WEDNESDAY'S SCORES
@East Tennessee State 12,
Eastern Kentucky 7
Southern Illinois 23,
@Murray State 5
@Samford 5,
Austin Peay 1
Saint Louis,
@SIUE (cancelled)
EAST TENNESSEE STATE 12, EASTERN KENTUCKY 7
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - Eastern Kentucky University’s baseball team lost at East Tennessee State University, 12-7, on Wednesday.
The Colonels (5-8) erased a 3-0 deficit by scoring four runs in the top of the fourth inning. With the bases loaded, two runs scored when the ETSU second baseman made a throwing error on a ground ball by Daniel Harris IV. A sacrifice bunt by Chris Botsoe made it a 3-3 game. Before the last out of the inning was made on a pick-off play, Harris scored from third to put Eastern on top 4-3.
The Bucs answered with six runs in the bottom of the fourth, part of nine unanswered in the fourth, fifth and six innings combined.
The Colonels scored three runs in the top of the ninth to cut into the ETSU lead. Ryland Kerr’s RBI single up the middle, Will Johnson’s bases loaded walk, and a sacrifice fly from Jake Lewis in the top of the ninth set the final score.
Kerr finished 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Nick Howie also had two hits and scored a run. Johnson drew three walks in the game.
Cook led East Tennessee (6-4) with a 4-for-5 performance and two runs scored.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 23, MURRAY STATE 5
MURRAY, Ky. - The Murray State baseball team fell Wednesday in non-conference action at Reagan Field, 23-5 to Southern Illinois. SIU out-hit the Racers 14-7 in the game with MSU also committing five fielding errors.
The Salukis (5-8) had five multi-run innings in the game, their biggest outbursts came in the third and fourth innings when they scored five and seven runs, respectively. SIU also scored four runs in the ninth.
Brandon Gutzler, Jaron Robinson, Gavin Wehby and Grant Wood all collected RBIs in the loss for MSU (7-6) while Kyle Stevens went 1-for-3 with a pair of walks and a runs scored on the day. Wehby also drew two walks in the loss.
Luke Brown took the loss for the Racers as he pitched 3.1 innings and allowed eight runs while striking out four batters. Chance Carner, Braydon Cook, Caleb Hicks, Connor Holden, Tyler Horsley and Nate Pianto all appeared in relief Wednesday.
SAMFORD 5, AUSTIN PEAY 1
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Brandon Kelley had a pinch-hit double and scored but it was the only run Austin Peay State University’s baseball team would muster in a 5-1 loss to Samford, Wednesday night at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
Austin Peay (8-5) will look back at the first inning as an opportunity that got away and haunted it most of the night. The Governors saw three of its first four batters walk, loading the bases with one out. However, Samford starter Tristan Widra would strike out the next two batters he faced to end the Governors threat.
Governors starter Tyler Thompson (0-2) would strike out the side in the first and tacked on two more strikeouts in a scoreless second. However, Samford (7-7) opened the third with four consecutive base hits off the righty, second baseman Troy Dixon and designated hitter Anthony Mulrine providing run-scoring singles in a four-run outburst for a 4-0 lead.
Widra (1-1) settled down after his rocky first inning would not allow a hit in four innings, working around five walks he issued. He made way for reliever Jake Greer who was greeted rudely by Kelley, the first batter he faced, who placed his double just inside the left field line. The Governors followed with a pair of ground outs to drive in Kelley to break up the shutout.
Greer and two other Samford relievers would combine to retire 12 consecutive batters until Austin Peay saw first baseman Parker Phillips open the ninth by reaching on an error followed by left fielder Andrew Flaherty’s single – the Govs second hit. But a pair of APSU fly outs ended the contest.
Kelley and Flaherty had the Govs only hits in the contest and five different Govs reached via a walk. Four Austin Peay pitchers combined to strike out 11 Samford hitters, Thompson striking out six and walking none in his 3.1 inning outing.
First baseman Brooks Carlson went 3-for-4 to pace Samford’s 11-hit attack. Mulrine ended the night 1-for-3 with two RBI.