FRIDAY'S SCORES
@Presbyterian 3,
UT Martin 2
@Eastern Kentucky 11, Youngstown State 0 (Lexington, Ky.)
@Kansas State 15,
Eastern Illinois 10
@SIUE 4, Northern Illinois 2
@#17 Georgia Tech 12,
Belmont 3
Tennessee Tech 5, @Bethune-Cookman 0
Purdue 4,
@Southeast Missouri 0
Mercer 9,
@Austin Peay 1
Jacksonville State 7, @#23 Dallas Baptist 3
PRESBYTERIAN 3, UT MARTIN 2
GREENVILLE, S.C. - In the opening contest of the First Pitch Invitational, the University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team dropped a 3-2 decision to Presbyterian College. Trailing 2-0 after six, the Skyhawks rallied back to tie the game thanks to big hits from Tanner Wessling in the seventh and Creighton Eldridge in the eighth, but it was not enough as the Blue Hose used two doubles in the ninth inning to tally the winning run and give UT Martin just their second loss of the season.
Lefty Dom Bazzani got the nod for UT Martin (5-2) on the mound and posted his best showing of the young season. The redshirt-sophomore tossed a solid eight innings only allowing five hits and two earned runs while striking out eight Presbyterian batters.
After a scoreless first inning for both squads, Presbyterian (6-5) broke through in the second thanks to a sacrifice fly from infielder Glen Casaceli to give the Blue Hose the 1-0 lead. Bazzani was able to work out of a bases loaded jam in the inning to limit the damage, as the native from Stockbridge, Ga. forced a ground ball right back to him to trigger the 1-6-3 double play to end the inning.
Presbyterian added an additional run in the fifth inning when Blue Hose slugger A.J. Priaulx tripled to right-center to drive in teammate Cletis Avery and put Presbyterian ahead 2-0.
The Skyhawks responded in the sixth inning with a run of their own to trim the lead. After a single from Tyler Albright to extend his hitting streak to seven games, Wessling laced a double into right-center to drive in the second baseman for his sixth RBI of the year and pull the Skyhawks within one.
UT Martin again showed some late game heroics as Creighton Eldridge homered to right-center to square the game at 2-2 to lead off the eighth. It was the centerfielder’s first of the season and first of his career as a Skyhawk. UT Martin called upon reliever Alex Evans in the ninth, but were unable to close the door as the Blue Hose strung together a pair of extra-base hits to earn the walk-off victory.
For Evans (1-1), it was his first loss since April 2, 2016, snapping a streak of nine straight decision without recording a loss. Ryan Hedrick (2-1) picked up the win for Presbyterian. Dan Kerwin (2-4, two singles) notched his second multi-hit game of the season in the loss.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 11, YOUNGSTOWN STATE 0
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Jack Piekos struck out 10 and Ben Fisher went 3-for-4 with three RBIs as the Eastern Kentucky University baseball team beat Youngstown State University, 11-0, on Friday at Whitaker Bank Ballpark in Lexington.
The two teams will play the first-ever game at the new Earle Combs Stadium on the EKU campus on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Piekos (2-1) tossed six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and two walks.
It was Eastern Kentucky’s first shutout since blanking Eastern Illinois 4-0 in 2013 and the first shutout of a non-conference team since a 10-0 win over Marshall in 2010.
The Colonels (4-6) broke open a scoreless game in the bottom of the fourth. Six straight batters reached before an out was recorded. Fisher got Eastern on the board with a RBI single to left center. Brenden Overton followed with a run scoring single to left center as well. A double down the right field line by Alex Holderbach made it 3-0. Logan Starnes drove in Overton with a single through the left side. Holderbach would later score on a wild pitch to cap the 5-run inning.
EKU scored two in the fifth before adding four more in the sixth. Fisher’s first home run of the season, and the first by any Colonel, accounted for two of the runs in the sixth.
Fisher had a 3-for-4 day with three runs and three driven in. Shea Sullivan finished 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI. Holderbach drove in two while going 1-for-3 and scoring a run.
KANSAS STATE 15, EASTERN ILLINOIS 10
MANHATTAN, Kan. - Eastern Illinois and Kansas State put on an offensive showcase in their series opener on Friday as the two teams combined for 25 total runs, but it was the Wildcats who came away with a 15-10 victory in the slugfest.
Eastern Illinois fell to 1-7 on the season, while Kansas State improved to 7-2 overall.
Kansas State broke the scoring column in the bottom of the first inning on a Steve Serratore RBI double and took a 1-0 lead over the Panthers.
Eastern Illinois responded the next half inning with Frankie Perrone and Tyler Tesmond earning back-to-back one-out walks as the Panthers began to rally. Hunter Beetley followed with an RBI single to score Perrone and tie the score at 1-1. The Panthers were not done however, as Justin Smith singled to load the bases for Jimmy Govern. Govern brought home Tesmond on the next play with a sacrifice fly. Joseph Duncan knocked an RBI single to center and gave the Panthers a 3-1 advantage.
After trimming the EIU lead to 3-2 with a run in the bottom of the second inning, Kansas State overtook the lead, 12-3, after scoring 10 runs between the third and fourth innings.
The Eastern Illinois offense came back alive in the top of the fifth. After Govern worked his way on first base getting hit by a pitch, he quickly came around to score on a Duncan two-run home run that cleared the wall in left. Andrew Curran and Logan Beaman worked back-to-back walks before a Dougie Parks single to load the bases. Perrone drove in Curran with a sacrifice fly to cut the K-State lead in half at 12-6.
Eastern Illinois added to their total with a run in the top of the sixth on an RBI fielder’s choice off the bat of Govern.
After Kansas State started the bottom of the frame with runners on the corners, the Wildcats picked up a run on a wild pitch. Josh Ethier would plate another run on an RBI double. K-State earned their final run in the inning on an RBI groundout and took a 15-7 lead into the top of the seventh.
The Panthers kept chipping away at the K-State lead as Beaman started the top of the seventh with a triple into the right-center gap and would come around to score on a two-run home run by Perrone.
Eastern Illinois attempted one final rally, scoring a run in the top of the eighth, but Kansas State earned the 15-10 win in the opener.
Duncan led the EIU offense as he finished 3-for-5 at the plate with three RBIs. Beaman and Beetley finished with a pair of hits each.
Brendon Allen (0-3) took the loss on the mound for the Panthers.
SIUE 4, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 2
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Nelson Martz tossed seven innings and Mason McReaken followed with two scoreless innings in relief as SIUE baseball defeated Northern Illinois 4-2 in the opener of a four-game series at Simmons Baseball Complex.
The win in the home opener, improved the Cougars' to 5-4 for the year. Northern Illinois fell to 2-6.
Martz (2-1) allowed two runs on five hits over seven innings. He tied a season-high with seven strikeouts. McReaken allowed only a walk in securing his third save of the year to tie him for the lead in the Ohio Valley Conference.
The Huskies took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Jesus Tovar singled to drive in Tommy Hook who had walked with one out. Tovar finished the game 2 for 4.
The Cougars answered in the bottom of the second inning against NIU starter William Anderson. Jackson Layton and Dustin Woodcock each walked in the inning. Alec Skender drilled a sinking line drive to left with two outs in the inning to drive in Layton. When the ball was misplayed in left, Woodcock and Skender himself came all the way in to score to make it 3-1 SIUE.
Anderson (0-3) allowed three runs, but just one earned, on three hits. He walked four and struck out two.
NIU pushed across a run in the sixth to pull within a run at 3-2, but SIUE answered again.
Woodcock singled to drive in Mario Tursi who had walked to push the Cougars' lead back to two runs (4-2).
The Cougars finished with five hits. Keaton Wright, Tursi and Eric Giltz had the only other hits for SIUE.
#17 GEORGIA TECH 12, BELMONT 3
ATLANTA - Belmont Baseball was unable to overcome a powerful Georgia Tech offense, falling to the Yellow Jackets, 12-3, Friday afternoon at Russ Chandler Stadium in the first game of the weekend series.
The Bruins (4-5) scored all three of their runs in the seventh frame, taking command of a couple of bases loaded situations in hopes to cut into an early deficit. But the Yellow Jackets kept BU's bats quiet for much of the game.
Georgia Tech (8-1) proved how potent its offense can be in the opening frames, hanging up a quick six runs in the first two stanzas. The Yellow Jackets started the day plating a run in the first on a RBI sacrifice fly to left-center, before tacking on five more in the home half of the second with the help of a two-run long ball that ricocheted off the football facility in left field to give them a 6-0 advantage.
While the Ramblin' Wreck came out of the gates blazing, the Bruins struggled to find an answer at the plate. Junior infielder Rafael Bournigal (Mulberry, Fla.) registered one of Belmont's three hits, and the only in the first six innings, with a base knock to right field to leadoff the second. Senior utility Nick Egli (Brentwood, Tenn.) drew a walk later in the inning, but BU couldn't capitalize with runners on base as the squad remained scoreless.
The Bruins triggered their first three up, three down inning - forcing Georgia Tech to record its first frame without a run in the third. Junior hurler Tyler Vaugh (Jonesboro, Ill.) found his stroke on the mound, inducing a couple of ground balls before tossing his second strikeout of the day.
A couple of outstanding defensive plays, both by senior outfielder Brennan Washington (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), in the fourth attempted to keep the Georgia Tech's bats at bay. The Jackets delivered a ball to shallow right field where Washington laid out in hopes to retire the batter, but the umpire went on to say that the ball hit the ground, robbing Belmont of the out. A few plays later the Yellow Jackets once again hit one into right-centerfield where Washington scooped up the ball and showed his arm, throwing all the way to third base. Senior infielder Drake Byrd (Pigeon Forge, Tenn.) proceeded to make the diving tag and generate the final out. However, the Yellow Jackets scored three runs in the inning, taking a 9-0 lead.
After the fourth frame Belmont found a way to shutdown Georgia Tech's offense for the next couple of innings, holding them scoreless in the fifth and sixth. A single from sophomore Chas Hadden (Morristown, Tenn.) followed up by consecutive walks for senior Clay Payne (Powell, Tenn.) and Bournigal allowed the Bruins to threaten for the first time. Belmont took advantage of the opportunity as Washington continued to make big plays, this time he drilled a RBI base knock to left field all while keeping the bases loaded. Junior Alex Ward (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) and sophomore Hunter Holland (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) came in to pinch hit for the Bruins and drove in two more runs to bring the Bruins within six, 9-3.
Georgia Tech once again separated themselves, adding a pair of runs on a two RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the seventh to bring its lead to, 11-3. The squad tallied one more in their final appearance at the plate to seal a 12-3 victory over Belmont.
Head coach Dave Jarvis called on multiple freshman throughout the closing frames, including rookie hurler Tyler Alderfer (Perkasie, Pa.), infielder Logan Jarvis (Franklin, Tenn.) and infielder Jackson Curb (Franklin, Tenn.). Alderfer tossed an inning against the Yellow Jackets, while Jarvis got his first fielding action at first and Curb took second.
Vaughn (0-2) collected the loss, giving up nine runs in 6.0 innings of work. Georgia Tech hurler Xzavion Curry (3-0) earned the win.
TENNESSEE TECH 5, BETHUNE-COOKMAN 0
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - There was plenty of Wood to stoke the fire of the Golden Eagle baseball team Friday evening, Michael Wood that is. The senior hurler was nearly flawless on his way to a complete game shutout in Tech's (8-2) 5-0 series-opening victory at Bethune-Cookman (6-3).
The Golden Eagle offense took early advantage of some first-inning miscues by the Wildcats, starting early on the first batter of the game. Leadoff man Alex Junior laced the third pitch of the game down the left field line for a double and took third base on a throwing error.
Junior Collin Harris, the reigning Ohio Valley Conference and Tennessee Sports Writers Association Player of the Week, took little time driving in Junior, singling to short. The nation's leader in home runs coming into the contest then took second on a wild pitch. Another wild offering allowed Harris to reach third before a throwing error from home plate gave the left fielder a free pass to home plate.
Kevin Strohschein followed with a five-pitch walk, advancing to not just second, but also third after a failed pickoff attempt and error by the pitcher. Two batters later, Chase Chambers finished the job, ripping a single through the right side for an RBI and 3-0 lead for Tech.
It would prove plenty of room for Wood to work with. The right-hander fanned two of the first two batters he faced in the first frame while cruising through four no-hit innings to start play. The Golden Eagle defense was out in full force from that point on.
Bethune-Cookman opened up the fifth with its first hit of the game, but Wood made quick work from there, fanning the next batter and then inducing an inning-ending, 4-6-3 double play. The Tech defense turned an even bigger double play in the sixth.
Wood forced a leadoff groundout, but Bethune-Cookman answered with a double down the left field line and a hit-by-pitch to put runners on first and second. Wood responded by including another 4-6-3 double play to end the only real threat of the night.
After coasting through the seventh and eighth frames, Wood entered the ninth with just three outs to go for his first career complete game shutout. After a quick fly out, the Wildcats looked to chase the senior from the game with a single up the middle. Wood never flinched, however, inducing one last 4-6-3 double play to end the game and give the Golden Eagles their third shutout of the season, the most by a Tech squad since notching four in 2014.
Wood's dominance was evident throughout, tossing the nine complete innings while scattering five hits and facing just two batters over the minimum. He tallied five strikeouts and walked no one on 106 pitches.
Offensively, Matt Jones, Chambers and Junior led the way, each posting multi-hit games. Junior scored a team-high two runs as well.
PURDUE 4, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 0
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri baseball (5-3) saw its four-game winning streak snapped Friday evening when it was shut out in game one of the series against Purdue (4-4), 4-0.
The Redhawks were held to just four hits in the contest. Dan Holst was responsible for two of Southeast's four hits, finishing 2-for-4. Brian Lees and Chris Osborne knocked the other two.
Clay Chandler (2-1) suffered his first loss of the season on the mound. Chandler pitched seven complete innings, allowed all four runs on seven hits. He struck out a season-high six batters.
Chase Hagerty pitched two scoreless relief innings in his second outing of the season. For the third time in the last four games, the Southeast pitching staff surrender no walks.
Tanner Andrews (3-0) pitched the complete game shutout for Purdue. He struck out eight SEMO hitters and walked none. Andrews retired the first eight leadoff hitters for Southeast in the game.
Mike Madej got a one-out double to fall down the right field line and scored on a single past a diving Connor Basler by Nick Dalesandro to lead the Redhawks 1-0 after one inning.
After leading off the fifth inning with a double, Logan Poisall touched home following a one-out double ripped down the third base line by Evan Warden. John LeGare drove in Warden with a base hit through the left side. LeGare advanced to second on the play then to third on a groundout to first. LeGare scored on a wild pitch by Chandler, widening the lead to 4-0.
Poisall led the way offensively for the Boilermakers, finishing 3-for-4 with a run scored. Dalesandro was the other Purdue hitter to record multiple hits, finishing with two.
MERCER 9, AUSTIN PEAY 1
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - First baseman Dre Gleason hit a solo home run but Austin Peay State University’s baseball team fell behind early in a 9-1 loss to Mercer, Friday afternoon at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Austin Peay (5-4) could not solve Mercer starter Ryan Askew early in Friday’s contest, with only a leadoff error in the second inning breaking the Bears starter’s early rhythm. Still 10 of the first 11 Govs batters were retired and the error was wiped out by a double play.
Mercer (8-2) went without a run in the first inning despite back-to-back one out singles. However, they broke through in the second for a solitary run on a ground ball by first baseman Hunter Bening. The Bears were denied additional runs in the inning when an appeal play turned a fly out into two outs to end the frame.
The Bears would not be denied in the third, stringing together three straight one-out hits. Catcher Charlie Madden’s double to right delivered two runs. Two batters later, left fielder Jackson Ware broke the game open with a three-run home run, extending the Mercer lead to 6-0.
Gleason get the Govs their lone run of the evening with his leadoff home run in the fifth inning. He would add a double in the seventh inning that gave the Govs two runners in scoring position with no outs. However, Askew struck out each of the next three batters to end APSU’s best threat.
Askew (2-0) picked up the win after holding Austin Peay to one run on six hits while striking out five over seven innings. The Bears bullpen would not allow a run in two innings of work, striking out four of the six Govs it faced.
Austin Peay starter Michael Costanzo (1-2) was handed just his fourth career home loss after allowing six runs on seven hits and two walks over three innings. The Govs bullpen surrendered solo runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth frames.
Gleason led the Govs offense with a 2-for-4 outing which included his fifth home run of 2017. Four other Govs had one hit each in the six-hit outing. Austin Peay did not record a base on balls for the first time this season.
Ware paced the Bears attack with a 2-for-3, four RBI performance. Third baseman Danny Edgeworth added a 3-for-5 outing.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 7, #23 DALLAS BAPTIST 3
DALLAS, Texas - Jacksonville State scored seven runs in the first inning and limited No. 23 Dallas Baptist University to six hits to open the weekend series with a 7-3 win on Friday night at DBU's Horner Ballpark.
The Gamecocks have now won three in a row and moved to 6-2 on the season and will look to claim their third consecutive weekend series on Saturday at 2 p.m. The Patriots dropped to 6-2 overall.
JSU had its largest run-producing inning of the season in the opening frame, posting all of its run in the inning on four hits off of DBU pitching. Jax State also took advantage of DBU starter Jordan Martinson's ineffectiveness as he last just 0.2 of an inning and threw 52 pitches in a short stint. He suffered the loss after the DBU bullpen limited the Gamecocks to two the rest of the way.
Martinson's troubles began with a leadoff walk to junior Nolan Greckel, the first of three walks in the inning, followed by a single by Clayton Daniel. Junior Taylor Hawthorne drove home the first run of the contest with a base hit through the left side. Senior Josh Bobo had one of his two hits with an RBI single up the middle. Junior Hayden White was Martinson's second free pass and after a strikeout, freshman Chase Robinson worked the bases loaded with the third walk of the inning and plating a run. Senior Peyton Williams greeted DBU's second of three pitchers in the first inning with a pair of RBI on a single to left. After one time through the lineup, Greckel reached base with a hit by pitch. JSU added the final two runs on a failed pick off play by the DBU catcher.
DBU answered in the home-half of the first with two runs on a pair of hits. JSU limited the Patriots to their final run of the contest in the third. Senior Joe McGuire induced a double play ball that scored the DBU run, but helped Jax State halt the threat. Both teams struggled to get key hits for the final seven innings. Both bullpens were key as the DBU bullpen posted 10 strikeouts and walked just five.
JSU's relief pitching was equally impressive after Jax State starter left in the second inning. The Gamecocks used four arms out of the bullpen with McGuire, Peyton Stracener, Nate Sylvester and finished it with Justin Hoyt. In total, JSU tossers fanned 13, which is the second-most by the staff this season. JSU had 15 strikeouts last Sunday at Western Kentucky. Stracener went 2.2 innings and was effective enough to get credit with the win, which is the first in his JSU career. He allowed two hits and struck out four in the outing.