SUNDAY'S SCORES
Murray State 12, @Morehead State 11
@Belmont 11, Southeast Missouri 10
Tennessee Tech 8, @Eastern Kentucky 4
Eastern Illinois 16, @SIUE 13
@UT Martin 7, Jacksonville State 2
Austin Peay 5, @Notre Dame 3
MURRAY STATE 12, MOREHEAD STATE 11
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Luke Brown pitched a gem, recording the best outing of his young career and Murray State survived a furious ninth-inning rally by Morehead State to escape with a 12-11 victory Sunday afternoon in the series finale with the Eagles.
Brown, who held the Eagles (32-19, 16-10 OVC) hitless through 5.2 innings, allowed just three hits and one run over seven innings of work while striking out five batters. The seven innings pitched are a career-best for Brown and the five strikeouts ties his career-best.
Morehead was able to make things extremely interesting in the ninth as the Racers (25-26, 13-14 OVC) carried a 12-2 lead into the bottom half of the inning. The Eagles would get back-to-back home runs to cut the MSU lead to 12-8 and would then get a triple down the line to cut the margin to just one before Alec Whaley got a game-inning strikeout on the nation’s leading home run hitter, Niko Hulsizer. Whaley would record his second save of the season for his efforts.
MSU would hit multiple homers for the third consecutive game in the series, thanks to the hitter-friendly confines of Allen Field. Davis Sims was able to belt his ninth and 10th homers of the season as he went 3-for-4 with five RBIs, three runs scored and a double in the win. Kipp Moore had the other home run for the Racers as he went 2-for-5 with three runs.
Jaron Robinson joined Sims with a team-high three-hit day, as he was 3-of-5 at the plate with a double, an RBI and a run. Jack Hranec and Ryan Perkins also each went 2-for-5 in the win as MSU pounded out 16 hits on the day.
For the third game in a row in the series, the Racers were able to score in the top of the first as Sims brought home Adam Bauer with a sacrifice fly RBI to center. In the second, Perkins made it 2-0 with an RBI single. In the fifth, MSU was able to get some breathing room with a four-run inning. All four of the Racers’ runs in the inning were unearned as the Morehead shortstop committed three consecutive errors in the inning.
The Eagles were able to break-up Brown’s no-hit bid in the sixth and score a run to make it 6-1. In the seventh and eighth, the Racers offense came alive with three runs in each of the innings. Sims’ first homer of the game made it 8-1 with his two-run shot in the seventh and three batters later, Aaron Bence was able to get a groundout to bring home Moore from third to make it 9-1.
In the eighth, Sims and Moore went back-to-back with long balls to push the score to 12-1. The Eagles were able to score one run in the bottom half of the inning to make it 12-2 before going on their big ninth-inning run.
BELMONT 11, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 10
NASHVILLE - Sophomore Hunter Holland (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) kept Belmont baseball in game three against Southeast Missouri with a 5-for-5 day at the plate to secure the series. The Bruins hung around all game, never leading until the final frame to sneak past the Redhawks, 11-10, and close out conference play Sunday afternoon at E.S. Rose Park.
Holland's career day included a pair of long balls in his first two at bats, contributing to three of his four RBIs. After falling in a 4-0 hole to start the game the sophomore ignited Belmont's bats that remained on fire for the rest of the game as the Bruins (26-25, 17-13) scored at least one run in every inning after hanging up a zero in the opening frame. Collectively, the squad tallied 16 hits as everyone in the lineup contributed to the effort.
The Redhawks (25-24, 13-14) got out to a hot start, plating four runs before the Bruins ever collected a hit. They got things going with a run in the first and then followed it up with three more runs - making it a 4-0 game after two frames, but Belmont quickly got things going with a pair of long balls to cut their deficit in half.
Holland registered the Bruins first hit of the game in grand fashion, blasting a homer over the left field fence to bring the squad within three. Senior Tyler Walsh (Evansville, Ind.) then duplicated Holland's play knocking another one over the left field barrier to start off the third and cut BU's deficit in half, 4-2, after three. The long balls kept coming as Holland destroyed another pitch to the same place in his next plate appearance to tie it up, 4-4, in the fourth.
SEMO retook the lead with a pair of runs in the next stanza, stealing home for the first and then using a RBI single from Danny Wright to go up, 6-4. Holland continued to stay hot at the plate, connecting on this third consecutive at bat for his fourth RBI on a base shot to shallow centerfield to keep Belmont within striking distance, 6-5.
Every time the Bruins made a run the Redhawks found a way to separate themselves a little more, doing so again in the sixth with a two-run homer to go up, 8-5. Dan Holst launched his second bomb of the series to right field after a runner got on via BU's second error of the day.
Payne continued the trend, going yard and bringing Belmont's home run total to a season-high four with all of them landing over the left field fence. However, just like clockwork Southeast Missouri found a way to respond with a run of their own and keep it a three-run contest, 9-6, in favor of the Redhawks.
The Bruins refused to go down quietly, tying the game for the second time with a trio of runs in the seventh on three hits and four free bases. Holland registered his fourth hit in as many plate appearances, this time coming in the form of a double to put BU in scoring position. From then on junior Kyle Conger (Brentwood, Tenn.) and Walsh recorded a pair of RBIs to bring them within one before a bases loaded wild pitch would bring in the tying run to make it 9-9.
Belmont finally found a way to get past SEMO in the home half of the eighth, taking their first lead on a bases loaded sacrifice fly from Payne to centerfield. Trailing 10-9 heading into the frame, Holland collected his fifth hit setting up Ben Kocher (Zionsville, Ind.) to knot it up with a two-bagger to right-centerfield. Payne then collected the go-ahead run for another RBI, solidifying Belmont's victory and closing conference play with a victory.
TENNESSEE TECH 8, EASTERN KENTUCKY 4
RICHMOND, Ky. - A late offensive surge, along with a fantastic showing out of the bullpen, proved enough for the Tennessee Tech baseball team to collect its eighth Ohio Valley Conference series victory of the season, as the Golden Eagles (36-17, 22-5) rallied late to defeat Eastern Kentucky (24-28, 10-17) Sunday afternoon, 8-4.
For the second straight game, Tech jumped out to an early lead, snagging solo runs in each of the first two frames. In the top of the first, junior first baseman Chase Chambers drove in the first run, reaching on a fielder's choice to first base that drove in sophomore Alex Junior.
Senior second baseman Matt Jones led off the second with a double to left field, setting up junior catcher Brennon Kaleiwahea for an RBI single up the middle in the very next at bat.
In the third, Eastern Kentucky answered, collecting a three-run home run off the bat of senior Ben Fisher, his league-leading 23rd of the year. The shot gave the home squad a 3-2 advantage, but the lead didn't last long.
Sophomore right fielder Kevin Strohschein brought his bat with the intent to do damage Sunday afternoon, unleashing his first salvo of offense in the top of the fourth. On the first pitch of the frame, Strohschein uncorked his 11th long ball of the year, a solo shot to left field that tied the game at 3-3.
He followed that up with a go-ahead RBI single in the sixth, ripping a ball up the middle to drive in Chambers, who led off the frame with a double. The Colonels quickly answered in their own right, using a solo home run from Alex Holderbach in the bottom of the inning to even the score once again, this time at 4-4.
Both sides traded zeroes in the seventh and eighth, with sophomore reliever Ty King making a huge impact in the seventh. The right-hander took over in with one out in the frame and Fisher at the plate with runners on first and second. On his fourth pitch, King forced the slugger to ground out into a massive, inning-ending double play, second to shortstop to first.
He struck out the side in the eighth, sending the Golden Eagles into the ninth with conceivable one last chance to make an impact with the bats. And the Tech lineup made that moment count.
On the third pitch of the frame, junior left fielder Collin Harris ended his nearly one-and-a-half-month-long home run drought, connecting on a 2-0 offering for a solo jack job to left center field. The dinger marked his ninth of the season and broke the tie, giving the Golden Eagles a 5-4 lead.
Tech refused to settle for just a one-run advantage, however, plating three more runner in the frame thanks to an EKU throwing error and two-run single by Strohschein. From that point on, King made relatively quick work of the Colonels, allowing just one hit in the frame before recording the final out for his third win of the season.
Making his first start of the season after missing most of the 2016 campaign due to Tommy John surgery, Fraliex turned in five strong innings of work for Tech, striking out four and holding EKU to three hits and three earned runs. King fanned four and allowed two hits in two and two thirds innings.
Strohschein led the Tech offense with four RBI as part of a 3-for-5 day at the plate. Jones also tallied three hits in the contest while Harris and Junior each posted multi-hit outings of their own.
In the game, Tech tied the single-season program record for home runs, running the team's total for the year to 82. The total leads the OVC and ranks second nationally only to Wake Forest, which boasts a whopping 86 long balls on the season.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 16, SIUE 13
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Eastern Illinois and SIUE displayed an offensive showcase in their series finale on Sunday. The Panthers powered past the Cougars, 16-13, in a game that finished with 10 home runs combined between the two teams.
With the win, Eastern Illinois improved their record to 19-33 (11-16 OVC), while SIUE dropped to 23-26 (11-16 OVC).
For the first time all series, Eastern Illinois took the lead in the top of the first inning. Joseph Duncan started the game with a lead-off double down the left-field line and came around to score later in the inning on an RBI single by Dougie Parks to put the Panthers ahead, 1-0.
SIUE quickly responded in the bottom-half on the first as Alec Skender got hit by a pitch to start the inning and scored on a two-run home run by Keaton Wright in the next at-bat that gave the Cougars a 2-1 lead.
Eastern Illinois batted around and regained the lead in the top of the second inning. Josh Turnock led off the inning with a single through the right side of the SIUE infield. Hunter Beetley followed with a one-out double to the wall in right-center field to plate Turnock. Duncan followed suit and knocked an RBI double of his own to score Beetley and gave the Panthers the lead once again at 3-2. The Panthers continued with their scoring ways in the inning as Jimmy Govern belted a two-run home run over the wall in left-center field. Logan Beaman continued the rally with a two-out walk. Parks capped the six-run second inning for the Panthers with a two-run home run and extended the EIU lead to 7-4. Parks moved into a tie for eighth all-time in single-season history with 16 home runs and ninth all-time with 55 RBIs on the year.
The Cougars pulled within on run at 7-6 with four runs in the bottom of the second.
The Panthers kept the bats hot in the top of the third inning as Frankie Perrone worked a lead-off walk and moved into scoring position on a single by Beetley. A sacrifice bunt moved the pair up a base as Perrone came around to score on an RBI groundout by Duncan. Govern extended the Panthers’ lead to 10-6 with his second two-run home run of the game.
SIUE answered right back in the bottom-half of the inning as Jordan Stading knocked a lead-off single and scored on a two-run home run by Aaron Goecks to trim the EIU advantage to 10-8.
The seesaw battle continued between the two teams into the fourth inning. Eastern Illinois got a pair of runs in the top of the frame on a two-run home run by Beetley, but SIUE got the two runs back with back-to-back solo home runs by Brock Weimer and Dustin Woodcock.
After holding the Panthers scoreless for the first time all game, SIUE rallied back to knot the game at 12-12 in the bottom of the fifth. With runners on second and third and just one out in the inning, Skender brought the Cougars back within one with an RBI sacrifice fly. Wright tied the game on the next at-bat on an RBI double down the left-field line.
Both teams were held scoreless in the sixth inning, but the EIU bats rattled again in the top of the seventh. Turnock and Beetley both singled in the inning to put runners on second and third with two outs ahead of Andrew Curran. Curran came through with a clutch three-run home run to put the Panthers ahead once again at 15-12.
Eastern Illinois added an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Turnock and Perrone started the inning with back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners. A groundout off the bat of Beetley extended the Panthers’ advantage to 16-12 heading into the last half-inning.
The added run in the top-half of the ninth proved to be essential for the Panthers as Eric Glitz belted a lead-off solo home run for the Cougars. An EIU error allowed another SIUE runner to reach base, but Michael Starcevich came in and closed the door on the Cougars to pick up his fifth save of the season.
Jake Haberer picked up the win on the mound for the Panthers, tossing six innings of relief.
Curran and Beetley both finished with their first four-hit games of their EIU careers to lead the offense. Turnock added three hits, while Duncan, Govern and Parks all chipped in two hits each.
UT MARTIN 7, JACKSONVILLE STATE 2
MARTIN, Tenn. - After being held scoreless through the first six innings, the University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team exploded for seven runs in its final two at-bats to take down Ohio Valley Conference foe Jacksonville State in the 2017 home finale.
The Skyhawk victory notched a pair of program milestones, as the win was number 24 on the season which tied the 2010 team for most overall wins in a single season since joining Division-I in 1993, and also gave the Skyhawks their 11th OVC win of the year, which is now the most in program history.
UT Martin (24-27, 11-16 OVC) threatened with runners in scoring position in the first three innings, but it was Jacksonville State (27-23, 14-13 OVC) who scored first with a pair of runs in the fourth inning to give the Gamecocks the 2-0 advantage.
The Skyhawks struggled in the fourth through sixth inning at the plate as the home squad was trying to stay in OVC Tournament contention with just one weekend series left to play. The reigning NCBWA National Player of the Week, Dan Kerwin, sparked the offense in the seventh inning with a solo blast to straight away center field to bring the Skyhawks within one, 2-1.
The decisive inning came in the bottom of the eighth as UT Martin brought home six runs on four hits. Albright got the scoring going with a two-run single to score Carson Shrode and Creighton Eldridge and put the Skyhawks on top 3-2. Kerwin followed it up with a single to give UT Martin the bases loaded with Wessling stepping to the plate. The senior blasted his third homer of the year over the left field wall for a grand slam to put the Skyhawks ahead for good, 7-2.
The UT Martin pitching staff were the unsung heroes of the contest as starter Peyton Cain and reliever Evans combined to frustrate the Gamecock bats all day. Cain put in another good outing for the Skyhawks, tossing 5.0 innings, while allowing just the two earned runs and striking out four. Evans (8-5) finished the final four frames, holding Jacksonville State scoreless, while striking out five to pick up his 16th career victory.
Albright (3-5, two RBI’s) and Kerwin (3-5, two runs) each picked up a trio of hits in the contest, while Wessling finished with the important four RBI’s.
AUSTIN PEAY 5, NOTRE DAME 3
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Starting pitcher Zach Neff struck out a career-high eight batters and first baseman Parker Phillips supplied a go-ahead two-run home run as Austin Peay State University’s baseball team secured a 5-3 victory against Notre Dame, Sunday afternoon at Frank Eck Stadium.
Austin Peay (23-27) had two home runs in the contest, both supplying a lead. Right fielder Chase Hamilton drove in the game’s first runs with his two-run home run in the second inning. But after Notre Dame tied the game in the seventh, Phillips’ two-run shot in the eighth gave the Govs a 5-3 lead they would not relinquish.
After the Govs handed him a lead in the second, Neff made that advantage stand through his six-inning outing. He would surrender a run on right fielder Eric Gilgenbach’s solo home run in the second. But after the home run he would work around six hits over the next four scoreless frames.
However, Neff would not factor into the decision as Notre Dame rallied for a pair of runs in the seventh. Center fielder Matt Vierling’s double, the Fighting Irish’s second of the frame, cut the lead to a run and put runners on second and third with one out.
The Govs turned to right-hander Caleb Powell (3-4) and while he surrendered the lead when catcher Ryan Lidge hit a ground out, it was the only run he would allow. He induced a fly out to end the seventh and, after the Govs gained the lead, retired two of the four batters he faced in the eighth. Austin Peay handed Alex Robles the ball with two out in the seventh and he retired all four batters he faced for his season’s second save.
Neff tied his career high with six innings of work and his career high eight strikeouts came against just 26 batters faced while walking none.
Hamilton led the Govs offense with a 2-for-4 outing that included his two-run home run. Phillips ended the day 1-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.
Notre Dame reliever Sean Guenther (2-4) was tagged for the loss after allowing the two runs in the eighth inning, his only inning of work. Vierling led the Fighting Irish offense with a 4-for-5 outing.