FRIDAY'S SCORES
Eastern Kentucky 7, @#15 Virginia 6
@Jacksonville State 4, Radford 2
Morehead State 5, @Alabama A&M 0
Bowling Green 9,
@Southeast Missouri 7
@Austin Peay 16-12, Toledo 4-2
@Tennessee Tech 7, Illinois State 4
Kent State 17,
@Belmont 3
Eastern Illinois 3, @Memphis 1
@Louisiana Tech 13,
SIUE 1
@#13 Southern Miss 16,
UT Martin 2
EASTERN KENTUCKY 7, #15 VIRGINIA 6
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Newcomer Tyler Romanik ripped a single down the right field line with two outs in the ninth inning to drive in the go ahead run and the Eastern Kentucky University baseball team held on to beat 15th ranked University of Virginia on Friday at Davenport Field.
The Colonels entered the top of the ninth down 6-4. Will Johnson and Brenden Overton began the inning with back-to-back singles. Johnson scored on a wild pitch. With one out and runners at the corners, Ryland Kerr hit a long fly ball to right field allowing Overton to tag and tie the game on the sacrifice fly. After falling behind one ball and two strikes, Romanik drove in Chris Botsoe to put Eastern on top 7-6.
Max Ford came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth. The first two batters reached base. However, Virginia wasn’t able to execute the sacrifice bunt and the first out was recorded when Charlie Cody fouled off a bunt attempt with two strikes. On a ground ball, Daniel Harris IV flipped to Kerr to force out the runner at second base for the second out of the inning. Cameron Comer then drew a walk to load the bases, but Ford got a ground out to the shortstop to end the game.
To avoid approaching afternoon rain, the two teams will play game two of the series at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
Nick Howie broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the sixth with one swing of the bat. Romanik began the inning with a double to left center. With one out, Howie sent a 2-0 pitch sailing over the wall in left center to put Eastern in front 4-2. The two-run shot was Howie’s first home run of the season.
Romanik finished the game 2-for-5 with a run and an RBI. Howie went 1-for-4 with a run and two driven in. Johnson had two at bats in four hits and scored a run. Botsoe scored twice and walked once.
Justin Novak’s RBI ground out in the bottom half of the sixth cut the Colonel lead to 4-3. UVA had the tying run on base in the bottom of the seventh, but Alex Holderbach cut down the runner attempting to steal to end the inning.
Jake McCarthy’s two-out double in the bottom of the eighth tied the game. Eastern had three attempts at the third out come up just inches short. Johnson just missed on a diving catch in right field. Kerr’s throw from deep in the hole at short was just a split second late. McCarthy’s game-tying hit down the right field line was just out of the reach of a diving Romanik at first base.
Alex Tappen’s single up the middle later in the eighth pushed in two runs to give the Cavaliers the lead.
EKU scored twice in the top of the third inning to take a 2-1 lead. Harris led off the inning with a single to center and Botsoe drew a walk. Kerr laid down a bunt, and a bad throw allowed Harris to score, tying the game 1-1. Daniel McFarland followed with a single up the middle to bring home Botsoe and put Eastern on top.
A two-out single to center field by Jake McCarthy in the bottom of the fourth drove in the tying run for Virginia.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 4, RADFORD 2
OXFORD, Ala. - Freshman Isaac Alexander delivered a walk-off three-run home run to lift Jacksonville State over Radford, 4-2, on Friday afternoon at Choccolocco Park.
The Gamecocks moved to 4-1 on the season and bounced back from their first setback of the season with the come-from-behind win over the Highlanders (2-3).
Trailing 2-1 entering the final plate appearance, sophomore Andrew Naismith turned in a one-put single to right field to spark the home dugout. Junior catcher Nic Gaddis was hit by a pitch from Radford's Austin Ross. Alexander sent a 2-2 pitch over the left field wall to give JSU the win in the series opener.
It was a tough day for both offenses as both starting pitchers turned in solid outings on the hill. Until the eighth inning, JSU had one hit - Naismith's first of two on the day in the second inning. RU starter Ryan Sande kept JSU off balance in his six innings of work, allowing the lone hit, but four walks in the outing. Sande recorded five strikeouts in his second start of the season. JSU broke through in the eighth with an RBI double by Clayton Daniel, which plated Nolan Greckel from first base.
Making his second appearance since returning from an injury last season, redshirt sophomore Garrett Farmer was equally impressive to Sande. Farmer collected a career-high nine strikeouts and allowed just two hits, but one of the hits was a two-run home run by Spencer Horwitz in the third. Farmer, from Huntsville, Alabama bounced back to retire the next 10 Highlanders before leaving the contest after six innings. JSU used Sean Rape for two outs in the seventh before Austin Brewster was ushered in to plug an RU threat in the frame. Brewster, from Trussville, Alabama via Shelton State Community College, picked up his first Gamecock win after finishing the final 2.1 innings. He registered a pair of strikeouts in the outing.
The Gamecocks' pitching staff collected 11 strikeouts and issued two walks in the contest.
MOREHEAD STATE 5, ALABAMA A&M 0
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Pitching was the story for Morehead State on Friday as the Baseball Eagles shut out Alabama A&M 5-0. Three Eagle pitchers combined to scatter just four hits, while striking out 13 Bulldog batters.
The win moved Morehead State to 3-3 on the season.
Senior right-hander David Calderon got the start for the Eagles, picking up where he left off in his previous outing. Calderon tossed seven scoreless innings, surrendering just two hits and one walk, while fanning eight batters.
Senior right-side hurler JC Hatcher and sophomore righty Dom Masullo also pitched for Morehead State. Hatcher surrendered two hits, while striking out both outs he notched. Masullo struck out three in 1.1 innings of works en route to his second save of the season.
The Morehead State offense was held in check through six-plus innings before junior Jake Hammon's go-ahead, two-out RBI double in the seventh plated senior Tyler Niemann to give the Eagles a 1-0 advantage.
The offense subsequently exploded from there with three runs in the top of the eighth to put the game out of reach. Juniors Connor Pauly and Niko Hulsizer led off the inning with a single and double, before senior Eli Boggess drew a walk to load the bases. Back-to-back RBI singles by freshman Bryce Hensor and junior Reid Leonard plated two more runs. The third run of the frame crossed when Niemann grounded into a double play, extending the Eagle lead to 4-0.
Hulsizer added insurance for Morehead State, driving a 1-2 pitch off the left-field wall to plate senior Braxton Morris.
Hulsizer led the Morehead State offense with three hits, while Boggess and Hammon each had two hits apiece to pace the Eagles.
BOWLING GREEN 9, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 7
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - outheast Missouri (0-5) collected a season-high 11 hits and nearly overcame a nine-run deficit in a 9-7 loss to Bowling Green (1-3) Friday afternoon in the Redhawks home-opener at Capaha Field.
SEMO dropped to 18-9 all-time in home-openers since joining the NCAA Division I ranks in 1992.
BGSU built a 9-0 lead in the first four innings, scoring two in the first, four in the third and three in the fourth.
Brad Croy hit a two-out, two-RBI double to grab the Falcons a 2-0 edge in the first.
Cleanup hitter Randy Righter doubled home Neil Lambert and Croy knocked in Gama Martinez on a single to left field. Righter later touched home on a wild pitch and Croy scored when Jeff Scott grounded out to extend BGSU's lead to 6-0 in the third.
The Falcons scored three unearned runs after SEMO committed two errors in the fourth inning. Croy had another RBI-hit, this time on a two-out double down the left field line.
SEMO got on the board with a two-run home run by Wade Stauss in the bottom of the fourth. The round-tripper, which scored Tristen Gagan, was Stauss' team-high second of the season.
The Redhawks then sent 10 men to the plate and scored five runs in a big seventh inning.
Chase Urhahn, Connor Basler and Danny Wright all singled to right field to quickly load the bases. Justin Dirden followed with a double down the right field line scoring both Basler and Urhahn. Trevor Ezell, who extended his hitting streak to five games, singled home Wright. Gagan added a single on the next play and Dirden scored. Pinch-hitter Hunter Southerland drove in Ezell on a single to left field to narrow BGSU's lead to 9-7.
Croy sat the Redhawks down in order in the eighth inning and retired six of the final seven SEMO hitters to get his first save of the year.
Zac Carey (1-0) picked up the win, allowing six runs on eight hits in six innings. Carey struck out two and walked two, as well.
Croy struck out five and gave up just one run on three hits in the final three innings.
Joey Burris (0-1) suffered the loss. Burris pitched just 2.1 innings, giving up six runs, six hits, walking three and striking out two.
Aaron Stretch tossed four scoreless, no-hit innings with three strikeouts in a nice outing out of the bullpen. Stretch and fellow reliever Christian Vick combined to throw 5.1 no-hit, shutout innings with five strikeouts.
Wright, Dirden and Gagan each had two hits and scored for SEMO. Dirden and Stauss also notched two RBI. Seven different Redhawks scored a run.
Croy went 3-for-5 with a run scored, two doubles and four RBI as the Falcons finished with eight hits.
AUSTIN PEAY 16-12, TOLEDO 4-2
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay State University’s baseball team broke out with its best two offensive outings of the young season to claim a doubleheader sweep, 16-4 and 12-2, against Toledo, Friday afternoon at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Austin Peay (5-1) broke the bats out in the opener, using a trio of four-run innings en route to posting season bests in runs (16) and hits (14). The nightcap was more of the same with a season-best six extra-base hits and finishing with 12 runs on 12 hits.
First baseman Parker Phillips enjoyed a 6-for-9, three RBI outing in the doubleheader, including four hits in the opener. Utility man Andrew Flaherty had four hits in the nightcap, including a two-run home run.
The Governors offensive outburst helped starting pitchers Michael Costanzo and Jacques Pucheu post their season’s first wins. Costanzo opened the day by holding Toledo to two runs while striking out eight in his five-inning outing. Pucheu picked up the thread in the nightcap, striking out seven and walking none over 6.2 innings.
In game one, Austin Peay trailed early in the season opener as Toledo led 1-0 and 2-1. The Governors took a 5-2 lead with a four-run burst in the third inning that was aided with four consecutive singles by left fielder Brandon Kelley, shortstop Garrett Kueber, center fielder Nick Walker and first baseman Parker Phillips.
The Governors tacked on four runs in the fifth inning with right fielder Kyle Wilson supplying a two-run single to cap the inning. Austin Peay salted the game away with a four-run eighth frame that third baseman Bobby Head punctuated with a two-run single.
Costanzo (1-0) allowed the leadoff hitter to reach base in both the second and third innings. The left hander would allow a leadoff home run in the third but responded by striking out the next four batters he faced. Costanzo would strike out eight in his five innings, scattering five hits and three walks.
Phillips, who entered the day with two hits in the season’s first week, broke out with a 4-for-5, two RBI effort in the opener. Head posted his first collegiate hit as part of a 2-for-4, three RBI performance.
Toledo starter Michael Jacob (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing nine runs on seven hits and five walks in his 4.1-inning outing. Shortstop Matt Hansen, center fielder Ross
Adolph, catcher Michael Ryan each had a solo home run in the Rockets eight-hit outing.
In game two, Pucheu set the tone in the night cap, retiring the first six batters he faced and 12 of the first 13 – allowing only a leadoff single in the third inning. He would surrender solo home runs in both the fifth and sixth innings, but that was the only damage Toledo could hang on the lefty.
But before the Rockets could post a run, Austin Peay’s bats staked Pucheu to a 7-0 lead. Left fielder Andrew Flaherty’s two-run home run in the third handed the Govs a 6-0 lead. Shortstop Garrett Kueber extended the lead to seven runs with a sacrifice bunt in the fourth that allowed center fielder Imani Willis to score.
The Govs rallied after Pucheu surrendered his first run, loading the bases in the fifth. Toledo attempted to counter with a pitching change and got two outs after the change. However, Willis would not let the Rockets escape and hit a grand slam to break the game open.
Pucheu (1-0) picked up the win after holding Toledo to two runs on five hits in his 6.2 innings of work. Hw would strike out seven of the 25 batters he faced and did not allow a walk.
Willis posted his third career five RBI outing as part of a 2-for-3 effort at the plate. Flaherty went 4-for-5 with two RBI to aid the Governors offense.
Rockets starter Layne Schnitz-Paxton went just three innings in the loss, allowing six runs on six hits and three walks. Hansen hit his second home run of the series in the night cap and third baseman Brad Boss added a solo shot to account for Toledo’s lone runs.
TENNESSEE TECH 7, ILLINOIS STATE 4
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - A huge third inning, backed by clutch pitching and defense, led the Tennessee Tech baseball team (3-1) to a series-opening victory over Illinois State (2-2) Friday afternoon, a 7-4 victory at Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex.
The top four of the Golden Eagle lineup each posted multiple hits in the contest, including leadoff man Alex Junior. The junior outfielder scored two runs while smacking his second home run of the season to finish with two RBI.
Trevor Putzig and David Garza both went yard on the day as well, combining for three RBI. Kevin Stroshcein and Chase Chambers both finished with two hits each as well.
Senior hurler Travis Moths earned his second straight victory to start the 2018 campaign, tossing five innings with five strikeouts and four earned runs. Sparta native Ethan Roberts took over on the hill for the final four frames, escaping an early jam before slamming the door for his first save of the new season.
Roberts entered the contest with two on and zero outs in the top of the sixth and saw the first batter he faced load the bases after he bobbled a sacrifice bunt attempt. The Tech closer recovered immediately, fanning the next two batters with just eight pitches. He forced the final batter of the frame to ground out up the middle, sticking out his hand and slowing the ball down enough for the shortstop, Garza, to make a play and throw out the runner.
A quick fly out, followed by a walk set up the Tech defense for a fantastic display. Illinois State's Nick Zouras ripped a grounder up the middle that seemed destined to be a hit. Garza charged up the middle, lunged for the ball and flipped it to second baseman John Ham. The junior college transfer made a lightning quick transition at the bag, leaping over a sliding Redbird baserunner in the process, and rocketed a throw to Chambers at first to pull off the double play.
Inning number eight went rather quickly, with Roberts fanning the first batter and forcing a fly out and pop up to end the frame. He then struck out the side in the ninth to lock down his first save of the year.
The Tech offense provided an early advantage thanks to a solo bomb to right center field from Putzig, the senior's first of the season. Two innings later, the bats exploded to plate five to take a commanding 6-1 lead.
Junior and Garza each blasted two-run shots to right center field in the frame, with a sacrifice fly to left center field by Ham sandwiched in between.
KENT STATE 17, BELMONT 3
NASHVILLE - Belmont baseball struggled to find a rhythm Friday night as they dropped a 17-3 decision to the Kent State Golden Flashes who's bats were on fire.
Belmont struck early with sophomore Matt Cogen kicking things off offensively with a rocket to left field to reach first base. Two batters later, senior Ben Kocher (Zionsville, Ind.) recorded another hit to send Cogen home for the first run of the game.
Kent State blew things open in the top of the second inning scoring five runs as senior Tyler Vaughn struggled to find a rhythm on the bump. Midway through the top of the second, sophomore Jack Rettig took over the mound through the Bruins.
The Bruins looked to get back on track after giving up a big inning in the top of the second, but Belmont had two straight three up, three down innings at the plate. Despite sitting down the first batter, Belmont would give up another run in the top of the fourth.
Belmont threatened in the bottom of the fourth loading the bases with only one out, but the next wo batters were struck out and flied out to retire the side. Belmont left the bases loaded three times on the night. Belmont would score their second and third runs in the bottom of the fifth. Junior Hunter Holland led off the inning with a double to right field. Cogen and junior Chas Hadden kept the momentum going, both knocking base hits. Hadden's hit drove in Holland for the Bruin's second run of the night. Kocher would then hit a sacrifice fly to send Cogen home.
Kent State would score one run each in the fourth, fifth, and six innings while striking twice in the seventh and seven times in the ninth.
Sophomore Brandon Liskey and freshman Chandler Schultz saw productive time on the mound striking out one and two batters respectively. Freshman Edgar Parker and sophomore Michael Matter also made appearances on the bump for the Bruins.
Belmont registered eight hits on the night, relinquishing 17, and sat down six.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 3, MEMPHIS 1
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Eastern Illinois baseball team was able to secure first game of the series against Memphis Friday night winning 3-1.
With the win Eastern Illinois advances to .500 on the season with a record of 2-2, while Memphis drops to 2-3 on the season.
Eastern Illinois broke the scoring column early in the first inning. Joe Duncan led off the first with a leadoff double to right center. Duncan would advance to third on a Jimmy Govern ground out. Logan Beaman continued his dominance at the plate for the Panthers singling through the right side to score Duncan.
Memphis would battle back evening the score on a Kyle Ouellette single up the middle in the bottom of the first.
The Panthers would extend their lead in the top of the fifth inning. Dougie Parks kicked things off with a one out double to center field. Hunter Morris would follow up hitting another double to left to score Parks. Morris would advance to third on a Jack Holden fly-out. The Panthers would jump out to a 3-1 lead on a Jake Huber single up the middle scoring Morris.
Alex Stevenson was dominant in his second start on the hill this season tossing 7.1 innings, striking out three batters, allowing one run, and eight hits. Stevenson was able to pick up his first win of the season on the mound for the Panthers.
Michael Starcevich came in to relieve Stevenson in the bottom of the eighth. Starcevich picked up his first save of the season tossing 1.2 shutout innings. Starcevich struck out one and walked one batter.
Govern finished the evening 2-for-5 at the plate with a double. Morris went 1-for-4 with a run, hit, RBI, walk, and a double. Beaman finished 2-for-4 with an RBI.
LOUISIANA TECH 13, SIUE 1
RUSTON, La. - SIUE baseball committed four errors, accounting for six unearned runs in a 13-1 loss to Louisiana Tech in the opener of a three-game series.
The Cougars slipped to 1-4. Louisiana Tech improved to 4-2.
The Bulldogs scored single runs in each of the first three innings to go up 3-0.
SIUE's only run came in the fourth inning. Peyton Cordova-Smith led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a one-out walk to Aaron Goecks. Jared McCunn then singled to drive home Cordova-Smith and make it 3-1.
Louisiana Tech blew the game open with a seven-run fourth inning on six hits and an error.
SIUE starter Nelson Martz (0-2) pitched into the fourth inning. He allowed eight runs, six earned, on nine hits. He struck out four and walked three.
The Bulldogs tacked on single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
Tyler Hutchinson worked 1.2 innings allowing three runs on four hits. Tristan Walters allowed two runs, one earned, in two innings. Brett Taucher worked a perfect eighth innings, striking out the side.
Louisiana Tech first baseman Logan Bailey was 2 for 4 with four RBIs. Catcher Chris Clayton finished the day 3 for 5 with three RBIs. Designated hitter Steele Netterville was a 2 for 2 with three RBIs. Shortstop Dalton Skelton also was 3 for 5.
The Cougars managed just five hits and struck out a combined 19 times against Louisiana Tech pitchers. Cougars' shortstop Jordan Ross was the only SIUE player with more than a single hit. He was 2 for 4. McCunn, Cordova-Smith and Jackson Layton each had a hit.
Matt Miller started and tossed four innings. He allowed the run on three hits. He struck out eight. Josh Carpenter (1-0) worked three scoreless innings and struck out five for the win.
#13 SOUTHERN MISS 16, UT MARTIN 2
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team dropped the first game of the series between the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles 16-2 this evening.
UT Martin (0-5) was led by junior outfielder Carson Shrode who tallied a team-best two hits and drove in the squad’s pair of runs on a two-run homer. Freshman backstop Blake Davis accounted for a hit and reached base per walk while Collin Edwards got a hit and was awarded a free bag twice in the bout.
Dalton Westfall (0-2) struggled in the outing as he was able to record only one out, on a strikeout, in his second start of the season. Austen Bullington tossed 5.2 innings and wrung up three Golden Eagles in the process. Jefferey O’Doherty went 0.2 inning and fanned a batter in his time on the mound while Seth Rayburn tossed 1.1 innings and recorded each out via the strikeout.
The Skyhawks pounded out their first hit in the third frame as Edwards led off the inning on an 0-2 pitch that fell for a single in left field. Edwards would then swipe second for his third stolen base on the young season.
UT Martin found its second hit in the fifth inning on a Davis single but was unable to be pushed across home plate. Shrode led off the Skyhawk sixth on a single but was left stranded on the basepaths.
Southern Miss had scored the nine unanswered runs until Shrode answered with his two-run dinger in the UT Martin eighth inning, plating Edwards who had reached base via walk. The Skyhawks had finally cracked the top half of the scoreboard but were trailing 9-2 by that point.
The Golden Eagles recorded their biggest inning on the day in the home half of the eighth as they drove in five runs, stretching the lead out to the final score of 16-2.
UT Martin would not go down silently as the Skyhawks drew a pair of walks by Davis and Edwards on a combined 12 pitches but to no avail.