SATURDAY'S SCORES
Morehead State 24, @Eastern Illinois 11
@Murray State 9, Belmont 5
@Jacksonville State 6, Eastern Kentucky 1
@Austin Peay 8, UT Martin 4
@#20 Tennessee Tech 6, Southeast Missouri 2
SIUE 5-4, @Samford 0-2
MOREHEAD STATE 24, EASTERN ILLINOIS 11
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Senior third baseman Eli Boggess and junior first baseman Trevor Snyder each cranked a pair of home runs, and the Morehead State baseball team scored 22 runs in the final four innings en route to a 24-11 victory at Eastern Illinois Saturday.
The Eagles, who scored 12 runs in the eighth inning, improved to 26-18 overall and 13-7 in the OVC as they have now scored at least 24 runs in three separate OVC games.
Snyder was 4-for-7 with two dingers and five RBI while scoring four times. He now has nine RBI in the first two games in the series. Boggess, who had no home runs in 2018, went deep twice and was 3-for-7 with five RBI. Pauly, who leads the team with a .443 batting average against league pitching, lifted a home run out and finished 3-for-5 with four RBI and four runs scored.
Junior shortstop Reid Leonard, senior right-fielder Tyler Niemann and junior DH Jake Hammon all collected three hits as well as the Eagles pounded out 23 hits. Hammon was 3-for-3 in a pinch-hit role and stayed in. Leonard increased his team-best reached-base streak to 36 games, just five short of the program record held by current assistant coach Kane Sweeney.
MSU fell behind 2-0 in the first, tied it 2-2 in the second and fell behind again 4-2 in the fifth before the bats went wild. The Eagles strung together seven straight hits and scored six times in the sixth frame to take an 8-4 lead they never relinquished. EIU got a two-run homer in the sixth before Snyder smacked his first round-tripper of the day in the seventh. In the bottom of the seventh, EIU had bases loaded, but reliever JC Hatcher coaxed an inning-ending double play to set the stage for an offensive breakout.
The Eagles sent 17 hitters to the plate in the 12-run eighth inning, collecting eight hits against three different Panther pitchers. Snyder then put the capper on the outburst with a three-run homer in the ninth.
Sophomore righty Jake Ziegelmeyer, the second of five Eagle pitchers, picked up the win to improve to 4-0 in 2018 and now 9-1 in his two-year career.
MURRAY STATE 9, BELMONT 5
MURRAY, Ky. - Murray State was able to build up an early lead and hang on late Saturday afternoon for a 9-5 victory over Belmont to win the series with the Bruins.
The Racers (19-23, 7-13 OVC) built their lead up to 7-1 heading into the eighth, before a four-run inning by Belmont (15-27, 9-14 OVC) made things interesting at 7-5. MSU was able to get a pair of insurance runs in the bottom half of the inning to push the lead to the 9-5 final score.
A Grant Wood double off the right field wall in the third scored a pair of runs and put MSU up 2-0 early. Later in the inning, Davis Sims got a two- out single through the left side of the infield to bring home Wood and it was 3-0 Racers.
In the fourth, Ryan Perkins’ fifth home run of the season, this one a two-run shot to right field, pushed the advantage to 5-0. Then in the fifth, Sims was able to reach on a fielder’s choice and score Gavin Wehby from third base. The Bruins got an RBI single in the sixth to make it 6-1 before an infield single by Jake Slunder brought home Ramsey Scott and got the score to 7-1.
After the Bruins were able to get their four-run eighth, Wehby got a sacrifice fly to right field to plate Jaron Robinson and then Wood’s single through the left side scored Perkins to put MSU back up by four.
Perkins went 2-for-2 at the dish with three runs scored in the victory while Slunder and Wood both went 2-for-4 on the day. Robinson also scored a trio of runs while going 1-of-2 with two walks. MSU out-hit the Bruins 9-8 in game two.
Luke Brown earned his second win of the season as he went a season-high seven innings in his start on the mound. Brown allowed just a pair of runs on six hits while striking out three. Tyler Anderson pitched a scoreless ninth in the win while Chance Carner and Caleb Hicks also made appearances out of the bullpen.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 6, EASTERN KENTUCKY 1
OXFORD, Ala. - Jacksonville State evened the series with Eastern Kentucky with a 6-1 win on Saturday at Choccolocco Park.
JSU improved to 23-16 on the season and moved to 12-8 in OVC play, while EKU dropped to 23-21 overall and 12-8 in the conference. After the Colonels claimed the series opener on Friday, the two clubs will have a rubber game on Sunday to decide the series.
JSU scored all six runs in two innings and broke up a scoreless deadlock with a two-out RBI single by senior Clayton Daniel in the sixth. Jax State plated five unearned runs in the seventh after back-to-back miscues by the EKU infield opened the door for a big inning.
Daniel's base hit in the sixth was the 297th of his career, which moved him in to a tie for fourth place all-time in the OVC for hits in a career. He joined former Eastern Illinois standout Caleb Howell (2012-15.). The hit scored senior Hayden White, who started the sixth inning with a double down the left field line.
A misplayed pop up at first base and another miscue on the right side of the diamond with two outs started the big inning for JSU. Senior Trent Simpson, who closed out the final, 1.1 innings on the mound, reached on a dropped pop up, followed by sophomore Andrew Naismith's misplayed ground ball set the run-scoring chance for the Gamecocks. Freshman Alex Strachan started a string of three consecutive RBI singles, while the final run scored on an EKU wild pitch. Two runs crossed the plate on Strachan's hit as the third EKU error allowed a second run to score on the play.
Freshman Cole Frederick, who joined White with multiple hits in the contest, had an RBI single, followed by a pinch hit base hit by sophomore Chase Robinson.
After being touched for 11 runs in the opener on Friday, JSU's pitchers were able to pitch out of tough situations throughout the game and keep EKU off the scoreboard. Junior Derrick Adams did not figure in to the decision, but went 5.2 innings and posted five strikeouts in the outing. Freshman Christian Edwards, who came in relief in the sixth and turned in his third win of the season, pitched the next two innings before handing it over to Simpson.
As a staff, the Gamecock arms allowed four hits by the Colonels and the lone run in the eighth. EKU broke up the shutout after a hit by a pitch with the bases loaded plated the run. EKU stranded 14 on the base paths.
AUSTIN PEAY 8, UT MARTIN 4
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - On a day Austin Peay State University's baseball team honored one of its alumni, starter Jacques Pucheu struck out a nine batters and the offense supplied three home runs in an 8-4 Ohio Valley Conference victory against UT Martin, Saturday at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Prior to the game, Austin Peay (24-19, 14-9 OVC) recognized alumnus Stephen Huff, who threw the ceremonial first pitch to help raise awareness for lung cancer. Afterwards, Governors starter Jacques Pucheu then took the mound and twirled six scoreless frames to start the game.
Pucheu (6-1) would see his shutout bid come to an end in the seventh, but still struck out the side in the inning. He returned to start the eighth and retired the first two hitters before allowing a double that ended his outing. Still, Pucheu went a career long 7.2 innings and struck out nine batters while scattering nine hits and two walks to pick up the win.
The Governors offense took charge early with three home runs in the first three innings. Second baseman Garrett Giovannelli opened the day with a solo home run and first baseman Parker Phillips tacked on another solo shot two batters later for an early 2-0 lead.
Giovannelli would triple into the corner in the second, extending the lead. Phillips then followed with a leadoff home run in the third inning and the Govs lead hit 4-0.
Austin Peay broke the game open in the seventh, using four consecutive hits to score three runs in the frame. Left fielder Malcolm Tipler and Phillips hit back-to-back doubles and center fielder Nick walker singled, each driving in a run to push the lead to 8-1.
UT Martin (9-31, 5-15 OVC) saw second baseman Tyler Albright hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh to break up the shutout bid. The Skyhawks then saw their first four batters in the ninth reach base to provide a late threat. However, Governors reliever Harley Gollert got a strikeout, line out and fielder's choice to end the threat for his season's third save.
Giovannelli had three hits, falling a double shy of the cycle, and drove in a pair of runs. Phillips also had three hits, each for extra bases, and had three RBI.
Skyhawks starter Winston Cannon (1-7) suffered the loss after allowing eight runs on 10 hits in 6.1 innings. Albright went 2-for-3 with two RBI and walked twice to pace the UTM offense.
#20 TENNESSEE TECH 6, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 2
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - The No. 20 ranked Tennessee Tech baseball team ran its record-breaking winning streak to a nation's best 28 games Saturday afternoon, using a brilliant performance on the mound and some timely hitting to defeat Southeast Missouri, 6-2.
The Golden Eagles (37-5, 19-1) took down their Ohio Valley Conference rival behind a gem from junior hurler Marcus Evey. The right-hander kept the Redhawks (20-23, 14-9) at bay for nearly the entire game, tossing seven frames with just five hits and an earned run allowed.
Evey moved to a perfect 6-0 on the season, striking out eight batters while walking just one in his latest performance on the hill. SEMO scored early in the contest, with Trevor Ezell lacing an RBI double to left center field in the top of the first.
That the was most the Redhawks could muster off the junior starter, as he scattered baserunners across the next six frames while allowing the Golden Eagle offense to go to work.
While Tech was held without a home run for just the eighth time this season and without an extra base hit for just the third time, the bats still pounded out 13 hits in the contest, combatting blistery winds blowing in from centerfield all day.
It took a few innings, but the Golden Eagles found their groove in the third. Senior Collin Harris continued his incredible start to the series, singling off the first base bag to lead off the frame as part of a 3-for-4 day at the plate with three runs scored. Harris was 2-for-2 with a three-run home run in Friday night's win.
Center fielder Alex Junior followed Harris with a single to left field, setting up senior Trevor Putzig for an excellent chance at moving the runners. The third baseman kept the momentum rolling, ripping an RBI single through the right side to drive in Harris for the tying run.
With runners on first and second again, junior Kevin Strohschein loaded the bags after singling to the shortstop. Senior Chase Chambers then gave Tech the lead for good, smashing a line drive to right field for a sacrifice fly.
Harris flashed the wheels again in the fourth, scoring from second base on a throwing error by the SEMO second baseman. In the fifth, Tech made it a four-run lead on the power of a bases-loaded, two-run single up the middle by senior David Garza.
One more time, in the eighth, Harris' speed paid off for the Golden Eagles. Sitting at second base, the senior took off as the Southeast Missouri hurler overthrew an attempted intentional-walk pitch to Strohschein. The ball sailed over the catcher's leaping attempt and took a wacky hop off the wall behind the plate. Harris rounded third and slid in safely at the plate for the sixth run of the game.
Sophomore Seth Noel took over on the hill for the Golden Eagles in the eighth, inning, tossing a scoreless frame. He then recorded two outs in the top of the ninth before the Redhawks mounted a rally attempt. SEMO snagged an RBI single to center field, making it a 6-2 game with the tying run on deck.
Head coach Matt Bragga turned to redshirt freshman Tyler Sylvester to give the SEMO batters a different look. After walking the first batter on four pitches to load the bases, the rookie settled in and forced a lazy ground ball out to Chambers at first base to end the game. He picked up his third save of the season with the out.
SIUE 5-4, SAMFORD 0-2
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - SIUE baseball closed out a dominant weekend with a with a doubleheader sweep Saturday. The Cougars defeated Samford 5-0 and 4-2 to finish off a three-game sweep of the Bulldogs.
SIUE improved to 13-29 overall. Samford slipped to 24-21.
Kenny Serwa (3-4) was the story in game one, using 106 pitches to record SIUE's first complete game shutout in four seasons. The junior right-hander allowed just a single hit. He did not walk a batter and he struck out four.
Serwa's complete game was the first of the season for the Cougars and the first complete game shutout since May 2014 with Ryan Daniels blanked Austin Peay.
The Cougars got RBI hits from Garrett Carmichael in the first and Steven Pattan in the fourth and solo home run from Jared McCunn and Aaron Goecks in the opener.
Goecks finished the game 2 for 4.
Samford right fielder Max Pinto had the only hit for the Bulldogs, picking up a single in the second inning.
The Cougars scored three times in the first inning in game two and never trailed in the contest. Jared McCunn singled with one out and Brock Weimer was hit by a pitch. Brock Hammit then connected for his fifth home run of the season to make it 3-0.
SIUE starter David Llorens retired the side in order in the first inning but left before the second inning with shoulder discomfort. Ryan Byrd (1-7) took over and worked four innings in relief on his way to his first win. He struck out one.
Samford scored its only two runs in the series in the second and third innings. Leftfielder Ryan Crockett drove home a run in the second inning and designated hitter Austin Edens added an RBI in the third.
Chris Robinson worked three scoreless innings out of the SIUE bullpen, allowing just one hit. He struck out three.
Aaron Jackson crushed a one-out solo home run in the eighth to extend SIUE's lead to 4-2.
Mason McReaken struck out the side in order in the ninth to nail down his sixth save of the season.
The Cougars finished with five hits in game two and 11 total for the day.