SATURDAY'S SCORES
@Morehead State 9, Belmont 4
@Eastern Illinois 9, Jacksonville State 5
Tennessee Tech 4, @SIUE 1
@Austin Peay 8, Murray State 7
Southeast Missouri 17, @UT Martin 1
@Mercer 10,
Eastern Kentucky 3
MOREHEAD STATE 9, BELMONT 4
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Keyed by a five-run outburst in the sixth and seventh innings, the Morehead State baseball team earned its first three-game sweep over Belmont since the Bruins joined the Ohio Valley Conference. The Eagles picked up a 9-4 win Saturday at Allen Field.
Morehead State, which has now won four straight games, moved to 4-2 in the conference and 11-9 overall. Belmont slipped to 7-12 overall and 3-3 in the league after sweeping last weekend.
A pair of runs in the third and fourth staked the hosts to a 4-1 lead before Belmont answered with a three-spot in the top of the fifth.
But, the Eagles got the eventual game-wining run via an RBI double by center-fielder Connor Pauly in the sixth. He laced a slicing liner deep into the gap in left center. Bruin left-fielder Devon Gardner made a long run to the ball but it eluded his glove as he got there, and right-fielder Jake Hammon was able to score from second on the play.
The gates opened wider as MSU plated four runs in the seventh. First baseman Trevor Snyer got it started with an RBI single through the left side to score left-fielder Tyler Niemann. MSU then took advantage of a throwing error on a play as it scored three more unearned runs. Catcher Hunter Fain capped it by singling to center.
The Eagle pitching staff came through as well after starter Jake Ziegelmeyer had to leave in the third with an injury. Right-hander John Sherman (1-0) allowed some inherited runners to score to tie the game but was credited with his first win. Righty Cory Conway came on in the seventh and pitched flawless ball for his first career save. He struck out three of his seven outs and did not allow a baserunner. Lefty David Looney, who has been a mid-week starter, allowed just one run over his two frames.
Pauly finished 3-for-4 at the plate, while Fain and Snyder collected two hits each.
Casey Queener (2-2), Belmont's starter, was saddled the loss after surrendering nine hits and five runs.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 9, JACKSONVILLE STATE 5
CHARLESTON, Ill. - The Eastern Illinois baseball team earned their first OVC victory on the 2018 season today defeating Jacksonville State 9-5. The Panthers combined for nine unanswered runs to defeat the Gamecocks.
With the win EIU improves to 8-9 (1-1 OVC), while Jacksonville State drops to 11-6, (2-3 OVC).
Jacksonville State got to Panthers starting pitcher Carson Haws early ending his day in the second inning, scoring five runs. The Gamecocks hit back-to-back home runs in the second to ignite their rally. Isaac Alexander belted a two-run homer to left center, while Cole Frederick followed up with a solo home run to left field.
Jack Wolfe came in to relieve Carson Haws in the second inning and was able to shut down the Gamecock offense for six innings. Wolfe picked up his first win as a Panther tossing 6.0 innings, striking out five batters, allowing two walks, a balk and one hit.
Eastern Illinois fought back in the bottom of the second inning. Dougie Parks got the Panthers on the board for the first time this series, hitting a three run homer to left field.
Dougie Parks picked up his second home run of the day in the bottom of the fourth inning pulling another homer to left field. Hunter Morris would follow up hitting a solo home run to center giving the Panthers their own back-to-back homeruns.
In the bottom of the seventh the Panthers earned their first lead of the series against the Gamecocks. After a Jimmy Huber walk and a Jimmy Govern single, Joe Duncan drove both runners home with a two-run double down the left field line. Morris was able to drive Duncan home hitting into a fielder's choice with the bases loaded.
Michael Starcevich came in to relieve Jack Wolfe in the top of the eighth inning. Starcevich shut down the Jacksonville State offense striking out five batters, allowing one walk, and no hits. Starcevich picked up his fourth save of the season, and is now tied for first in the OVC in saves.
Parks finished 2-for-4 on the day with four RBIs, two home runs, two runs, and a walk. Curran finished 2-for-3 with a run, and a walk. Duncan hit 2-for-5 with two RBIs, two runs, and a double.
TENNESSEE TECH 4, SIUE 1
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - The dominance on the mound by the Tennessee Tech baseball pitching staff continued for a fourth consecutive game Saturday afternoon, as the Golden Eagles (13-5, 4-1) gathered its second straight, 4-1 victory at SIUE (5-11, 1-4) in Ohio Valley Conference play.
Junior Marcus Evey and graduate transfer Colton Provey combined for yet another brilliant display of pitching by the Golden Eagles, combining to hold the Cougars to just five hits and one run in the team's fourth league win.
After starting the season in the bullpen, Evey moved to 2-0 as a starter for Tech, completing five and one third innings while scattering five base runners on three hits and two walks. The right-hander allowed just a single earned run, a solo home run in the fifth, while striking out five Cougar batters.
Provey, a transfer from South Carolina, continued his hot start to the season by finishing the final three and two thirds innings without allowing a run. He earned his first career save while holding SIUE to just two hits in the final four frames. The reliever also struck out six batters, lowering his team-best ERA to a sizzling 1.26 for the year.
A run that began Tuesday evening against West Virginia, the Tech staff has been remarkable while leading the Golden Eagles to a 4-0 record during the week, holding the Big 12 opponent and its OVC rival to a combined three runs in four games. TTU has claimed victories of 8-0, 9-1, 4-1 and 4-1 in that span, holding its opponents to a paltry .125 average, three total runs, 15 hits and 12 walks; all while striking out 33.
The Tech offense continued to support its strong pitching run by providing yet another early lead, scoring two runs in the top of the second. Junior Nick Osborne delivered what turned out to be the winning hit, ripping a two-run double after back-to-back singles from John Ham and David Garza to lead off the inning.
The Golden Eagles made it a 3-0 lead thanks to an RBI double to left field off the bat of junior Kevin Strohschein in the fifth inning. SIUE answered with a solo shot to right field from Aaron Goecks. In the seventh, Tech took back the run with a sacrifice fly to CF by Trevor Putzig.
The defense also played its role in the win, as Provey took over with the bases loaded and just one out in the bottom of the sixth. After working a 1-2 count, the right-hander forced a ground ball to Garza at short who turned the 6-4-3 double play with Ham and senior first baseman Chase Chambers.
With two runners on and two outs in the bottom of the eighth, catcher Brennon Kaleiwahea showed off his arm, picking off the Cougar runner at first base to end the frame and threat. SIUE boasted the tying run at the plate in the ninth as well, but Provey forced a fielder's choice ball, allowing Garza to hit Ham at second base for the final out of the game.
AUSTIN PEAY 8, MURRAY STATE 7
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Left fielder Kyle Wilson’s two-run single helped Austin Peay State University’s baseball team take the lead for good as it rallied from an early deficit to defeat Murray State, 8-7, in Ohio Valley Conference action at Raymond C. Hand Park. With the win, the Governors clinched the three-game OVC series with the 1 p.m., Sunday finale remaining.
Austin Peay (12-7, 4-1 OVC) trailed 4-2 entering its half of the third inning. The Governors used a leadoff walk and three consecutive hits to take the lead. Third baseman Malcolm Tipler doubled off the wall to drive in the inning’s first run. Wilson followed and laced a single over the third baseman’s head, allowing two runs to score for a 5-4 lead.
The Governors extended their lead in the fifth when the first three batters reached base to load the bases. Right fielder Aaron Campbell’s infield single added a run before Tipler scored while the Racers turned a double play, giving the Govs a 7-4 lead.
After the team’s traded runs in the sixth, Murray State (10-9, 2-3 OVC) narrowed the deficit courtesy center fielder Gavin Wehby’s two-run home run. However, Govs reliever Harley Gollert would retire the final five batters to end the contest.
Govs starter Jacques Pucheu (3-0) won his second straight start after allowing five runs (two earned) in his 5.1 innings, striking out seven. Gollert picked up his season’s second save with six strikeouts over the final 3.2 innings with only two runs allowed on one hit.
Wilson went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a walk, providing the Govs their only multi-RBI outing. Designated hitter Bobby Head added a 2-for-4 outing that included a run-scoring double in the second. Second baseman Garrett Giovannelli added a 2-for-5 outing, scoring twice.
Murray State starter Blake Clynes (1-1) suffered his season’s first loss after surrendering five runs on four hits and four walks in 2.1 innings. Wehby and third baseman David Sims each had a two-run home run, Wehby going 3-for-4 at the plate.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 17, UT MARTIN 1
MARTIN, Tenn. - Southeast Missouri (6-14, 3-2 OVC) baseball's offense exploded for a season-high 17 runs on 20 hits with a program record 46 at bats to beat UT Martin (5-13, 2-3 OVC), 17-1, Saturday afternoon at Skyhawk Field. The win evened the three-game weekend series with UTM at 1-1.
Southeast put up crooked numbers of three in the second, two in the fourth, sixth in the fifth and five in the sixth inning. Eight Redhawks recorded hits in the contest.
Tristen Gagan led the Redhawks batting 4-for-5 with 6 RBIs and a double. Wade Stauss was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate and Justin Dirden chipped in three RBIs.
With the run support, starter Christian Vick pitched five shutout innings of three-hit baseball with five strikeouts. Vick improved to 3-1 in 2018 with the victory.
The Redhawks started their scoring onslaught with three-straight RBI singles from Alex Nielsen, Connor Basler and Chase Urhahn in the top of the second.
Danny Wright then scored on a wild pitch in the third to extend SEMO's lead to 4-0.
In the fourth, Gagan doubled home Peyton Faulkner and Dirden advanced Trevor Ezell on a groundout to first to make the score 6-0.
Faulkner then recorded two RBIs when he squirted a single through the left side of the infield in the top of the fifth. Gagan continued the scoring in the inning when he rifled a triple down the right field line to score Ezell, Faulkner and Chase Urhahn. Gagan came around to home on a Skyhawks fielding error.
The Redhawks concluded their scoring with a five spot in the sixth inning. Ezell singled home Connor Basler and then Gagan added two more RBIs with a double to center. Dirden then drilled a single up the middle to plate Gagan and Alex Canty to finish Southeast's scoring.
UT Martin finally scratched across a run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Logan Winder entered to pitch in relief of Vick at the beginning of the frame. After back-to-back groundouts, Tyler Albright reached first on a drop third strike. Albright then came around to score on Ben Aslett's single to right.
Winder pitched three innings of relief allowing just one run on three hits. Matt Cook then entered in the ninth and scattered a hit in the bottom of the frame.
MERCER 10, EASTERN KENTUCKY 3
MACON, Ga. - Eastern Kentucky University’s baseball team lost 10-3 at Mercer University in game two of a three-game weekend series on Saturday.
The Colonels (7-13) tied the score, 1-1, on a sacrifice fly from Tyler Romanik in the top of the fourth. However, the Bears (15-5) scored twice in the bottom of the inning and never trailed again. Trey Truitt hit a solo home run to begin the frame.
Eastern stayed within striking distance in the fifth and top of the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Daniel Harris IV and a solo home run from Alex Holderbach. It was Holderbach’s second dinger of the season. However, Mercer platted six in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull away. All six runs were unearned.
Holderbach finished 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Will Johnson had a 3-for-4 day.
Truitt was 3-for-4 with three runs and five RBIs.
The two teams combined for 23 hits.