FRIDAY'S SCORES
Belmont 7-2, @Eastern Kentucky 3-0
@Austin Peay 8, Jacksonville State 4
@Morehead State 17-3, Southeast Missouri 5-2
@SIUE 6-8, Murray State 5-1
Tennessee Tech 4-9, @UT Martin 3-6
@Samford 9,
Eastern Illinois 4
BELMONT 7-2, EASTERN KENTUCKY 3-0
RICHMOND, Ky. - Belmont swept a doubleheader from Eastern Kentucky by scores of 7-3 and 2-0 on Friday.
In game game one sophomore hurler Dylan King issued Eastern Kentucky 11 strikeouts as Belmont ended the Colonels five-game winning streak.
In addition to an outstanding performance on the hill from King, junior infielder Ben Kocher and the Bruins offense disrupted Eastern Kentucky's pitching staff. Kocher launched the first of Belmont's two home runs, and went on to tally two more hits going 3-for-4 at the plate. Redshirt-freshman Matt Cogen and junior Alex Ward joined Kocher with multi-hit outings themselves – both recording two.
King only gave up two runs and six hits before senior Brennan Washington (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) took over on the mound for the eighth. King earned the win and is now 2-2 on the mound this year.
In the second game of the day, Belmont baseball saw career outings from its pitchers as junior hurler Connor Etheridge wreaked havoc on Eastern Kentucky, striking out 12 batters in seven frames.
Friday proved to be a day of landmarks on the still young season as BU blanked an opponent for the first time this year, and just the second time in its last two campaigns.
Etheridge retired 15 batters in EKU's first 18 plate appearances – 10 of them coming via strikeout. Etheridge registered at least one K in every inning he tossed, highlighted by fanning three consecutive batters in the fifth stanza. The most strikeouts that he had previously tossed was eight against Bowling Green earlier this year.
The only time that Etheridge experienced any kind of pressure from the Colonels was in the bottom of first inning when EKU connected on back-to-back singles. Aside from the opening frame, Belmont never allowed more than one runner to reach base for the remainder of the game.
Eastern Kentucky eventually found a way to quiet Belmont's offense as the Bruins only connected on a pair of hits in the next five frames. The squad threatened in the eighth, once again with the help of Egli who painted the left line for a two-bagger with one down. Junior Ben Kocher wore a pitch to the hand for a free base before Rafael Bournigal laced a base knock to right field and put runners on first and second, but both would be stranded as EKU triggered the final out.
Dom Veltri came in to wrap up the final two innings. Veltri went on secure the shutout, including tossing a strikeout of his own to bring the running total to 13 Ks in the game and seal the deal.
AUSTIN PEAY 8, JACKSONVILLE STATE 4
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Starting pitcher Caleb Powell pieced together a sterling start to lead Austin Peay State University’s baseball team to an 8-4 Ohio Valley Conference victory against Jacksonville State, Friday night, at Raymond C. Hand Park.
After a six-hour delay to the start of the contest, Powell (2-0) needed a moment to find his stride, issuing a walk and a single to start the contest. However, he settled in quickly with back-to-back fly outs – the second pushing across the game’s first run.
But that was the only opening Powell allowed Jacksonville State, those two fly outs were the first in a stretch of 19 consecutive batters retired by the senior right hander, a stretch that carried him into the seventh inning. He would surrendered a one-out single in the seventh to end the stretch, but worked around that hit and a double later in the frame to close the inning.
Meanwhile, Austin Peay (7-6, 1-0 OVC) took little time to jump ahead on the scoreboard with two runs in both the first and second innings. First baseman Dre Gleason’s two-run double in the first put the Govs ahead for good. In the second, designated hitter Cayce Bredlau and second baseman Garrett Giovannelli each posted RBI, extending the Govs lead to 4-1.
The Govs extended their lead with two runs in the fourth and another two runs in the seventh. Giovannelli and left fielder Alex Robles each had run-scoring hits in the fourth. Then center fielder Chase Hamilton punctuated the night with a two-run home run to right field – his 25th career home run – giving APSU an 8-1 lead.
After Powell exited, the Govs bullpen surrendered three runs in the final two innings. JSU designated hitter Trent Simpson drove in two with a single in the eighth. Left fielder Payton Young drove in the game’s final run with a ball that eluded an APSU fielder in the ninth.
Powell picked up his season’s second win after holding the Gamecocks to one run on three hits and a walk over seven innings. He would rack up a season-high five strikeouts in the Govs first quality start of 2017.
Giovannelli’s 3-for-5, two RBI outing paced the Govs offense, which notched 13 hits. Gleason, Hamilton and Robles had two hits each.
Gamecocks starter Derrick Adams (1-2) suffered the loss after allowing six runs on 11 hits and two walks over six innings. Simpson finished the night 2-for-3 with two RBI to pace the JSU offense.
MOREHEAD STATE 17-3, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 5-2
MOREHEAD, Ky. - With a pair of victories Friday over three-time defending Ohio Valley Conference champion Southeast Missouri, the Morehead State baseball team completed a three-game sweep of the Redhawks to open league play. The Eagles defeated SEMO 17-5 in game one and held on a 3-2 triumph in the nightcap.
Morehead State, which has won six straight games now, improved to 11-5 overall and 3-0 in the league. The Redhawks were swept by a conference team for the first time since 2013, and MSU claimed its first sweep over SEMO since 2009. SEMO is now 6-7 overall. After winning the opener, Morehead State clinched its 13th consecutive series win at home since 2015, and the Eagles are now 40-11 at Allen Field in the last three seasons.
Senior outfielder Michael Patrick, who moved into the two-spot in the batting order, led the charge today by going 5-for-9 with two home runs (both in the opener) and four RBI. He collected 11 total bases. Juniors Eli Boggess (first game) and Tyler Niemann (second game) also homered, while sophomore shortstop Reid Leonard nailed three doubles. The Eagles had 11 extra-base hits in the twinbill.
After pounding 16 hits and scoring in six of their eight at-bats in the opener, the Eagles won a pitcher's duel with high drama in game two.
Morehead State took a 3-0 lead heading into the top of the ninth, looking to secure a shutout over an OVC opponent at Allen Field for the second straight season. MSU starter Curtis Wilson, who had his longest career outing (8.2 innings) gave way to senior lefty Cable Wright with two outs and two runners on. SEMO shortstop Connor Basler proceeded to single home a run, and then Clayton Evans drew a bases-loaded walk to cut the Eagles lead to 3-2.
Dan Holst then sliced a screaming liner into the left field corner, but MSU sophomore Niko Hulsizer made a sliding catch inches from the line after a 40-yard sprint to seal the win on a ball that maybe would have cleared the bases.
Wilson (2-1) was credited with win, being charged with both runs but coming up with four punchouts. Wright, who made his NCAA active-player leading 94th career appearance, picked up his third save in 2017.
The Eagles took their 3-0 advantage on a Leonard RBI double in the fifth, Niemann's solo shot in the seventh and senior centerfielder Ryan Kent scoring on a wild pitch in the seventh. Clay Chandler struck out eight batters for the Redhawks but was saddled with the loss to fall to 2-2.
In the first game, Patrick, Leonard and junior second baseman Braxton Morris had three hits apiece, and Boggess cranked his first career homer, a three-run job, in the fifth to distance his team to a 9-3 cushion. Patrick tattoed a three-run homer in the seventh that pushed the Eagles' lead to 15-3.
Junior lefty Aaron Leasher improved to 3-0 after scattering eight hits and surrendering three runs. Junior righty David Calderon notched his second save of the season (both 3-plus inning varieties) as he did not allow an earned run in the final four SEMO at-bats.
SIUE 6-8, MURRAY STATE 5-1
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - SIUE scored a come-from-behind 6-5 win in game one and then pulled away from a 8-1 in game two, sweeping a doubleheader from Murray State to open Ohio Valley Conference play Friday at Simmons Complex.
The Cougars improved to 10-5 overall and 2-0 in OVC play. The Racers are now 8-6 overall and 0-2 in the OVC.
Trailing 5-4 going into the bottom of the ninth inning in the opener, Keaton Wright, Jared McCunn and Dustin Woodcock picked up consecutive one-out singles. Woodcock's hit scored Wright to tie the game, 5-5. Aaron Goecks walked to load the bases and Jordan Stading grounded into a fielder's choice which saw McCunn thrown out at the plate. With two outs, Mario Tursi, bounced a ball up the middle. Murray State second baseman Caleb Hicks made a sliding stop behind second base, but his throw pulled shortstop Jaron Robinson off the bag, allowing Woodcock to score the winning run.
The Cougars built a 4-0 lead with a run in the first inning, two in the third inning and another in the sixth. Woodcock drove in two runs and Stading added a run with a sacrifice fly.
The Racers battled back scoring two runs in the seventh against SIUE starter Brock Fulkerson and two in the eighth against reliever Mason McReaken. Murray State got another in the ninth against McReaken before David Llorens closed out the inning.
Fulkerson allowed only the two runs on three hits over a six-inning start. He held the Racers hitless through the first five innings. He struck out a season-high eight hits.
Llorens (1-0) earned the win with a scoreless inning.
The Cougars got six innings from starter Danny Erhsam (3-0) in game two. Ehrsam was slotted into the weekend rotation only after Nelson Martz came down with the flu.
SIUE scored five times with two outs in the third inning to open a 5-0 lead. Woodcock drove home two with a single to right field. Stading then roped a bases-loaded double into the gap in left center to clear the bases.
Racers' starter Austin Dubsky (2-2) took the game two loss. He allowed five runs in four innings.
Murray State scored its only run on two hits in the fifth inning. Hicks scored on a wild pitch after reaching with a one-out double.
SIUE scored three more two-out runs in the eighth inning with RBIs from Eric Giltz, Alec Skender and Wright. Both Giltz and Skender worked double digit pitch at-bats before coming up with RBI-hits.
Tyler Hutchinson threw the final three innings for SIUE to earn his first save. He allowed just one hit and struck out one.
Woodcock, who moved from the leadoff spot to the four-hole, finished the day 5 for 9 with five RBIs.
TENNESSEE TECH 4-9, UT MARTIN 3-6
MARTIN, Tenn. - Recap coming soon.
SAMFORD 9, EASTERN ILLINOIS 4
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Eastern Illinois baseball opened up their spring break trip in the state of Alabama under the lights at Samford on Friday night. The Bulldogs defeated the Panthers 9-4 in the series opener between the two teams.
Eastern Illinois dropped to 1-11 overall as Samford improved to 7-5 on the season.
Austin Edens hit a solo home run on the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the second inning and scored the first run of the game to give Samford a 1-0 lead. After a hit batter, Anthony Mulrine hit a two-run home run to extend the Bulldog lead to 3-0.
Matt Albert returned the favor in the top of the third frame as he knocked a solo home run on the first pitch he saw to lead off the inning and cut the Samford lead to 3-1.
The Panthers continued to chip away in the top of the fourth inning. Logan Beaman hit a one-out double down the right-field line to give Eastern Illinois a runner in scoring position. Dougie Parks followed the Beaman double with an RBI single and trimmed the deficit to one at 3-2.
Samford extended their lead to 9-2, scoring three runs in the fourth inning, one in the fifth, and two more in the sixth.
The Eastern Illinois’ offense came back to life in the top of the seventh as Ryan Knernschield worked a lead-off pinch-hit walk. Knernschield quickly came around to score on Albert’s second home run of the contest, a two-run shot, as he became the first EIU player with two home runs in a single game since Demetre Taylor hit a pair of home runs at Tennessee Tech during the 2015 season. That would be as close as the Panthers would get however as Samford took the series opener 9-4.
Alex Stevenson (1-1) was tagged with the loss as he allowed seven runs in four innings pitched. Chase Thurston posted a pair of scoreless innings out of the bullpen for the Panthers.
Albert led the way for Eastern Illinois as he finished the game 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs and three RBIs. Beaman ended 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles.