 4, UT MARTIN 3
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. -– Dustin Woodcock was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning, forcing in the deciding run for SIUE in a 4-3 win over UT Martin in the opener of a three-game series at Simmons Baseball Complex.
The win snapped a five-game losing streak for the Cougars, who improved to 13-9 in the Ohio Valley Conference and 13-21 overall. UT Martin fell to 12-27 and 5-14 in the OVC.
With the game tied 3-3, Chase Green opened the ninth with a single through the middle against reliever Carter Smith. Smith then walked Keaton Wright before retiring the next two hitters. Skyler Geissinger walked to load the bases with two outs. Woodcock was hit with a 3-2 pitch. Green came home with the game-winning run.
The ninth-inning rally by the Cougars capped an entertaining night that began with outstanding starting pitching from both sides.
SIUE starter P.J. Schuster allowed two runs over seven innings. He allowed only four hits and struck out a career-best nine hitters. Schuster retired the first seven batters he faced, including five strikeouts.
UT Martin starter Matt Poteete was nearly as tough. Poteete worked 6 1/3 innings allowing two runs on seven hits he walked three and struck out four.
UT Martin got on the scoreboard first, scoring single runs in the third and fifth innings to lead 2-0.
The Cougars loaded the bases in the seventh inning on back-to-back one-out hits by Denton Reed and Nick Lombardo. Lombardo was the last batter Poteete faced. UT Martin reliever Patrick Bernard walked Green to load the bases. Wright reached first on catcher's interference, allowing Reed to score to cut the Skyhawks' lead to 2-1. Alec Saikal followed with a two-run single through the left side of the infield to give the Cougars their first lead.
The Skyhawk had an answer in the top of the eighth against SIUE reliever Brett Thomas. Johnson walked Fletcher Johnson to open the inning. Johnson then stole second base. Nick Pribble followed with a base hit, scoring Johnson to tie the game 3-3. Andrew Castillon then doubled. The Cougars elected to intentionally pass the Skyhawks No. 3 hitter, Taylor Douglas to load the bases with nobody out. Thomas then proceeded to strikeout out the side in order to preserve the tie game.
Thomas earned the win to improve to 3-2. He struck out four hitters in two innings of relief.
Reed paced the Cougars offensively. SIUE had nine hits as a team. Reed was 3 for 4. Matt Hirsch 3 for 4 for UTM, which finished with just eight hits.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 10, MURRAY STATE 3 (10)
MURRAY, Ky. - Friday evening's series opener between Southeast Missouri and Murray State featured a classic pitcher's duel through eight and a half innings. The Racers tied the game in the ninth but a seven-run tenth by Southeast was enough to down Murray State, 10-3.
The first-place Redhawks improve to 26-15 on the season and 17-5 in Ohio Valley Conference play. Murray State falls to 14-29, 9-10 OVC.
Both starting pitchers pitched phenomenally Friday evening. Joey Lucchesi pitched eight innings, allowing one run on three hits and fanned a new career-high 13 batters. Murray's Brad Boegel worked nine and a third innings for the Racers. Boegel struck out nine Redhawk batters and retired 18 straight batters at one point.
Southeast Missouri wasted no time jumping on Boegel for a pair of runs in the opening frame. Trevor Ezell started the series with a base hit up the middle. He came around to score on a double off the left-center field wall by Garrett Gandolfo. Gandolfo immediately scored on a single through the left side by Andy Lennington. Southeast Missouri led 2-0 after one half inning of play.
Murray flew into two quick outs in the bottom of the inning but a pair of hits and a defensive miscue allowed the Racers to narrow the early Redhawk lead to 2-1 after one inning.
Jason Blum doubled to lead off the eighth inning for Southeast's first hit since the first inning. Clayton Evans reached when he swung at strike three in the dirt that got away from the catcher; Blum took third on the play. Blum scored on another wild pitch by Boegel to extend the Redhawk lead to 3-1.
Matthew Wade entered in the ninth inning to close the game but a costly hit batsman and an error by Blum attempting to turn a game-ending double play allowed Murray State to tie the game at three runs apiece and send the series opener to extra innings. It was Wade's second straight blown save.
Seven Redhawks crossed the plate in the top of the tenth inning to take a 10-3 lead on the Racers. The inning featured RBI hits from Branden Boggetto, Ryan Rippee, Ezell, and Lennington. The inning was highlighted by Scott Mitchell's two-run home run to put Southeast on top 10-3.
Alex Siddle and Brady Wright each pitched in the bottom of the tenth to close the game and secure the series-opening victory.
Southeast strung together 10 hits in the game, five of them in the tenth inning. Ezell and Lennington each had a pair of hits.
Tyler Lawrence and Nick Moore each had two hits for Murray; Moore had the only Racer RBI.
Wade (3-0) picked up the win in the game. Wade pitched only one inning but was the pitcher of record when Southeast recaptured the lead in the tenth.
#5 ARIZONA STATE 6, TENNESSEE TECH 3
TEMPE, Ariz. - Friday night's comeback bid fell just short for the Tennessee Tech baseball team, as the Golden Eagles (19-20) fell to the No. 5 ranked Arizona State Sun Devils (27-11) at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, 6-3.
It was all Arizona State early in the ball game, as the home squad got the scoring started early an often, plating three in the bottom of the first and two more in the second. The Sun Devils took advantage of a Golden Eagle miscue on the first play of the game, making two of their three first-inning runs unearned.
In the second, ASU quickly picked up where it left off the inning prior, collecting four hits in the first five at bats, including the first three of the frame. Two more Sun Devil runners crossed to give the home squad a 5-0 lead early.
But the Golden Eagles refused to go down without a fight. And they gave the No. 5 ranked squad all they could handle.
Tech hurler Chris Chism settled down after a tough start to the game, setting down the side in order in the third. After a leadoff hit and subsequent walk to start the fourth, the senior forced two straight pop ups and then ended the frame with a swinging punchout.
With Chism relatively settled in, the Golden Eagle offense took over in the fifth, sending eight to the plate to cross three and trim the Sun Devil lead down to 5-3. Redshirt freshman Ryan Flick got the inning started, missing a home run by inches. The designated hitter "settled" for a leadoff double of the top of the wall in right field.
Second baseman Jake Farr reached on an Arizona State error in the next at bat to put two on and set up Anthony El Chibani two batters later for the first RBI of the game for Tech. The sophomore outfielder drilled a single to left center field to plate Flick and start the Tech rally.
After the Sun Devils tallied the second out of the inning, David Allen singled through the left side to drive in the second Tech run of the game. All-American shortstop Dylan Bosheers followed, lacing his own RBI single to left center field and providing the third run of the inning for the Golden Eagles.
Chism made quick work of the Sun Devils in the fifth, setting down the side in order. In the sixth, ASU threatened to increase its lead, plating two of the first three batters. A senior veteran, Chism forced a fly out and ground out to wrap up the sixth.
The Tampa, Fla. native dug deep on the night, coming out for the seventh frame despite approaching the 100-pitch mark the previous inning. Chism forced a quick fly out, and after hitting the next batter, forced a ground out to grab the second out of the inning with a runner on second.
He focused in hard on the final batter of the frame, trading balls and strikes to load the count on five pitches. With a runner in scoring position, Chism got the batter to swing freely and whiff on a devastating slider to end the inning and his night.
After a scoring an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth on a Tech miscue, the Sun Devils looked to put the visiting squad away in the top of the ninth in quick fashion. Problem was, the Golden Eagles weren't having that.
Jake Farr led off the frame with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a ground out on the n next at bat. Arizona State did manage to tally the second out of the frame and brought in reliever Eric Melbostad for the final out.
The junior proved to be a little wild, walking Tyler Brazelton on four pitches. He then recorded a throwing error after fielding a swinging bunt by David Allen, tossing the ball too high for the first baseman and loading the bases for Dylan Bosheers. The Tech slugger just missed out on barreling the ball, grounding out to the pitcher to end the contest and have the Tech rally come up just short.
Chism took just his second loss of the season on the night, despite tossing seven innings and allowing just three earned runs. The senior fanned five on the evening while racking up a pitch count of 109. Flick led the Tech offense, going 2-for-4 with an extra-base hit and a run scored. Allen also tallied two hits in the contest.
Seth Martinez notched his second win of the year for the Sun Devils while Melbostad earned his third save. Colby Woodmansee was the top batter for the home squad, going 3-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored.