SATURDAY'S SCORES
@Belmont 3, Murray State 2
Eastern Illinois 11, @Morehead State 9
Tennessee Tech 11, @Southeast Missouri 5
Jacksonville State 5, @Eastern Kentucky 2
@UT Martin 16, Austin Peay 7
@Illinois State 2-11,
SIUE 1-8
BELMONT 3, MURRAY STATE 2
NASHVILLE - Tyler Walsh doubled home Matt Beaty with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth clinching the series and the 3-2 win over the Murray State Racers on Saturday at Rose Park.
Aaron Quillen received the start on the mound and pitched 7.2 innings striking out eight. Matthew Kinney came in for Quillen in relief and pitched out of a jam in the eighth and retired the other three batters faced in the ninth.
The Bruins were held scoreless most of the game by Murray State's Brock Downey who pitched a strong 8 innings and took the hard-luck loss.
Tyler Fullerton scored in the bottom of the second after leading off with a double to left center.
Murray State had a solo home run in the fourth by Tyler Lawrence and tacked on the go ahead run in the seventh by ways of a sacrifice fly.
After being held to 6 scoreless innings, the Bruins returned to the plate when it counted most in the bottom of the ninth. Drew Ferguson led off the inning with a double to center field. Next, Beaty delivered with a single through the right side to plate Ferguson and tie the game at 2 apiece. With one out and runner on first, Nick Egli singled up the middle.
Walsh was the hero in game two when he stepped to the plate and delivered a walk off double barely in fair territory down the right line plating Beaty for the 3-2 win bottom of the ninth.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 11, MOREHEAD STATE 9
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Eastern Illinois scored early on Saturday afternoon before holding on for an 11-9 win over Morehead State to even the weekend Ohio Valley Conference series.
Demetre Taylor had a big start to the day driving in all four of his runs in the first two innings as the Panthers built an 8-1 lead against Morehead State starter Craig Pearcy (2-4).
Taylor had a run scoring double in the first inning and hit a three-run homer in the second. Taylor finished the day 2-for-5 at the plate.
Bobby Wenthe added to the offensive punch in the first inning with a two-run homer.
Mitch Gasbarro and Cale Hennemann both had three hits with Hennemann driving home two runs with a single in the second and RBI double in the sixth. Caleb Howell was 2-for-3 as he continues his late season hot hitting. Howell raised his batting average to .389.
Matt Wivinis (2-7) worked seven innings on the mound to pick up his second win of the season. Chase Thurston closed out the final two innings.
MSU scored five runs in the bottom of the third with Clayton Meyer hitting a three-run double. Meyer was for 3-for-5 driving home six of the Eagles runs. He added a home run in the ninth. Ryan Kent and Robbie Spencer each had three hits for MSU.
EIU is now 11-30 overall, 7-16 in the OVC. Morehead State fell to 29-18, 14-9 in the OVC.
TENNESSEE TECH 11, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 5
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Less than 24 hours after being held to six hits by Ohio Valley Conference rival Southeast Missouri, the Tennessee Tech baseball team flipped the book on the home team as the Golden Eagles (21-23, 12-11) nearly tripled their output with the bats (and received an incredible relief performance from freshman Travis Moths) in an 11-5 victory over the Redhawks (30-16, 20-6) in Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Much like the night before, the Tech squad kicked off the scoring in Saturday's match-up against the OVC's first-place squad, collecting the contest's first run off the bat of redshirt freshman Ryan Flick. The Golden Eagles started the game with leadoff man and left fielder Tyler Brazelton reaching after a five-pitch walk.
Senior David Allen followed right behind, taking first after a fielding error by the Redhawks. After a fly out by shortstop Dylan Bosheers allowed Brazelton to advance to third, Flick sent the first pitch he saw deep to center field for a sacrifice fly and first run of the game.
Southeast Missouri answered in the bottom of the second, collecting two runs on two hits and two Tech miscues. Brazelton struck again for the Golden Eagles in the top of the third, however, tying the game with his second home run of the season, a leadoff bomb to left field on the first pitch he saw.
Once again, the Redhawks looked to put the visitors out of the game, plating three runs over the next two innings while chasing Golden Eagle starter Evan Fraliex from the game. Headed to the fifth, the home squad owned a 5-2 lead and a good amount of momentum.
It didn't take long for the Golden Eagles to change that as the bats came out in full force and freshman hurler Travis Moths turned in arguably the most impressive performance of his young career.
As far as the offense goes, the Tech squad got it all started in the top of the fifth (and really never let up until the ninth), with sophomore Anthony El Chibani singling through the right side after the first out of the frame. Brazelton smacked a flare to right field in the next at bat, setting up David Allen for some fun.
The center fielder singled to left field, driving in El Chibani to trim to the lead to 5-3. But the play wasn't over. An error in the outfield allowed Allen to come around all the way to third, and by circumstance also allowed Brazelton to cross the dish and flash another marker on the scoreboard for the visitors.
All-American Dylan Bosheers made sure to make his at bat count and tie things up, ripping an RBI single to left field to square the score at 5-5 after the top of the fifth. And the bats were just warming up.
In the sixth, the Redhawks quickly recorded the first out, much like the prior turn for the Tech offense. And things turned out essentially the same. After working the count full and fouling off a total of three pitches, junior Jake Farr drilled a single through the right side to set up the developing power bat of Chase Chambers.
The freshman first baseman watched two pitches miss their mark before laying into Redhawk starter Travis Hayes' third offering, blasting a two-run bombzini over right field fence and providing the Moths with all the run support he would need. But the Golden Eagles still weren't done.
Freshman third baseman Trevor Putzig followed the dinger off the bat of Chambers by singling up the middle and promptly stealing second base. The theft allowed him to cross home plate after El Chibani singled up the middle. The Redhawks grabbed the second out of the frame by catching El Chibani trying to swipe second base, but Brazelton took care of business at the dish, singling through the left side to keep the inning alive.
Allen doubled down the right field line to put two in scoring position for the Bosheers, an opportunity becoming increasingly rare for the Lawrenceburg, Tenn. native due to his threatening ability to drive in runs. For the seventh time this season, the senior was intentionally walked, loading the bases for the team's RBI leader, Ryan Flick.
And he took home a well-earned RBI, fouling off three pitches during a seven-pitch at bat before watching ball four pass by. Following the end of the sixth, Tech owned a 9-5 lead.
Tech scored twice more in the contest, plating runners in the seventh and eighth innings with an RBI single by El Chibani and RBI single by Farr.
As for the pitching, Moths was nothing short of dominant coming of out of the bullpen, covering the final five and one third innings to collect his third victory of the season. The freshman entered the contest in the fourth, promptly striking out the first batter he faced on four pitches. He would set down eight more Redhawk batters on strikes the rest of the way, allowing just two hits and two walks while shutting down arguable the most potent offense in the league.
Moths fanned the next two batters that came to plate, and retired seven straight Southeast Missouri players before allowing a leadoff single in the seventh. He recovered nicely, however, striking out the next Redhawk batter before inducing an inning-ending double play.
Most impressively the right-hander battled back from some adversity in the eighth inning, allowing two base runners to reach with one out. He forced a pop out to the next batter, but a wild pitch let the runners advance to second and third. No matter. Moths dug deep to strike out the final batter of the inning and kill any kind of momentum left in the home squad.
Inning number nine seemed to a breeze for the youngster, as he closed out the final frame with three consecutive punchouts, all swinging, to gather the big victory for the Golden Eagles.
Brazelton led the charge on the day for the Tech offense, collecting three hits in for at bats, scoring four times and driving in a run as well. Flick drove in two runs in the contest, despite not collecting a hit. Chambers and El Chibani each tallied multiple RBI as well, with the latter going 3-for-5 at the dish.
Putzig enjoyed one of his best career games with a bat, scoring two runs as part of a 3-for-5 performance. Bosheers, Allen and Farr each tallied two hits as well, giving the Golden Eagles 16 for the game.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 5, EASTERN KENTUCKY 2
RICHMOND, Ky. - For the second straight Saturday, Jacksonville State freshman Jake Walsh turned in another stellar outing on the mound as the Gamecocks clinched the series against Eastern Kentucky with a 5-2 win at Turkey Hughes Field on the EKU campus.
Jax State will aim for its second consecutive Ohio Valley Conference weekend sweep on Sunday at Noon CST after taking all three games last weekend against Belmont. The Gamecocks improved to 12-11 in the OVC and 25-21. The win pushed JSU into a two-way tie for sixth place in the conference standings with Tennessee Tech, who topped OVC-leader Southeast Missouri, 11-5 on Saturday. With Saturday's win, the Gamecocks have now won 11 straight series against the Colonels. EKU dropped to 17-26 overall and 8-14 in OVC play.
Walsh, who went seven complete innings last Saturday against the Bruins, was extended to 7.1 innings of work and limited EKU to just six hits and a pair of runs. The Melbourne, Florida-righthander posted six strikeouts and did not issue a walk. Walsh collected his third win overall and second in as many weeks against OVC competition.
Walsh was touched for the first run of the game in the first inning as EKU got a leadoff hit by Kyle Nowlin, who scored on a sacrifice fly by T.J. Alas. He would settle in the rest of the way and not allow the Colonels to score their second run until the seventh. Walsh had a string of retiring 11 straight Colonels and did not allow an EKU hit from the third inning until Alas led off the seventh with a single.
While Walsh was limiting the EKU offense, the Gamecocks started to warm up at the plate. JSU touched EKU pitching for 14 hits on the day, including a three-hit putting for freshman catcher Hayden White. After trailing 1-0 through the first three innings, Jax State pushed the equalizing run across the plate. Senior Ryan Sebra doubled just inside the third base line and moved to third on a single by Paul Angel. Junior Elliot McCummings laced an RBI single to left center.
JSU would break the 1-all deadlock in the seventh with an RBI single by Paschal Petrongolo. He drove in White, who started the inning with a single. JSU was gifted a run by a throwing error by the Colonels on a sacrifice bunt situation to give JSU a 3-1 lead heading in to the home half of the seventh.
Alas finally solved Walsh for the leadoff hit in the eighth and moved in to scoring position after a wild pitch and a ground ball out. EKU put two on base to end Walsh's day and loaded the bases with a single off of freshman Grant Chandler. Chandler induced a fly ball to right center to score Alas and then another deep fly ball to end the threat.
JSU added a pair of insurance runs in the ninth with White starting things off with a double to center. EKU botched another sac bunt attempt by the Gamecocks with another throwing miscue. White scored the fourth run of the day as Taylor Hawthorne moved to third on his sac bunt play. Clayton Daniel came through again with a sacrifice fly to right to plate JSU's fifth run.
Senior Travis Stout quick-worked the Colonels in the ninth to collect his 11th save of the season. Logan Hershenow suffered the loss for EKU.
UT MARTIN 16, AUSTIN PEAY 7
MARTIN, Tenn. - For the second time in five days, the University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team established a new season-high in runs scored as the Skyhawks used five home runs to blow past Ohio Valley Conference rival Austin Peay, 16-7 at Skyhawk Field.
Andrew Castillo and Taylor Douglas each went deep twice while Austin Taylor hit the first home run of the game for the Skyhawks, who slammed five round trippers for the first time since April 23, 2013 against Central Arkansas.
Douglas drove in a career-best six RBI’s – four of which came from a grand slam in the seventh inning. Castillo added three hits and career-highs of four runs scored and four RBI’s while Taylor registered a career-high four hits to go along with two RBI’s and two runs scored for UT Martin, who improved to 14-30 (6-17 OVC).
On the mound, Carter Smith gutted his way through six innings for a quality start – improving to 3-8 on the season. Smith allowed three runs in the first inning but settled down to shut down the Governors over his final five innings, allowing six hits in all while fanning four. Patrick Bernard tossed the final three frames and in the process earned his seventh save of the season – tying the all-time record for single-season saves in UT Martin history, set by Wes Alsup in 2010.
Austin Peay (23-22, 14-12 OVC) scored three runs in the first inning but Smith found his groove in the top of the second, getting three groundouts in a scoreless inning.
UT Martin then struck loudly in the second inning, scratching out five runs. Nico Zych walked on four pitches to begin the frame and Taylor launched a two-run homer to right center to make the score 3-2. Nick Pribble followed with a double and after Fletcher Johnson was issued a two-out walk, Castillo crushed the first pitch he saw for a towering three-run shot over the scoreboard to give the Skyhawks a 5-3 advantage – a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the way.
Smith carved up Austin Peay for another shutout frame in the third and UT Martin tacked on another run in the third. Taylor led off with a double down the left field line and eventually came in to score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Luis Paublini.
Smith got the first two outs on seven pitches in the fourth but the next three Austin Peay batters reached base safely. Smith responded by inducing a flyout to right field to strand the bases loaded to keep the Skyhawks ahead.
Castillo and Douglas both connected on solo homers in the bottom of the fourth to extend UT Martin’s lead out to 8-3.
Austin Peay was retired in order by Smith in the fifth, as the senior from St. Louis, Mo. needed just 12 pitches to get through the frame.
The Skyhawks built up an 11-3 advantage after scoring three runs in the fifth. Andrew Massey singled and advanced to second on an error to lead off the inning. Paublini singled to put men on the corners for Johnson, who sacrificed Paublini to second. After an intentional walk to Castillo loaded the bases, Matt Hirsch singled to center to plate both Massey and Paublini. Douglas then reached on a fielding error but was credited with an RBI after Castillo scampered in to score.
Smith pitched around a two-out walk to post yet another shutout frame in the sixth, his final inning of work. Bernard then took over and accounted for a scoreless seventh inning.
UT Martin concluded its highest-scoring game of the season with a five-run seventh inning. Douglas provided the big blow with an opposite-field grand slam, scoring himself, Johnson (reached on error), Castillo (single) and Hirsch (hit by pitch). Zych would later draw a walk and score on a wild pitch to make the score 16-3 after seven innings of play.
The Governors added two runs in the eighth and two in the ninth but Bernard dialed up a pair of strikeouts in the ninth to close out the win.
ILLINOIS STATE 2-11, SIUE 1-8
NORMAL, Ill. - Illinois State swept a doubleheader from SIUE baseball Saturday winning the opener 2-1 and 11-8 in the nightcap at Duffy Bass Field. Both games were seven-inning games.
The Cougars dropped to 16-24 overall. Illinois State improved to 23-22.
A Dustin Woodcock solo home run was the lone SIUE run in game one. Woodcock led off the fifth inning with the homer, his fifth of the year, to put the Cougars up 1-0. Woodcock finished the game 2 for 3. Keaton Wright also was 2 for 3 for SIUE.
The Redbirds answered in the bottom of the inning against Cougar starter Jarrett Bednar.
Dennis Colon walked to start the inning. Daniel Dwyer followed with a single. Paul DeJong doubled to the left field wall to score Colon. Dwyer scored on a sacrifice fly later in the inning for the final 2-1 margin.
Jacob Hendren (9-1) went the distance for ISU. Bednar worked into the fifth, allowing both runs on seven hits. He struck out three, walked one, and dropped to 2-5.
The Cougars scored eight runs on 13 hits in the second game, but it wasn't enough to overcome the big inning.
SIUE took an early lead in game two. Alec Saikal led off the second inning with his seventh home run of the year to make it 1-0. Nick Lombardo made it 2-0 with an RBI single in the third inning.
Illinois State then scored six runs on four hits, all with two outs, in the bottom of the third inning to lead 6-2. Joe Kelch capped the inning with a 3-run home run off Cougar starter Ryan Daniels (3-6).
Drew Johnson made it 6-3 with a sac fly in the fourth inning, before Illinois State scored three more times in the fifth inning to lead 9-3.
Daniels allowed eight runs on five hits. He walked five and struck out three.
The Cougars scored three times in the sixth inning on five hits against Illinois State reliever Jack Czeszewski. Skyler Geissinger and Denton Reed each singled to drive in runs. Woodcock added a sacrifice fly to trim the Redbirds lead to 9-6.
It was 11-6 in the seventh when Saikal added his second home run of the game, a two-run shot for the 11-8 final
Saikal was 3 for with the pair of home runs and is now tied with Parker Guinn for the team lead with eight home runs. Geissinger finished 4 for 4 with the RBI and two runs scored.