TUESDAY'S SCORES
@Morehead State 15, Ohio 14
@Western Kentucky 14,
Eastern Kentucky 3
@Saint Louis 6,
Southeast Missouri 5
@Missouri 11,
Murray State 0
@UT Martin 9, Union 2
@Alabama State 4,
Jacksonville State 3
@#24 Vanderbilt 8,
Austin Peay 4
MOREHEAD STATE 15, OHIO 14
MOREHEAD, Ky. - The Morehead State baseball team grabbed an early 8-0 lead, then watched as visiting Ohio scored 14 of the next 15 runs in the game, before rallying itself for six scores in the final two at-bats as the Eagles pulled out a 15-14 victory over the Bobcats Tuesday at Allen Field.
Senior centerfielder Ryan Kent recorded the final two of his team-best five RBI with a single up the middle with two outs in the bottom of the eighth. The hit pushed junior third baseman Eli Boggess and junior second baseman Braxton Morris across the plate for the winning margin as the Eagles improved to 29-16 overall and 20-4 at home. Kent tallied the game-winning hit for the second straight game.
Kent also tallied a two-run single in the first inning to give his team a 5-0 lead and had his third RBI on a bizarre play in the seventh which ended up bringing two runs home.
With two outs and runners on second and third, Ohio pitcher Jake Rudnicki threw a pitch up over Kent's head. He ducked, but the ball hit the bat anyway and rolled in front of the plate. Sophomore Trevor Snyder raced home and barely beat a throw by Rudnicki, but the throw sailed wide and freshman Brody Shoupe trotted home as well on what was effectively a bunt single. That made the score 14-12.
On the mound, junior righty Kyle Cantu (3-0) shut down the Bobcat offense, which ended up with six home runs and 19 hits, for just one hit in 2.1 innings to collect the win. Freshman hurler Dom Masullo appeared in his third straight game and nailed down the final out for his first career save.
Ohio closer Jake Roehn, who had 10 saves entering the night, gave up the go-ahead run and fell to 3-3 with the loss.
The Eagles jumped on top 8-0 on the strength on sophomore Niko Hulsizer's nation-leading 21st home run in the first inning, a two-run blast that flew over the scoreboard in deep left field. Junior first baseman Tyler Niemann made it 8-0 in the second on a three-run homer, his eighth round-tripper.
The Bobcats clawed back into it with four runs in the third and five in the fourth, finally taking a 10-9 lead in the sixth. They added four more in the seventh. Michael Klein, who started on the mound but only lasted four batters, nailed two home runs. Rudy Rott also connected on two home runs as both notched five hits.
Kent finished 3-for-5, while the Eagles' leading hitter, Boggess, tallied a four-hit day. Niemann and senior rightfielder Will Schneider had two hits apiece.
WESTERN KENTUCKY 14, EASTERN KENTUCKY 3
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team dropped the second game of its home-and-home series with the Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers, 14-3, on Tuesday night at Nick Denes Field.
EKU (22-23, 8-13 OVC) faced a 1-0 deficit heading into the third inning, but that is where Eastern struck back. Matt Olive led the inning off with a single, followed by a single from Brenden Overton. After Ryland Kerr advanced the runners with a groundout, Cornell Nixon brought them home with a single and a throwing error by the Hilltopper’s second baseman, Tyler Robertson.
WKU (14-32, 4-17 C-USA) regained the lead with a two-run fourth, and extended its lead with a three-run fifth to take a 6-2 lead into the sixth inning.
Daniel McFarland led off the sixth with a double to left center, and scored two batters later on a sacrifice fly from Overton, but that is all the Colonels could muster and went to the bottom of the sixth down 6-3.
The Hilltoppers responded with three-run innings in the sixth and seventh, and a two-run eighth, putting the game out of reach and eventually winning, 14-3.
McFarland led the way for EKU with three hits. Nixon and Overton had one RBI each.
SAINT LOUIS 6, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 5
ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis University's Trent Leimkuehler hit a walk-off two-run double in the bottom of the ninth inning to down Southeast Missouri (22-21) Tuesday evening, 6-5.
The contest was close throughout as the lead changed three times. The Redhawks will fall short of going undefeated against Missouri teams in 2017, finishing 3-1.
Southeast was outhit 13-8. Freshmen Danny Wright and Connor Basler combined for half of SEMO's total hits, each finishing with two. Chris Osborne drove in a pair of runs.
In his second Redhawk start, Chase Hagerty worked three and two-thirds innings. He was responsible for one run, four hits, struck out three, and walked two.
Hagerty was the first of seven Redhawk pitchers used in the game. Jared Waldhoff pitched the most of any reliever at one and two-thirds innings. Robert Beltran (1-4) suffered the loss after allowing the winning runs to reach in the ninth.
Aaron Patton worked four innings of one-run baseball in his start for SLU. He gave up three hits, struck out three, and walked none. SLU used five pitchers out of the pen Tuesday. Charlie Sheehan (1-0) earned his first collegiate victory as he was the pitcher of record in the ninth.
Osborne moved into a tie for the team lead with his ninth home run in the top of the fourth to put SEMO on top, 1-0.
Nick Reeser led off the bottom of the inning with a single into left. A pair of passed balls off Brian Lees and a wild pitch by Hagerty allowed Reeser to score and tie the game. SLU proceeded to put runners on the corners but Ryan Losman entered to fan the final out and preserve the tie, 1-1.
The Billikens plated a trio of runs in the bottom of the fifth to take its first lead of the game. A one-out walk and back-to-back base hits loaded the bases for SLU. Carter Hanford flew out to the warning track in left center for a sacrifice fly, putting SLU on top, 2-1. The other two runners tagged on the sac fly the immediately scored on a single to right center by Jake Garella, widening the new lead to 4-1.
Southeast loaded the bases with no out in the top of the sixth. Lees grounded into a double play to push in a run and cut the lead to 4-2. In the inning, Dan Holst drew a walk to extend his on-base streak to 31 games.
The Redhawks plated three runs in the top of the seventh to recapture the lead. A one-out hit batsman and two base hits loaded the bases for the Redhawks. Back-to-back bases-loaded walks to Kyle Bottger and Holst tied the game at four runs apiece. Osborne grounded out to second for only the second out, allowing Basler to cross the plate and put SEMO back on top, 5-4.
Back-to-back base hits off Beltran opened the bottom of the ninth. Both runners were bunted into scoring position. Joey Burris entered and allowed the winning two-run double to Leimkuehler, 6-5 SLU.
Leimkuehler finished the evening with three hits in five at bats. Reeser, Hanford, and Garella all had two hits for the Billikens.
MISSOURI 11, MURRAY STATE 0
COLOMBIA, Mo. - For the first time this season, the Murray State baseball team was held scoreless as the Racers dropped a non-conference contest Tuesday evening in Columbia, Mo., falling to Missouri 11-0.
The Tigers (28-18) jumped out to an early lead with three unearned runs in the bottom of the second inning. Mizzou had a total of four unearned runs in the contest thanks to MSU miscues. The Tigers would go on to lengthen their lead with two runs in the fifth, a four-run seventh and another two runs in the eighth.
MSU’s (22-23) best shot for runs came in the top of the third when it had the bases loaded with two outs in the inning. The Racers were unable to capitalize in that frame and the Missouri pitchers held the Racers’ bats in check for much of the contest.
Reed Thompson got a pinch-hit double in the top of the ninth for MSU’s lone extra-base hit in the game. Adam Bauer, Aaron Bence, Kipp Moore and Ryan Perkins all went 1-of-3 at the plate in the loss while Davis Sims was 1-for-4.
Jack Hranec took the loss to drop his record to 3-3 on the season. Hranec went five innings in his start on the mound and allowed five runs, two of which were earned, on eight hits while striking out three Tigers. MSU used a total of six relievers on the night.
UT MARTIN 9, UNION 2
MARTIN, Tenn. - — For the first time since 2011, The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team has reached the 20-win mark as it pounded out big hits early to defeat regional Division-II foe Union, 9-2.
UT Martin (20-23, 8-13 OVC) was able to rack up four runs in the first inning, as junior slugger Creighton Eldridge provided the first runs of the game by smacking a two run double to plate seniors Dan Kerwin and Ryan Helgren. A Josh Hauser single brought home Eldirdge to put the Skyhawks up 3-0 followed by a base knock by freshman Robert Worley to plate Hauser pushing the UT Martin lead out to 4-0.
The UT Martin second inning looked to be headed in the same direction as the first frame, as the Skyhawks collected five hits in the inning, four of which came with two outs. Kerwin found a hole up the middle for a single before Helgren and Eldridge poked balls through the left and right sides of the infield, respectively. With the bases loaded, Keylen Steen singled up the right side driving in Kerwin and Helgren to extend the margin to 6-0 in favor of the home team.
The Skyhawks found one run in the fourth inning, as Eldridge singled with two outs before Steen doubled to drive him in pushing the lead to a 7-1 margin.
Connor Aube led off the sixth frame by ripping a single before a pair of walks issued to Kerwin and Helgren. Eldridge kept up the hard work by collecting a single to drive in Aube. A sacrifice fly by Keylen Steen put the final run on the board for the Skyhawks allowing Kerwin to score putting the squad up 9-1.
Shane Seckinger came on in relief of Skyhawk starter Sam Folks to put away the Bulldogs and give UT Martin win number 20 on the season. Folks was strong for the second straight outing, tossing 6.2 innings allowing just two earned runs and fanning seven Union hitters. Seckinger tossed a scoreless 2.1 to close the contest.
At the plate Eldridge led the way recording a 4-5 day, while driving in three runs. Helgren (2-3, two runs), Steen (2-3, three RBI’s) and Ben Aslett (2-4) all racked up multiple hits in the victory for the Skyhawks.
ALABAMA STATE 4, JACKSONVILLE STATE 3
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - For the second time this season, the Jacksonville State baseball team dropped a one-run decision to in-state foe Alabama State on Tuesday night as the Hornets held off the Gamecocks at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.
The loss drops JSU to 22-20 overall and have dropped six of the last seven to ASU. The Gamecocks will be looking to gain a midweek split on Wednesday as they will face longtime rival Troy at 6 p.m. The Hornets improved to 24-22 on the season.
ASU scored all four of its runs in the first four innings and fended off Jax State in the middle frames. ASU's Joseph Estrada put the Hornets on the scoreboard with a leadoff home run in the first inning. After the solo run, JSU starter Cody Dodd settled in and in to the fourth until he ran in to trouble in that frame. The inning started with a leadoff walk, followed by a double just inside the third base bag. Chris Bioci and Carlos Estrada pushed two runs across the plate with a ground ball out and a sacrifice fly ball respectively. A throwing miscue by JSU left the door open for the Hornets and they added the third run of the frame on an RBI single by Joshua Dunson.
After the fourth, the Gamecocks' bullpen did not allow an ASU hit until the eighth. Senior Nate Sylvester, the second pitcher of the night went three innings and did not allow a hit, but issued three of JSU's six walks on the night. Junior Grant Chandler finished off the final 1.1 innings and walked a pair. JSU's pitchers accounted for eight strikeouts on the night.
ASU starter Brandon Caples kept the Gamecocks off-balanced for the first four innings, but ran in to trouble in the fifth. Sophomore Nic Gaddis recorded the first RBI of the night with a single to left field, scoring Trent Simpson, who started the inning with a single to center field. Simpson was the only Gamecocks with multiple hits in the game. Andrew Naismith was the second of four hits by the Gamecocks in the frame with a single to right field. He would eventually score on junior Hayden White's RBI double.
JSU added its final run of the night in the sixth on senior A.J. Reynolds' RBI ground out. The Gamecocks were primed to equalize and take the lead after back-to-back walks to load the bases with two outs, but ASU thwarted the threat with an inning-ending ground ball.
The Gamecocks, who out-hit the Hornets, 8-6, tallied all eight hits off of Caples. The ASU bullpen held JSU without a hit for the final three innings. Austin Bizzle collected his fourth save of the night, while Caples moved to 3-4 on the season. Dodd was saddled with the loss and dropped to 2-2.
#24 VANDERBILT 8, AUSTIN PEAY 4
NASHVILLE - Senior first baseman Dre Gleason hit a solo home run but Austin Peay State University’s baseball team could not overcome an early deficit in an 8-4 nonconference loss to Vanderbilt, Tuesday night at Hawkins Field.
Vanderbilt (27-17) proved opportunistic as it scored in each of the game’s first four innings. The Commodores capitalized on four walks and hit batsman in those opening frames, scoring four of those free passes while building a 6-1 lead after four innings.
Austin Peay (20-22) scored its lone run in those opening frames thanks to center fielder Imani Willis, who walked then stole second before being balked to third base. Second baseman Garrett Giovannelli drove in the Govs Willis with a ground out.
The Governors would not strike again until the sixth inning when Gleason hit his season’s 11th home run to lead off the frame, narrowing the deficit to 6-2. However, Vanderbilt would respond with a run of its own in the sixth and added another run in the eighth to extend its lead to 8-2.
Austin Peay put together its best threat of the contest in the ninth against Vanderbilt closer Reed Hayes. After a line-drive double play, Willis singled to left field to start the rally. Giovannelli was hit by a pitch and designated hitter Malcolm Tipler walked to load the bases. Third baseman Alex Robles supplied two runs on single up the middle, but Hayes would strike out the next Govs batter to end the threat.
Gleason finished the night 2-for-5 with a RBI and run scored. Robles also went 2-for-5 with two RBI while Giovannelli went 2-for-4.
Govs starter Josh Rye (2-4) surrendered four runs on four hits and two walks over 2.2 innings and was tagged for the loss.
Vanderbilt first baseman Julian Infante had three RBI in his 1-for-4 outing with his RBI coming when he was hit by a pitch in the fourth, on a ground out in the sixth and a double in the eighth. Center fielder Jeren Kendall had and catcher Jason Delay each went 2-for-4.
Commodores starter Chandler Day (7-1), the first of six pitchers used by Vanderbilt in the contest, was credited with the win after two scoreless innings that saw him allow just two hits while striking out one batter.