TUESDAY'S SCORES
@Morehead State 15, Alabama A&M 4
#12 Illinois 14,
@Eastern Illinois 10
Belmont 11, @Southern Illinois 1
@Alabama State 10,
Jacksonville State 1
Tennessee Tech 6, @Middle Tennessee 5
@#20 Missouri State 2,
Southeast Missouri 1
Western Illinois,
@SIUE (cancelled)
UT Martin, @Evansville (rescheduled)
MOREHEAD STATE 15, ALABAMA A&M 4
MOREHEAD, Ky. - The Morehead State baseball team smacked 16 hits and produced an eight-run inning for the fourth time in five games as the Eagles defeated Alabama A&M 15-4 in a rain-shortened, six-inning contest Tuesday at Allen Field.
The game was halted at 6:17 p.m. ET due to lightning just prior to the start of the bottom of the sixth. The teams waited 30 minutes before the game was not resumed and deemed official. Additional inclement weather had been detected nearby.
Morehead State won its sixth consecutive game to improve to 17-13, while AAMU slipped to 19-16. The Eagles now have a six-game success streak the last two seasons.
The Eagles have now registered double-digit run totals in seven straight games, and according to MSU and NCAA records, that is a first in program history.
After the Bulldogs plated a pair of the top of the first, the Eagles scored twice in the first, five times in the third and eighth in the fifth. AAMU got a two-run homer in the sixth for the game's final runs.
MSU sent 13 batters to the plate in the fifth, notching seven hits. Freshman first baseman Tyler Niemann and senior leftfielder Nick Newell tallied two-run hits.
Freshman third baseman Evan Warden led the offense with a 3-for-4 effort, while Niemann, who entered the game in the fourth, was 2-for-2. Senior catcher Chris Robinson, freshman second baseman Braxton Morris, senior shortstop Robby Spencer and Newell had two hits each. Spencer and Newell drove in a team-high three runs. Spencer now leads the club with 38 RBI in 2015.
Senior rightfielder Brandon Rawe extended his hitting streak to 11 games, while Spencer, Newell and sophomore centerfielder Ryan Kent now have nine-game hitting streaks intact. Spencer, Newell and Rawe have reached base in 11 consecutive outings.
Freshman pitcher David Calderon (2-1) was credited with the victory, surrendering two runs in the first three innings. Fellow freshman hurler Brent Stoneking tossed the final three with two runs allowed.
Alabama A&M starter Caleb Bowen (2-2) was tagged for seven runs in three innings. Caleb Roberts gave up eight runs in the next two frames.
#12 ILLINOIS 14, EASTERN ILLINOIS 10
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois and No. 12 Illinois traded the lead early with both teams having a big inning, but in the end it was a five-run fourth inning that proved to be the difference for Illinois during a 14-10 midweek win at Coaches Stadium.
EIU fell to 1-24 on the year while Illinois improved to 25-6-1.
The Fighting Illini opened the game with a five-run first inning as Jason Goldstein hit a grand slam after a pair of walks and a Ryan Nagle double that loaded the bases. Goldstein would drive home six runs for Illinois on the day going 3-of-5 at the plate. David Kerian closed out the inning with a solo home run.
EIU fought back with two runs in the second with Marshawn Taylor driving home one of the runs. The Panthers took the lead in the third with four runs against starter Cody Sedlock. Cale Hennemann and Caleb Howell each drove home a run with Jason Scholl driving home two more runs with a single up the middle. Scholl has now reached base safely in 11 straight games.
After two solid innings of relief on the mound in the second and third inning, EIU reliever Andy Fisher (0-3) could not get out of the fourth as Illinois scored five runs to retake the lead. Goldstein and Casey Fletcher started the big inning with each driving home a run. Ryan Roper delivered a sacrifice fly and Adam Walton had an RBI single to center.
J.D. Nielsen (1-1) pitched 3.1 innings of scoreless baseball to pick up the win. Reid Roper closed out the ninth but not before EIU provided some dramatics as Brant Valach came to the plate with the bases loaded as the tying run. Valach lifted a ball deep to the warning track that was caught to end the game. In the ninth EIU scored two runs with Bobby Wenthe hitting an RBI single up the middle and Howell collecting an RBI with a bases loaded hit by pitch. Howell drove home three runs as he hit safely in his eighth straight game. Wenthe was 2-for-2 at the plate after entering the game in the eighth as a pinch hitter.
EU scored one run in the seventh on a Jack Martin RBI single to right. The Panthers have three pinch hitters collect hits in the eighth producing a run.
Illinois added runs in the sixth on a Walton RBI double as he was 2-for-4. Ryan Roper hit a solo home run in the eighth and Goldstein had an RBI double in the ninth.
EIU finished with an 18-11 hit advantage as both teams stranded double digit runners on base. Valach was 3-for-5 for EIU while Taylor and Hunter Morris both had two hits.
BELMONT 11, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 1
CARBONDALE, Ill. - After giving up a run to the Salukis in the first inning, the Bruins held them scoreless for eight while driving in 11 runs. The Bruins defeated the Salukis 11-1 on Tuesday and Swept the home and home series.
Starting on the mound for the Bruins was Dom Veltri. Veltri pitched 5.0 innings and allowed only one run on 6 hits and struck out 5.
The Bruins scored their 11 runs on 13 hits spreading out the runs acorss 5 innings.
Veltri received the win on the mound and improves his record to 2-2. The Bruins improve their overall record to 17-1
ALABAMA STATE 10, JACKSONVILLE STATE 1
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Jacksonville State dropped its second game of three games with Alabama State on Tuesday with a 10-1 setback at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex in the capital city.
The Hornets, who will visit Rudy Abbott Field on April 15 for the final meeting of the season, have now won two consecutive games against Jax State after picking up their first win 3-1 earlier this season in Montgomery. The Gamecocks fall to 17-12 overall, while ASU improved to 20-11 on the season. The Red and White will look to snap a three-game losing skid on Wednesday against the Blazers of UAB in Birmingham at UAB's Young Memorial Field.
It was an impressive outing by ASU's Tyler Howe as he kept the Gamecocks off balanced throughout the contest. After struggling with his command early and allowing three walks that led to JSU's lone run in the second inning, Howe settled in to allow just one hit after the second inning. The Gamecocks scoried the run on an RBI single by Gavin Golsan. He plated Tyler Gamble, who reached on one of Howe's bases on balls.
Howe also received back up from his offense as the Hornets touched JSU starter Ryan Sebra for five runs in just two innings of work for Sebra. ASU plated two runs in the opening frame after an RBI by Chris Biocic and P. J. Harris. ASU added runs five of the final six plate appearances as the offense was led by Biocic and P.J. Biocic. The duo combined for seven RBI and four of the Hornets' nine total hits. Cesar Rivera added a pair of hits, including a triple on the night. ASU' Hunter Allen posted a solo home run in the Hornets' half of the seventh for the fourth extra base hit of the contest.
Howe finished the night with six strikeouts in his 7.1 innings of work. He gave up the lone run and allowed just three hits. After a double by Sebra, Howe retired nine consecutive batters before allowing a hit.
JSU used four pitchers on the night and got quality outings from Jesse Fry and Michael Barber. Fry and Barber combined for six strikeouts. Dalton Etheridge finished the contest by tossing the ninth. The Hornets also used many arms late in the game after Howe's solid evening.
TENNESSEE TECH 6, MIDDLE TENNESSEE 5
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - A seventh-inning rally propelled the Tennessee Tech baseball team to a big midweek victory over in-state rival Middle Tennessee Tuesday evening, as the Golden Eagles (13-18) used a six-run barrage to set back the Blue Raiders (17-14), 6-5.
Through six innings, the home team held a 2-0 edge over the Golden Eagle squad, scoring single runs in the third and sixth frames.
But Tech had other plans for the night, taking control in the top of the seventh inning. Freshman designated hitter Ryan Flick led off the top half by doubling to center field. After a quick out and pitching change for the Blue Raiders, Josh Pankratz came to the plate and singled to right field.
Anthony El Chibani followed up by getting hit by pitch, loading the bases for Tyler Brazelton. The sophomore delivered a huge hit, doubling down the left field line and tying the game for the Golden Eagles at 2-2.
Next up for the Cookeville bunch marked senior David Allen. The center fielder gave the Golden Eagles the lead for good, singling in another Tech run for a 3-2 lead. After Allen advanced to second base on a passed ball, All-American Dylan Bosheers watched as he was intentionally walked to load the bases. A strikeout put the Blue Raiders just one out away from escaping from any more damage, but senior Jordan Hopkins took his turn at the dish.
Hopkins delivered the biggest hit of the ball game, doubling to right field and clearing the bases for a 6-2 Tech lead.
Middle Tennessee nearly made a rally of its own, scoring three runs in the bottom of the eighth on a balk and two-run home run by Jared Allen. Then, in the ninth inning, Jake Ingold led off with a single to center field off Tech closer Cain Sloan.
A sacrifice bunt and ground out gave the Golden Eagles two outs, but also moved Allen to third base, representing the tying run with Will Schnure stepping into the box. He nearly provided the run needed to tie things up smacking a dribbler down toward third base. Tech catcher Jordan Hopkins made a brilliant play on the ball, leaping forward to the ball in play and throwing out Schnure by a half-step to secure the big victory.
Sloan collected his second save of the season in the outing, covering the final four outs for Tech while striking out one and allowing just one hit. He marked the final of six Golden Eagle hurlers to take the hill on the night, with Jeb Scoggins grabbing his first win of the season.
Austin Tolle, Travis Moths, Trevor Maloney, Scoggins, Kyle Godwin and Sloan all combined to fan 12 Blue Raider batters on the night, with each recording at least one K in the contest.
Hopkins led the Tech offense on the night, going 2-for-5 with three RBI. Brazelton added two RBI with one hit and one run scored. Six different Golden Eagles scored runs on the night.
#20 MISSOURI STATE 2, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 1
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Garret Stockton was stellar through six innings Tuesday evening but a two-run seventh was enough for the No. 20 Missouri State Bears to down Southeast Missouri, 2-1.
Southeast falls to 19-13 while the Bears climb to 21-8 on the season.
Stockton pitched six scoreless innings before allowing the go-ahead runs to reach base in the seventh. He struck out four hitters and surrendered five hits in the outing.
After three scoreless innings on both sides, the Redhawks touched home first in the fourth inning. Andy Lennington drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and to third on a groundout. Branden Boggetto hit a slow, infield dribbler that he beat out at first, allowing Lennington to score and putting Southeast on the board, 1-0.
Back-to-back one-out doubles tied the game at a run apiece in the seventh inning. Alex Siddle came in to pitch and immediately threw a wild pitch, allowing the go-ahead run to reach third. A base hit up the middle by Jake Burger plated the eventual game-winning run, 2-1 Missouri State.
MSU's typical weekend ace, Matt Hall, came in to shut down the Redhawk offense in the eighth and ninth innings, securing the win for the Bears. Hall struck out four of the six batters he faced to close the game.
Southeast narrowly outhit the Bears, 7-6, but left six runners on base. Trevor Ezell had a pair of hits in the game, going 2-for-4.
Stockton would suffer the loss and is now 1-1 on the season.
Missouri State's Matt Fultz and Burger each had two hits for the Bears.
Zach Merciez (2-2) picked up the win in relief Tuesday. Hall earned his first save of the season after pitching two innings to close the game.