TUESDAY'S SCORES
@#8 Louisville 16,
Morehead State 10
@#22 Wichita State 6,
SIUE 1
@#5 Kentucky 16,
Eastern Kentucky 5
Western Kentucky 15,
@Belmont 7
Tennessee Tech 17, @Lipscomb 6
@Jacksonville State 3, Kennesaw State 1
Southern Illinois 5,
@Southeast Missouri 0
@Arkansas State 13,
UT Martin 5
@#8 Ole Miss 11,
Austin Peay 4
Eastern Illinois at Missouri (cancelled)
#8 LOUISVILLE 16, MOREHEAD STATE 10
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Morehead State baseball team recorded 16 hits and double-digit runs, but it came on the short end of a 16-10 decision at No. 8 Louisville at Jim Patterson Stadium Tuesday.
The Eagles (6-6) found themselves in an 12-1 hole after four innings.
Second baseman Bryce Hensor, leftfielder Eli Boggess and rightfielder Tyler Niemann alll notched three hits, while first baseman Trevor Snyder connected on a three-run homer as one of his two hits. Shortstop Braxton Morris also had two hits.
Starter David Looney (0-1) unfortunately did not make it out of the first inning, allowing five runs off six hits. Seven other Eagle pitchers saw action, including righty Jeff Purnell, who struck out all three in his one inning.
Trailing 12-1 in the fifth, Boggess notched a pair of RBI on a single up the middle. A few batters later, Snyder nailed his first homer of the year, over the left field wall, to score three.
MSU tallied three more runs in the final two innings. Hensor had a sacrifice fly in the eighth and an RBI single in the ninth, while catcher Brody Shoupe tallied a run-producing single in the ninth.
Louisville finished with 21 hits, including four home runs.
#22 WICHITA STATE 6, SIUE 1
WICHITA, Kan. - SIUE baseball dropped a 6-1 decision to No. 22 Wichita State Tuesday afternoon at Eck Stadium.
SIUE fell to 4-6 overall. Wichita State, ranked 22nd in Collegiate Baseball's Top 30 poll, improved to 9-1.
The Cougars broke out on top in the third inning on a pair of hits. Aaron Goecks led off the inning with a single and stole second base. He scored on a two-out hit by Jordan Ross.
Wichita State grabbed the lead for good in the fifth inning. Noah Croft led off with a home run to tie the score. Following a pair of walks, a ground out moved runners to second and third. A wild pitch brought home the eventual game-winner in Jordan Boyer. After another walk, Mason O'Brien singled to plate two runs to make it 4-1.
Three of the runs were charged to SIUE reliever Brett Taucher (0-1). Taucher worked the third and the fourth without allowing a run, before running into trouble in the fifth. Overall, he allowed a hit, walked four and struck out three.
Mike Miller allowed a run in an inning of relief. Braydon Bone struck out three in two scoreless innings.
The Shockers added two more runs on three hits in the eighth inning against A.J. Johnson. Croft picked up an RBI-triple and Luke Ritter added a sacrifice fly. Johnson struck out two.
The Cougars managed only three hits. Goecks had two of SIUE's hits.
All three hits came against starter Preston Snavely (1-0), who tossed five innings for the win. Alex Segal threw three scoreless innings and Tyler Davis worked the ninth. Croft was one of four players with two hits for Wichita State, which finished with 11 hits.
Brock Fulkerson started the game for SIUE and posted two scoreless innings, while allowing four hits and striking out one.
#5 KENTUCKY 16, EASTERN KENTUCKY 5
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Eastern Kentucky University’s baseball team drew within a run of No. 5 University of Kentucky twice, but couldn’t stop the Wildcats in a 16-5 loss on Tuesday at Cliff Hagen Stadium.
After Kentucky (12-1) grabbed a 5-0 in the bottom of the second inning, the Colonels closed to within 5-4 and 6-5.
Kentucky’s T.J. Collett got it started with a two-run home run in the second inning. Troy Squires capped the five-run frame with a two-run double down the right field line.
Brenden Overton got the Colonels on the board in the top of the third. He led off the inning with a double to left field. The senior moved to third on a ground ball and then scored on another ground ball to make it 5-1.
Eastern cut into the deficit in a big way in the fifth. With two on, Chris Botsoe singled through the left side to bring home Overton. Cornell Nixon followed with a two-run triple to right field to make it a one-run game, 5-4.
Trailing 6-4 in the top of the sixth inning, Will Johnson scored on a ground ball to third to get the margin back to one.
Kentucky platted two runs in the bottom of the sixth and eight more in the bottom of the seventh to pull away.
Ryland Kerr went 2-for-4 for Eastern Kentucky. Overton finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Squires had a 4-for-4 day with two runs and four RBIs to lead the Wildcat offense.
WESTERN KENTUCKY 15, BELMONT 7
NASHVILLE - Belmont baseball dropped a 15-7 decision in a midweek matchup Tuesday afternoon.
Western Kentucky scored their first two runs in the top of the second inning. Despite two quick runs, the Hilltoppers responded with a two-run home run shot to set the tone.
In the bottom of the second, Senior Austin Reynolds (Smyrna, Tenn.) recorded BU's first hit of the night with a double to the right field warning track. He would then advance to third, taking advantage of a wild pitch, but was stranded at third.
Belmont struggled to get things going early and Western Kentucky took advantage. In the top of the third, the Hilltoppers hit two long balls, including a grand slam and a three-run homer. WKU's bats were on fire as they extended their lead 9-0.
Belmont responded in the bottom of the third with freshman Jackson Campbell (Russelville, Ky.) leading off with a double to right field. Freshman Kyle Brennan (Franklin, Tenn.) followed that up by reaching two bases on an error that also allowed Campbell to cross home plate to put the Bruins on the board. After another base hit by junior Hunter Holland (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.), sophomore Matt Cogen (Franklin, Tenn.) stepped up to the plate. Cogen sent a bomb over the outfield fence to drive in three runs, cutting the lead 9-4. Belmont would load the bases again but would leave all three runners stranded to end the inning.
After a three up three down inning, Belmont tried to build on their momentum. Brennan sent one in between the WKU third baseman and shortstop to reach first base. Senior Cully Day (Mahomet, Ill.) would then record his only hit of the night with a double up the right line. Brennan would then score on a wild pitch for BU's fifth run of the night.
Western Kentucky continued to have hot bats leading off the top of the fifth with a solo shot and tacking on two more during the inning. After a couple quiet innings, the Hilltoppers would round out their scoring with three runs in the top of the seventh.
The Bruins tried to rally late. Day would walk to start the bottom of the eighth. Holland and Cogen, recorded back-to-back RBI doubles to score the sixth and seventh Belmont runs. After a promising start, the next three Belmont batters were retired to end the inning.
Sophomore Justin Fowlkes (Collierville, Tenn.) started on the mound for the Bruins, throwing 2 1/3 innings, striking out two. Freshmen Chandler Schultz (Nashville, Tenn.), Edgar Parker (Jamestown, Tenn.), Logan Bowen (Bowling Green, Ky.) and sophomore Michael Matter (Ft. Myers, Fla.) all saw time on the Bump for Belmont. Belmont's pitching staff recorded seven strikeouts.
The Bruins recorded 10 hits on the night and committed no errors.
TENNESSEE TECH 17, LIPSCOMB 6
NASHVILLE - A mid-game rally and brilliant relief pitching proved enough for the Tennessee Tech baseball team (7-4) to gather a 17-6 win at Lipscomb (6-7) Tuesday evening, earning head coach Matt Bragga his 400th career victory at the helm of the Golden Eagle program.
After dominating in a 27-7 win over the Bisons in Cookeville last week, Tech's victory Tuesday came in a much different way, albeit again by a large margin. In the two teams' first match-up, the Golden Eagles jumped out to a 12-0 lead through two innings, holding a double-digit lead the entire day.
In Nashville, however, it was Lipscomb that struck the scoreboard first, plating a single run in the first and four more in the second to force Bragga to turn to the bullpen facing a 5-0 deficit. The savvy general turned to graduate transfer Colton Provey, who set the tone in shutting down the Lipscomb offense the rest of the evening.
Provey tossed four and one third innings out of the bullpen, allowing just two hits and a single, unearned run in his time on the hill. The right-hander from the University of South Carolina struck out three while forcing the Bisons to put the ball in play and let his defense go to work. The outing earned him his first victory in the purple and gold.
Trailing 5-0 and being held to just a single hit through the first three innings, the Golden Eagle offense showed just why it came into the contest with the reputation as one of the country's most dangerous. The Golden Eagles scored six times in the top of the fourth to suddenly to take a 6-5 lead, highlighted by a game-tying, two-run home run to left field by freshman Jason Hinchman.
The Bisons evened things at 6-6 in the bottom half of the frame, gathering an unearned run on throwing error. Never backing down, the Tech bats went right back to work, using a sacrifice fly off the bat of senior Collin Harris to retake the lead for good. The Golden Eagles dented home plate five times in the fifth, with other highlights including an RBI double by junior Kevin Strohschein and RBI single by senior Chase Chambers.
In the eighth, Tech went back to work, scoring three times on a combination of errors and two-run single by junior Alex Junior. The Golden Eagles added three more runs in the ninth for good measure, with two wild pitches and an RBI ground out by sophomore Anthony Carreraproviding the damage.
Freshman Brock Myers, junior Zack Wilcox, redshirt freshman Grant Phillips and yes, this is not a typo, the right fielder Strohschein, combined to close out the final three innings of the day for Tech. Myers tossed two in relief, striking out two while scattering a pair of walks.
Strohschein took over in the ninth, taking the hill for the first time in his Golden Eagle career, and offering four pitches before displaying some mild discomfort. Wilcox was brought on to finish off the batter and promptly forced a pair of pop ups. Phillips replaced Wilcox for the final out, striking out his lone opponent on three pitches.
Strohschein led Tech with a 3-for-5 night at the dish, driving in a run and scoring one as well. Hinchman drove in two while scoring three times and drawing three walks to go with his two-run tater. Junior, Harris and Trevor Putzig each recorded multiple RBI on the night while John Ham and David Garza each drew multiple walks.
Altogether, the Golden Eagles actually tallied more walks then hits in the contest, drawing 13 free passes as compared to 12 hits.
Bragga's 400 career victories over his 14-plus seasons ranks second all-time in Tech program history, trailing only TTU Sports Hall of Fame and OVC Hall of Fame inductee David Mays, who compiled 554 wins for the Golden Eagles in 25 seasons from 1974 through 1998. His 400 wins also ranks him 10th all-time in OVC history, sitting just one behind Middle Tennessee's Steve Peterson and two behind Middle Tennessee's John Stanford. It also makes the Golden Eagles the only current OVC program with two coaches in the top-10 in coaching victories in the league's history.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 3, KENNESAW STATE 1
OXFORD, Ala. - Jacksonville State was opportunistic on Tuesday night in a 3-1 win over Kennesaw State at Choccolocco Park.
The win moved the Gamecocks to 9-3 on the season, which is the best start since the 2011 season. With 12 games under its belt, JSU now turns its attention to the 30-game Ohio Valley Conference slate, beginning on Friday at Choccolocco Park. Jax State will host Austin Peay. First pitch on Friday has been moved to 11 a.m. The series will continue on Saturday at 11 a.m. and two clubs will close out opening weekend of league play on Sunday at 1 p.m. All three games will be available on the Gamecock Sports Network.
JSU started quickly with a two-run first inning, highlighted by junior Nic Gaddis. Gaddis, the reigning OVC Player of the Week after going 10-for-15 last week at UAB and over the weekend in Miami, Florida against Florida International, continued to swing a hot bat with a single in his first plate appearance, driving in the first run of the game. Gaddis drove in Nolan Greckel, who started the frame with a walk. In the last five games, the Trenton, Georgia native is hitting .611 (11-for-18) and pushed 11 runs across the plate. The catcher is not only carrying the club offensively, he threw out a pair of KSU runners on the base paths and handling the Gamecock pitchers.
Sophomore Andrew Naismith, who was in the designator hitter role on Tuesday, lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring JSU's second run of the first inning.
The two-run cushion was all the Gamecock arms needed as five different arms were used in the midweek affair. Redshirt freshman Sean Rape, who was making his sixth appearance of the season and second consecutive Tuesday night start, went the first three innings and allowed a pair of hits. The Alexander City, Alabama righty finished with a pair of strikeouts en route to picking up his first win in a Gamecock uniform. Freshman Christian Edwards pitched a pair of innings and was touched for the lone KSU run in the fifth. Jaylen Smith led off the frame with a solo home run to left field, but Edwards, from Hartselle, Alabama bounced back to strike out the side. Edwards fanned four in his two-inning stint.
Senior Grant Chandler made his 79 career appearance in a JSU uniform after one inning from junior Austin Brewer. Senior Trent Simpson collected his third save of the season with a four-out save opportunity.
With JSU nursing a 2-1 lead in the sixth, freshman Isaac Alexander drove in an insurance run with a two-out single to right center. Naismith reached base with a two-out walk and moved in to scoring position on a balk by the KSU pitcher. Making his JSU debut on Tuesday was freshman Alex Statchan. Statchan, a first baseman from Harvest Alabama, was credited with one of JSU's three hits on the night. He connected on a single to left in his first plate appearance.
The trio of KSU pitchers kept Jax State off balance throughout the contest with all three JSU hits coming off start Ryan Kennedy. Kennedy lasted 5.2 innings and collected five strike outs, but was hampered with four walks. Luke Tolbert and Max Ryan held the Gamecocks hitless in the final two innings.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 5, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 0
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Left-hander Brad Harrison threw a one-hit shutout with a career-high 13 strikeouts to lead Southern Illinois (4-8) to a 5-0 victory over Southeast Missouri (3-10) Tuesday night at Capaha Field.
Harrison, this week's Missouri Valley Pitcher of the Week, picked up his third win of the season.
Peyton Faulkner had SEMO's only hit and it didn't leave the infield as Faulkner's line drive went off Harrison's leg. It was the first hit a left-handed hitter got against Harrison this year. After that, Harrison did not allow a hit to his next 25 hitters.
Freshman reliever Trey McDaniel retired the final three Redhawk hitters in the ninth to help finish off the shutout.
SIU staked Harrison to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
Nikola Vasic reached on a two-base error and four-straight hits, including three singles and a triple followed. Addison Fugitt scored on Connor Kopach's triple to left center. Logan Blackfan knocked in Kopach on a base hit to right and Blackfan later touched home on a sacrifice fly by Jared Kengott.
Vasic doubled and scored on a wild pitch to tack on another run to the Salukis lead in the top of the second.
Kengott doubled and came home with the help of two wild pitches for SIU's final tally in the eighth inning.
Aaron Stretch was strong out of the Redhawks bullpen, tossing 3.1 scoreless inning with five strikeouts. Stretch relieved starter Ashton Holyfield in the second inning. He also walked one and allowed two hits.
Holyfield (0-1) suffered his first loss of the season.
SIU had 11 hits with Blackfan going 3-for-4 with a run scored, walk, one stolen base and one RBI to lead the way.
ARKANSAS STATE 13, UT MARTIN 5
JONESBORO, Ark. - The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball squad dropped a 13-5 decision to regional rival Arkansas State this evening.
UT Martin (2-10) was led by Jordan Stoner (two hits and one RBI) Tyler Albright (two hits and one RBI). The duo of Ethan Whitley and Nick Wohlbold would be credited an RBI each on their respective sacrifice hits. Blake Davis, Collin Edwards and Stoner all connected for doubles in the matchup, with Edwards recording a pair of two-baggers, while JoJo Allen, Anthony Adduci and Carson Shrode also tallied base knocks.
Dom Bazzani (0-1) fanned four batters in his first start of the season, going two innings. Following Bazzani, Seth Rayburn recorded a strikeout in his one inning of work. Senior Dalton Westfall came on in relief to toss five full innings and ring up five Red Wolves in his time on the mound.
The Skyhawks were able to get runners on early as Casey Harford was hit by a pitch but would be removed and was replaced in the lineup by Nick Wohlbold. A groundout would move Wohlbold over followed by an Allen single to put runners at the corners but run support was unavailable in the opening inning. Bazzani would see his first two men faced reach base but would strike out the next two Red Wolves followed by a groundout to keep things scoreless through one inning.
Arkansas State would push four runs across the plate in the second frame to take a 4-0 lead.
UT Martin would plate a run in the third inning as Stoner tallied the first hit of the frame and would then swipe second base. A Wohlbold groundout would move Stoner to third just in time for Albright to bring him home on a single up the middle as the Skyhawks narrowed things 4-1.
The Red Wolves answered the UT Martin attack with a three-run burst in the bottom of the third inning before tallying one run in both the fourth and fifth innings, giving Arkansas State a 9-1 advantage.
Westfall made fairly quick work of the sixth as he forced the first of the Red Wolves he faced in the inning to pop up, fanned the second, issued a walk to the third and forced the fourth batter to fly out.
The Skyhawks put together a two-run inning in the seventh with Ethan Whitley reaching first on a throwing error to get things started. Adduci then bounced into a fielder’s choice followed by a Shrode single. Stoner then stepped up to belt a double to left center to plate Adduci and shift Shrode to third base. Wohlbold would then ground out to score Shrode to edge closer by a 9-3 margin.
Arkansas State came back with two runs of its own in the bottom of the seventh to reclaim an eight-run lead by pushing the score up to 11-3. Westfall would record a pair of strikeouts in the frame as he picked up his both whiffs on just four pitches per strikeout, both Red Wolves caught looking.
Another UT Martin rally came in the eighth inning as Davis reached first on a strikeout and wild pitch. Edwards then doubled to center to move Davis to third setting up Whitley’s sacrifice fly to plate Davis. Adduci then singled to shift Edwards to third before a wild pitch would move both runners up a spot, plating Edwards. The duo of Shrode and Stoner would both be hit by pitches to load the bases but to no avail. By this time, the Skyhawks had narrowed things back 11-5.
Arkansas State put up two more runs in the home half of the eighth to tally the final score of 13-5.
#8 OLE MISS 11, AUSTIN PEAY 4
OXFORD, Miss. - Austin Peay State University’s baseball team mounted a furious midgame charge but a late Ole Miss rally denied it a chance for the comeback win in a 11-4 loss, Tuesday night at Swayze Field.
Austin Peay (8-4) trailed 5-1 after four innings but it pieced together a furious two-out rally in the fifth. Five consecutive Govs posted hits with two outs with second baseman Garrett Giovannelli, left fielder Nick Walker and designated hitter Andrew Flaherty each driving in a run and slashing the deficit to 5-4.
No. 8 Ole Miss (11-1) went to its bullpen after the Flaherty’s single and righty Will Stokes (1-0) retired the first batter he faced to end the fifth and six of the seven batters he faced to keep the Govs off the board. The Rebels then turned to Will Ethridge who notched his season’s first save by retiring all six batters he faced.
The Rebels offense could not solve the Governors bullpen for four innings but put together their own five-hit rally in the eighth inning to break the game open. Third baseman Tyler Keenan’s three-run home run was the frame’s big blow and ended any chance of a late Govs rally.
Walker led the Govs offense with a 2-for-4, two RBI performance that included a third-inning RBI double for the Govs first run. Shortstop Garrett Kueber also went 2-for-4 and scored twice.
Kyle Wilson (0-1) made his first start as a Governor and allowed four runs on three hits in 2.1 innings but was left with the loss.
Rebels left fielder Thomas Dillard hit home runs in each of his first two at-bats as part of a 2-for-4, four RBI outing. Keenan also went 2-for-4 with four RBI.