TUESDAY'S SCORES
Butler 6,
@Eastern Illinois 3
Eastern Kentucky 11, @Dayton 6
SIUE 7, @Illinois State 2 (10 innings)
@Southern Illinois 3,
Belmont 2
#21 Tennessee Tech 10, @Western Kentucky 1
@Jacksonville State 10, Alabama State 5
Union 15,
@UT Martin 11
@Southeast Missouri 10, Saint Louis 8
BUTLER 6, EASTERN ILLINOIS 3
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois baseball came up short in their midweek showdown against Butler. Butler's pitching staff was able to hold of the Panthers offense defeating EIU, 6-3.
With the loss EIU drops to 12-22, while Butler improved to 24-8.
Tyler Tesmond broke the scoring drought in the bottom of the fifth inning scoring the first run of the game driving his third home run of the season to center field.
Blake Malatestinic earned the start for the Panthers in this midweek contest. Malatestinic tossed 5.0 innings, allowing five hits, one run, one walk, and struck out three batters.
Butler was able to end Malatestinic's afternoon when Tyler Houston homered to left center to tie the game in the top of the sixth inning. The Bulldogs were able to take the league when James Gargano grounded out to short.
Butler would score four runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a 6-1 lead over Eastern Illinois.
EIU would attempt the comeback in the bottom of the eighth inning. Joseph Duncan led off the inning with a lead off single to left. Jimmy Govern followed up with a double to left center, advancing Duncan to third. Jimmy Huber would cut the Bulldogs lead down to three runs with a single down the right field line.
Jack Pilcher came into the game in relief for the Bulldogs and was able to pick up his fifth save. Pilcher tossed one inning of relief with one hit, and one walk.
Dustin Wilson suffered the loss on the mound for the Panthers. With the loss Wilson fell to 1-3 on the season.
Huber finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs. Tesmond went 1-for-3 with a run, RBI, and home run.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 11, DAYTON 6
DAYTON, Ohio - Eastern Kentucky University’s baseball team used a four-run top of the eighth to pull away from the University of Dayton on Tuesday and win 11-6.
In the eighth inning, EKU (18-20, 9-6 OVC) got an RBI single to left field by Nick Howie and a two-run single to right field by Chris Botsoe to push its lead to three and not look back. Botsoe would score on a RBI walk by Daniel McFarland later in the game.
In the bottom of the fourth Michael Cleary had an RBI single and Mitchell Garrity had a two-run home run to push the Flyer lead to 5-2.
Alex Holderbach went 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Tyler Romanik was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored.
EKU struck first in the top of the second inning when Jacob Abbott drove in Howie with an RBI groundout. Holderbach drove in Cornell Nixon with a single through the left side in the top of the third to make it 2-0 in favor of the visitors.
The Flyers got on the board when Conner Echols singled through right side to bring in Brantley Johnson in the bottom of the third.
The Colonels scratched two across in the fifth when Romanik singled to center field to bring home McFarland and Nixon.
EKU pushed two more across in the sixth when Ryland Kerr singled through the left side to bring home Jacob Abbott. Jake Lewis scored on a bases loaded walk to Holderbach.
Cleary finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Wells went 2-for-4 with a double and one run.
Max Ford (1-1) picked up his first win of the season. He came on in relief and threw three shutout innings while striking out one.
SIUE 7, ILLINOIS STATE 2
NORMAL, Ill. - SIUE scored five times in the 10th inning Tuesday to defeat Illinois State 7-2 in nonconference baseball at Duffy Bass Field.
The win snapped an eight-game losing skid for the Cougars, who improved to 8-26. Illinois State dropped to 14-18.
Illinois State reliever Paul Turelli (0-1) walked Brock Weimer with one out in the 10th. Weimer was the first of six straight Cougars to reach base. With Weimer running, Aaron Jackson lined a base hit to right to set up first and third. Garett Carmichael then ripped a double to the right field corner, scoring Weimer and sending Jackson to third.
Kyle Pauly relieved Turelli and Aaron Goecks followed with a squeeze bunt to bring home Jackson. Jackson Layton followed with an RBI-hit before Steven Pattan drove home two with a single up the middle.
The Cougars built a 2-0 lead on single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Layton drove home the first run with a single to right center. Weimer doubled in the fifth to make it 2-0.
SIUE freshmen Collin Baumgartner started and threw four scoreless innings. He allowed just two hits, did not walk a batter and struck out four.
Illinois State tied the game in the seventh with a pair of two-out runs against SIUE reliever Devin Colley. Tyson Hays and John Rave each had RBIs in the inning.
A.J. Johnson tossed two scoreless innings in relief and struck out two. Colley added a strikeout in his inning of work. Tyler Hutchinson (1-0) threw two perfect innings and struck out two to earn the win. Mason McReaken worked a 1-2-3 10th inning with a strikeout.
The Cougars collected a season-high 14 hits. Goecks finished the game 3 fo4 with the RBI and a run scored. Layton was 2 for 5 with two RBIs and a run. Weimer was 2 for 4 with an RBI and two runs scored.
Hays had two hits and an RBI to lead Illinois State.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 3, BELMONT 2
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Belmont baseball drops a 3-2 decision to Southern Illinois in the final game of a five-game road stint.
Senior Kyle Conger (Brentwood, Tenn.) tried to get things going early in the ballgame, recording a double down the left line on the third pitch of the game. Conger was able to find advance just 90 feet from home plate on a sophomore Matt Cogen (Franklin, Tenn.) groundout, but he was stranded there as the next batter struck out.
The Salukis cracked the scoreboard early, putting a run on the board in the bottom of the fifth after putting a runner on base from a fielder's choice and a RBI single gave them a 1-0 lead.
After two scoreless innings, junior Justin Fowlkes (Collierville, Tenn.) made his sixth relief appearance of the season, taking over the hill in the bottom of the fourth. He was able to retire the Salukis in order for the first time in the matchup in just four pitches.
Junior Kyle Klotz (Fairview, Tenn.) also had an effective relief appearance for the Bruins. He took over in the bottom of the fifth after the Bruins gave up another run in the inning. He forced a fly out and recorded the first strikeout of the night for the Bruins and gave up an unearned run, getting out of the inning with a 3-0 deficit. Klotz retired SIU in order in the very next inning.
After two more scoreless innings, the Bruins finally got some offense going. After the first batter lined out, The Bruins strung together three-consecutive base hits. Cogen drove in Conger for the first run of the night to cut the lead 3-1. Senior Ben Kocher (Zionsville, Ind.) stepped up to the plate with runners on first and second and delivered a RBI single, scoring junior Devon Gardner (Maryville, Tenn.) to cut the lead to one. The Bruins had the go-ahead run on board, but the next batter flew out and the Bruins trailed 3-2 after the top of the eighth.
Freshman Kyle Brennan (Franklin, Tenn.) made his 20th appearance on the season, taking over the mound in the bottom of the eighth, trying to keep the score close. Brennan retired the first two with a fly out and a strikeout before walking the third batter he faced. Brennan effectively pitched around the runner, forcing a groundout to end the inning.
The Bruins took a one-run deficit into the ninth inning. Junior Hunter Holland (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) tried to get things going during the first at-bat sending a line drive to right field that looked like it would fall for extra bases, but the SIU right fielder made an incredible catch to rob Holland of the hit. The next two Bruins struck out swinging and the Bruins eighth inning rally falls short.
Despite out hitting the Salukis 7-5, the Bruins fell 3-2. Belmont left seven on base and committed one error.
#21 TENNESSEE TECH 10, WESTERN KENTUCKY 1
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Early offense and great pitching was key to yet another victory for the No. 21 Tennessee Tech baseball team Tuesday evening, as the Golden Eagles (30-5) extended the nation's longest winning streak to 21 games with a 10-1 victory at Western Kentucky (17-19).
Easily off to the best start in program history, the Tech squad got a fast start from its powerful offense. The Golden Eagles plated three runs in the first inning, highlighted by an RBI single from senior Chase Chambers and an RBI double down the right field line from junior John Ham.
Sophomore hurler Nic Dye turned in another gem on the hill, flinging five and two thirds inning while allowing just a single run on five hits and a pair of walks. The southpaw struck out a career-high eight Hilltoppers in the contest while moving to 4-1 on the season.
Dye received some added breathing room in the fifth inning from his bats, thanks to a pair of RBI ground outs by senior Trevor Putzig and Chambers.
In the sixth, senior shortstop David Garza added to the lead with a solo blast to right center field, his eighth of the year. After leading off the eighth with a double, he came around to score on a follow-up double by junior Nick Osborne.
Leading 7-1 in the ninth, Garza put a capper on the night with his second long ball of the game to left center field. His ninth home run of the season drove in three more runs, providing the Tech veteran with five RBI on the day.
Tyler Sylvester and Zack Wilcox combined to finish the final three and on third innings, neither allowing a hit or walk. Sylvester relieved Dye in the sixth with two men on and forced a pop fly to end the frame. He then tossed two more innings with two strikeouts. Wilcox needed just 13 pitches to run through three hitters in the ninth.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 10, ALABAMA STATE 5
OXFORD, Ala. - Seniors Clayton Daniel and Taylor Hawthorne collected three hits each to lead Jacksonville State to a 10-5 win over in-state foe Alabama State on Tuesday night at Choccolocco Park.
The Gamecocks improved to 19-14 overall and will return to action this weekend in Nashville, Tennessee for a three-game series with Belmont, beginning on Friday. The series gets started at 5 p.m. at Rose Park.
Daniel broke out of his weekend slump after not recording a hit in the three-game set with Southeast Missouri. The Guntersville, Alabama infielder finished 3-for-3 and reached base two more times with a pair of walks. Hawthorne, from Prattville, Alabama turned in a 3-for-5 performance at the plate, which was highlighted by a three-run blast in the eighth inning to give JSU a 9-5 cushion after nursing a 6-5 lead from the fifth inning. JSU added a fourth run in its last plate appearance for the five-run decision. Hawthorne's blast was the 15th of his career and the fifth this season. With his three hits, Daniel now has 10 multiple hit games and seven of those 10 games are three-hit performances. In his career, Daniel has posted 77 multiple hit games in three-plus seasons in a Gamecock uniform and tallied 25 three-hit games in his career.
The other storyline of the night was the pitching debut of sophomore Andrew Naismith. Naismith, who originally signed with the Hornets out of Auburn High School, but released from his National Letter of Intent after a coaching change at ASU, then became a Gamecock. The left hander was superb in three innings of work. After allowing a solo home run to the lead off batter, Joseph Estrada, Naismith settled in and allowed just two more hits. He recorded five strikeouts and benefited from a pair of inning-ending double plays in the first and second innings.
JSU manufactured single runs in its first two visits to the plate as junior Nic Gaddis delivered an RBI sacrifice fly in the first inning and freshman Alex Strachan blasted his second home run of the season with a solo home run to centerfield. JSU expanded the lead to 501 win after the third inning with a three-run third. Daniel and Hawthorne started the frame just like the first inning with a Daniel single and Hawthorne's second double of the contest. Gaddis came through with another RBI sacrifice fly along with an RBI by fielders choice by freshman Isaac Alexander.
Senior Grant Chandler was the first of five JSU pitchers used out of the bullpen. Chandler, making his 87th career appearance, was greeted with four hits by the Hornets that led to a pair of runs in the fourth inning. ASU evened the contest with another two-run inning in the next at bat. Gustavo Rios sent a pitch from redshirt sophomore Tyler Wilburn over the right field wall with two down in the inning to equalize.
Jax State bounced back to take the lead in the home half of the inning the third sacrifice fly of the night by the Gamecocks. Strachan registered his second two-RBI game with a fly ball to centerfield.
Wilburn would get the win and move to 3-2 on the season after JSU took the lead in the fifth. Freshmen Colin Casey and Christian Edwards combined to pitch the nest three innings and keep the Hornets off the board. Casey notched a pair of strikeouts, while Edwards fanned three more. Senior Trent Simpson tossed the ninth and capped off JSU's 15 strikeouts with two more in ASU's last chance inning.
Three other Gamecocks had a pair of hits to pace the order. Simpson collected two hits, while Hayden White had a single and double. White extended his hitting streak to 16 consecutive games. Redshirt freshman Grant Atkins tallied his first two-hit game as a Gamecock.
UNION 15, UT MARTIN 11
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball squad tallied a total of 17 hits on the evening but dropped a tough 15-11 decision to regional rival Union University.
UT Martin (5-29) was led by Ethan Whitley’s two-home run night. The freshman first baseman tallied a pair of hits (both home runs) and drove in three RBIs. Outfielder Carson Shrode also had a pair of base knocks to go along with a homer and a trio of RBIs. Senior Tyler Albright racked up a three-hit night while also driving in an RBI. Freshman Billy Edwards was a perfect three-for-three in the contest while also drawing a walk to get on base a team-high four times. Shortstop JoJo Allen had a pair of hits as well as a pair of RBIs on the night. Senior Ben Aslett rounded out the scoring column for the Skyhawks as he tallied an RBI on one hit. Jordan Stoner rapped out one hit and found a base via a walk while scoring a team-high three runs. Collin Edwards put together a pair of hits while also crossing home plate twice. Freshman catcher Blake Davis rounded out the hit column as he tallied one base knock and scored a run in the contest.
Dalton Westfall started on the bump for the Skyhawks but was only able to toss one inning while allowing three earned runs but fanning one in the process. Zack Denney produced a one-earned run outing over the course of one full inning. Nick Wohlbold (0-1) was tagged with the loss as he allowed two earned runs in one inning pitched. David Hussey twirled a near-perfect three innings as he allowed just two runners, one on a hit and one via hit by pitch. The righty fanned a total of five Bulldogs in his time on the mound. Austen Bullington logged three full innings for the UT Martin, allowing six earned runs but ringing up four along the way.
Westfall got off on the right foot as he sat down the first batter of the game via the punchout on just four pitches. He issued a four-pitch walk to the next batter before backstop Davis gunned the runner down while attempting to steal second before a friendly groundball ended the frame.
UT Martin got on the board first in the home half of the first inning as Stoner led off with a hit by pitch before swiping second. A Shrode flyout was enough for Stoner to tag up and move over to third just in time for an Albright single, the Skyhawks taking a 1-0 advantage.
Union would streak for four runs in the second to take a 4-1 lead.
Whitley would need just one pitch before he unloaded for a solo shot to lead off the second inning to inch back with a 4-2 score.
Wohlbold made quick work of the third inning as he worked around a leadoff single to find a trio of friendly fly balls to get out of the frame unscathed.
The UT Martin third saw Collin Edwards lead off the frame with a single up the middle before moving up to second on a wild pitch. Later, Whitley would belt his second homer of the evening to knot the score up at 4-4.
The Bulldogs put up a five spot in the fourth to reclaim the lead at a 9-4 margin. Hussey would come on in the fourth to retire the side via a pair of fly balls and a three-pitch strikeout.
Stoner got things started in the fourth with a leadoff hit by pitch before moving to second on a wild pitch. A timely Aslett single down the leftfield line would be good to plate Stoner and narrow the Union lead to 9-5.
Hussey kept things up in the fifth as he sat down the first batter of the frame on a swinging strikeout. He would plunk the next batter but fan the next two men he faced, thus striking out the side.
UT Martin put up another run in the fifth as Davis worked a five-pitch leadoff walk. He would move over to second on a wild pitch before an Allen double to center would be good for Davis to cross home plate and move closer to the Bulldogs with a score of 9-6.
Sticking to his game plan, Hussey sat down the first batter of the sixth on a strikeout. He forced a flyout, conceded a single and then found a ground ball to get out of the inning.
Collin Edwards got things started in the sixth for the Skyhawks as he poked a single through the left side. Davis would match Edwards’ swing with his own single through the left side to put men at first and second. A Whitley flyout would be good to move both runners into scoring position in time for an Allen single to right field to plate Edwards and give the score of 9-7.
Bullington entered the game in the seventh and retired his first opponent on a strikeout. He would allow a single before ringing up another Bulldog and get a friendly ground ball to end the frame.
The UT Martin seventh saw Billy Edwards lead off with a double to right center. Shrode would collect a base knock to right and end up on third on a two-base error, good for Edwards to come home and provide a 9-8 score.
Union added on another run in the eighth to take a 10-8 lead but not before Bullingotn recorded a strikeout to end the inning. The Bulldogs attacked for five runs in the ninth to claim a 15-8 advantage. Bullington would end the ninth the same as the eighth, on a strikeout.
Billy Edwards would be hit by the first pitch he saw in the ninth to get something started for the Skyhawk lineup. Stoner then tallied a double to left center as Edwards ended up on third base. Shrode uncorked a timely three-run blast to give the final score of 15-11.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 10, SAINT LOUIS 8
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri (17-20) scored four runs in the bottom of hte seventh inning to overcome a two-run deficit and beat Saint Louis (25-10), 10-8, in a see-saw battle Tuesday night at Capaha Field.
SEMO trailed, 8-6, before scoring four runs after SLU had a five-run top of the seventh.
Alex Canty was hit by a pitch and went to second on a wild pitch. Alex Nielsen walked and Devon Wilson reached on an infield single to load the bases. Moments after a pitching change, Danny Wright reached on an error and Canty scored. Peyton Faulkner followed with a single to score Nielsen. On the next play, Wilson touched home on a wild pitch. Trevor Ezell then flied out to center and Wright scored to put the Redhawks ahead, 10-8.
After the wild seventh inning, which saw SEMO and SLU combine runs, the Redhawk bullpen retired the Billikens in order in each of the final two innings.
SLU took an early lead on a two-out single to right field by Jake Garella in the top of the first inning.
SEMO scored once in the second and third innings. The Redhawks took their first lead at 3-2 on Faulkner's double down the left field line in the third.
The Billikens regained the lead on a two-out, two-run home run by James Morisano in the top of the fourth inning.
That lead didn't last for long as the Redhawks answered with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the fourth.
Nielsen's sacrifice bunt scored Justin Dirden and Wade Stauss scored an unearned run with the help of an error to give SEMO a 4-3 edge.
The Redhawks loaded the bases in the sixth inning and managed to widen their lead to 6-3 courtesy of a run-scoring single by Ezell and a RBI-walk by Dirden.
SLU countered with five two-out runs in the top half of the seventh. Alex King ignited the Billikens two-out rally with a two-run home run. Parker Sniatynski followed with a double and Garella was hit by a pitch. Carter Hanford doubled home Sniatynski to tie the game. After a pitching change, Nick Reeser greeted Redhawk reliever Ryan Losman with a two-RBI single up the middle as SLU took an 8-6 advantage.
Losman (3-4), one of six SEMO pitchers to take the mound, was credited with the win. He struck out one in 1.1 innings of relief.
Daniel Bergtholdt pitched a perfect ninth inning to nail down his third save of the season.
SEMO outhit SLU, 10-7, with eight of its starters getting a hit. Faulkner and Dirden paved the way with two hits each. Ezell extended his hitting streak to 11 games and has now reached safely in 23-consecutive starts.
Sean Frontzak (1-1) suffered the loss for SLU. Frontzak gave up three runs on one hit and did not record an out.
Offensively, the first five hitters in SLU's lineup hit safely and scored.