SUNDAY'S SCORES
SIUE 7, @Eastern Illinois 3
Belmont 10, @Southeast Missouri 6 (10 innings)
@Murray State 14, Morehead State 10
@#19 Tennessee Tech 8, Eastern Kentucky 5
UT Martin 8, @Jacksonville State 1
@#5 Clemson 3,
Austin Peay 2 (11 innings)
SIUE 7, EASTERN ILLINOIS 3
CHARLESTON, Ill. - SIUE baseball avoided a sweep Sunday with a 7-3 win in the finale of a three-game series at Eastern Illinois.
The Cougars improved to 15-34 overall and 6-21 in the OVC. Eastern Illinois dropped to 20-30 overall and 9-18 in OVC play.
Mason McReaken (3-2), making his second consecutive Sunday start, allowed two runs on just a single hit and struck out four over five innings to earn his first win as a starter. McReaken walked one, but faced the minimum through the first three innings.
Jared McCunn put the Cougars in front 1-0 in the third with his seventh home run of the year. Garrett Carmichael tripled to drive in Aaron Goecks in the fourth and SIUE led 2-0.
EIU got on the board in the fourth. Logan Beaman walked before Hunter Morris hit a run-scoring triple to right to cut the lead to 2-1.McCunn and Goecks each picked up RBI-hits in the fifth to push SIUE's lead to 4-1. EIU starter Spenser Dexter (0-2) took the loss. He allowed four runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings.
McReaken walked the first two hitters he faced in the fifth. Jimmy Huber advanced to third on a fly ball, and then scored on a sacrifice bunt by Andrew Curran.
Brock Hammit reached on a fielder's choice in the seventh and Carmichael connected for his first career home run in the eighth. Ryan Byrd followed McReaken to the mound and worked 2 2/3 innings. He allowed a run and struck out two.
McCunn came home on a wild pitch in the ninth for the final SIUE run.
Chris Robinson earned his second save with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to finish the game.
McCunn finished the day 3 for 5 with the home run and two RBIs. He was 7 for 14 in the series.
Hammit, Carmichael and Goecks each had two hits for the Cougars, who finished with 10 for the game.
BELMONT 10, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 6 (10)
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Belmont Baseball fought hard for a 10-6 victory Sunday after a marathon, extra inning slugfest with Southeast Missouri State.
The Bruins took the lead for the third time in the series in the top of the second inning. After two quick outs, senior Ben Kocher (Zionsville, Ind.) sent a base hit to left field to get things started for the Bruins. Junior Hunter Holland (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) then worked a walk to put Kocher in scoring position. Freshman Jordan Henshaw (New Market, Ala.) then scored the first run of the night with RBI single through the right side to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead.
The Redhawks threatened to even things out in the bottom of the second, putting two runners in scoring position with just one out. Junior Casey Queener (Brentwood, Tenn.) found the zone, striking out the next two batters to keep SEMO scoreless.
Despite two base runners in the top of the third, the Bruins were unable to score in the third, but Queener retired the Redhawks in order in the bottom of the inning to preserve the Bruins' lead.
Belmont scored their second run of the night in the top of the fourth after Kocher lead off with a single. The next two batters worked walks to load the bases with no outs. Senior Kyle Conger (Brentwood, Tenn.) recorded his first RBI of the afternoon with a sacrifice fly to plate Kocher giving the Bruins a 2-0 lead before SEMO turned a double play to end the inning.
SEMO put together a real threat in the bottom of the fifth. After a leadoff triple, walk, and a base hit, they loaded the bases with just one out. Queener once again dug in and forced a pop up and fly out to get out of the inning unscathed.
The Bruins blew things open in the top of the sixth. With one out, Kocher recorded his third hit in as many at-bats with a ground rule double to center field. Holland and pinch hitter sophomore Michael Matter (Ft. Myers, Fla.) worked walks to load the bases. Kyle Conger was a hero once again, smoking a grand slam over the left center field wall to empty the bases and give the Bruins a 6-0 lead.
After two and a half scoreless innings, SEMO ended the Bruins' hopes of a shutout with a one-out solo shot over the right field fence to cut the lead 6-1, but the damage was limited to one run after two fly outs ended the inning.
SEMO tried to rally in the bottom of the ninth, stringing together two leadoff singles that had Belmont call to the bullpen to bring in freshman Kyle Brennan (Franklin, Tenn.). A one-out ground rule double scored the two base runners to tighten things up 6-3. Brennan forced the second out of the inning with a fly out to center field and the Bruins were one out away from the victory. SEMO wasn't done though, and strung together a two out double and single to tie things 6-6 with the winning run on third. Brennan dug deep and struck out the side to send the game into extra innings.
After three scoreless innings, the Bruins dug deep in the top of the tenth and got some offense going. With one out, sophomore Michael Matter (Ft. Myers, Fla.) put together a beautiful at-bat, fouling off multiple pitches, taking the count full, and eventually hitting a chopper to the infield and beat out the throw at first to put the go-ahead run aboard. With two outs, the Bruins made a run when junior Chas Hadden (Morristown, Tenn.) worked a walk, pushing the go-ahead run to scoring position. Junior Matt Cogen (Franklin, Tenn.) scored the go-ahead run with a single down the left line giving the Bruins a 7-6 lead.
Junior Zach Ehrhart (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) and senior Austin Reynolds (Smyrna, Tenn.) kept the Bruins alive, delivering back-to-back RBI to give Belmont a 10-6 lead. With another run in scoring position, SEMO finally delivered the third out, ending the two-out rally and the Bruins took a four run lead into the bottom of the ninth.
The Redhawks leadoff the bottom of the tenth with a double, but Brennan forced a ground out and two fly outs to clinch the 10-6 victory for the Bruins.
MURRAY STATE 14, MOREHEAD STATE 10
MURRAY, Ky. - Murray State jumped out to an early and then hung on in the ninth inning Sunday afternoon at Reagan Field as the Racers defeated Morehead State 14-10 to win the series with the Eagles. It was MSU’s third consecutive series victory.
The Racers (24-26, 11-16 OVC) jumped on the Eagles (31-21, 17-10 OVC) early with a six-run first inning. A four-run eighth by MSU also proved to be big as Morehead scored six runs in the top of the ninth inning to make things interesting after the Racers carried a 14-4 lead into the final frame.
MSU began the game with five straight hits Sunday. Mike Farnell, Brandon Gutzler, Davis Sims, Gavin Wehby and Grant Wood all collected RBIs in the first to push the Racers to that early lead. In the third, Morehead got a pair of runs to make it 6-2 before a Caleb Hicks two-run home run down the right field line put the Racers back up by six runs at 8-2.
In the sixth, Morehead got a run to make it 8-3, but the Racers would respond once again, this time on RBI singles by Farnell and Wehby to push the margin to 10-3. Leading 10-4 in the bottom of the eighth, Wehby scored on a wild pitch to make it 11-4 and a bases-clearing double by Gutzler made it 14-4 heading to the ninth.
The Eagles actually had the bases loaded with two down in the top of the ninth before Alec Whaley got a strikeout to end the contest. Morehead got seven hits in the inning as it out-hit the Racers on the day 16-11. MSU drew nine walks however, while not walking a single Eagle batter in the victory.
Gutzler and Farnell led the Racers with four and three ribbies, respectively in the win while both going 2-for-4 at the plate. Wehby also had a multi-RBI day with two and led MSU at the dish going 3-of-4 with three runs scored.
Gray Dorsey picked up his second win of the season as he got the start in the contest. Dorsey pitched five innings and allowed just two runs on five hits while striking out a pair of batters. Tyler Anderson and Braydon Cook also made relief appearances on the day in addition to Whaley.
Five seniors were honored prior to the contest as Anderson, Gutzler, Hicks, Ramsey Scott and Wehby all played their final home game at Reagan Field.
#19 TENNESSEE TECH 8, EASTERN KENTUCKY 5
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - It was a perfect senior sendoff weekend for the No. 19 Tennessee Tech baseball team, with Sunday providing the cherry on top. The Golden Eagles (44-6, 25-2) set the Ohio Valley Conference record for league wins by completing their series sweep of Eastern Kentucky (26-26, 15-12) with an 8-5 victory.
Even though Tech's final home contest takes place on Tuesday, May 15, the Golden Eagles hosted Senior/Mother's Day on Sunday afternoon, allowing for the players' families to attend and enjoy in the pregame ceremony that honored each of the seven senior members of the team.
Following the ceremony, it was time for baseball. And unlike the first two contests, Eastern Kentucky was the first to light up the scoreboard. The Colonels quickly gathered back-to-back singles to lead off the contest, but Tech hurler Alex Hursey limited the damage.
After a sacrifice fly brought in the first run of the game, and subsequently equaled the first out, Hursey forced back-to-back fly balls to centerfielder Alex Junior to retire the side.
The Golden Eagle seniors made the day (not to mention weekend) as special as possible, starting with the first inning. Following a leadoff walk to Junior, senior backstop Brennon Kaleiwahea kept his smoking-hot weekend rolling with a single to left field.
Junior Kevin Strohschein ripped a single to the second baseman in shallow right field, driving in the first run of the game. Then, senior Chase Chambers sent the stands into a frenzy. The first baseman crushed a 2-0 offering for a three-run blast to right center field, his 13th long ball of the season, for a 4-1 Tech lead.
A solo home run by the Colonels in the fourth cut that lead to two, but another senior made his mark on the contest for the purple and gold. Left fielder Collin Harris stepped to the plate and quickly found himself in an 0-2 count. It hardly mattered, as he unloaded on the next pitch for a towering, solo shot to left center field that once again provided a three-run advantage.
Eastern Kentucky made its comeback effort in the sixth, eventually tying the contest with a solo home run and back-to-back RBI doubles.
Yet again, a Golden Eagle senior came to the rescue. With one out in the bottom half of the sixth, shortstop David Garza took his turn in the batter's box and promptly connected with the first pitch he saw for a monster, solo round-tripper to left field.
The lead his long ball provided would prove to hold up, thanks in large part to, yes, another senior. After relieving Hursey with two outs in the sixth, Colton Provey looked at home with a clean inning, making quick work of the Colonels in the seventh and eighth innings.
The Colonels managed two baserunners to lead off the ninth, but Provey turned in a massive strikeout for the first out to end his outing with a bang. He passed the torch over to redshirt freshman Tyler Sylvester for the final two outs. He forced a fly ball for the first one and then needed just four pitches to punch out the final batter of the contest.
Provey earned his fifth victory of the season after tossing two and two thirds innings, scattering three hits and fanning four Colonel batters. Sylvester boasted his fourth save of the year with those final two outs.
Of the seven Tech seniors, all but one made it on the diamond on the day, including third baseman Trevor Putzig, who missed the majority of the series with an injury but pinch hit in the eighth. Travis Moths tossed a fantastic game to pick up his 11th win of the year on Friday, representing the only Golden Eagle senior not to play in the contest.
Three of the five Tech senior batters blasted home runs in the contest (Chambers, Harris and Garza), with Kaleiwahea instead finishing 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. For the weekend, he finished an unconscious 8-for-10 with six runs and five RBI, not to mention an .846 on base percentage.
The winningest senior class in program history helped the Golden Eagles set a new OVC record for league wins, gathering their 25th of the season to break the Tech team's mark of 24 set back in 2013. The win also clinched the team's eighth weekend series sweep of the year.
UT MARTIN 8, JACKSONVILLE STATE 1
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball squad put together an all-around good outing in the 8-1 victory over Ohio Valley Conference foe Jacksonville State this afternoon.
UT Martin (11-37, 7-20 OVC) was led by Tyler Albright’s four-RBI performance. The Algonquin, Ill. native connected for three hits on the day – all of which were extra-base hits (two doubles and one home run). Jordan Stoner also had a memorable day as he continued his 28-game on-base streak. He tallied a pair of hits, one home run, drove in three runs, scored a team-best three runs and drew a pair of walks in the contest. Ben Aslett rounded out the run production for the Skyhawks as he accounted for one RBI while also tallying a hit. Collin Edwards picked up a pair of base knocks in the game while Blake Davis, Carson Shrode and Casey Harford all accounted for one hit apiece.
Sam Folks (2-6) twirled in the start as he logged six innings of work, allowing just one earned run and a total of seven base runners in that span. The Franklin, Tenn. native fanned six Gamecocks in his time on the mound. David Hussey provided two full innings of one-hit baseball as he sat down two via the punchout. Jefferey O’Dohterty shut the door as he tossed one frame and allowed just one hit along the way to secure the victory for UT Martin.
The Skyhawks got to work quickly as Stoner led off the game on a single to center field just before Albright uncorked a home run to right to give UT Martin an early 2-0 advantage.
Folks worked around a one-out double to escape the first inning with a pair of ground balls.
UT Martin pushed four runs across the plate in the second to blow the game wide open. Edwards got things started with a single to left and then swiped second base to bet into scoring position. Shrode would draw a four-pitch walk just before Harford ripped a base knock to left field to plate Edwards and move Shrode to second. Stoner then drew a six-pitch walk to load the bases in time for an Albright double down the right field line to plate both Shrode and Harford. Aslett then grounded out to bring in Stoner to give the Skyhawks a 6-0 cushion.
Folks opened his second inning of work with a strikeout followed by a groundout. He then conceded a single but kept his composure to force a friendly fly ball to get out of the inning.
Jacksonville State cracked into the scoring column in the third inning as it tallied its line run on the day to give the score of 6-1.
Folks kept up the good work over the next three innings as he allowed just two hits and one walk while ringing up five Gamecocks in that span. Jacksonville State threatened in the fifth with a two-out triple but Folks was able to fan the next batter to get out of the inning.
Hussey entered the game in the seventh and made a statement by striking out the first batter he faced. He then conceded a single but forced a popout and flyout to get out of the inning.
UT Martin added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth as Shrode got things started with a single down the right field line. Stoner then belted a two-run shot to left field to push the Skyhawk lead out to 8-1.
Hussey made quick work of the Gamecock eighth as he forced a pair of flyouts to open the frame and ended the way he began his appearance – with a strikeout.
O’Doherty came on in the ninth looking to secure the Skyhawk victory. He worked around a leadoff single as fly balls ruled the inning and UT Martin came away victorious.
#5 CLEMSON 3, AUSTIN PEAY 2 (11)
CLEMSON, S.C. - A toe-to-toe battle saw Austin Peay State University’s baseball team match Clemson and force extra innings before falling in walk-off fashion, 3-2, in Sunday action at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
Another pitcher’s duel unfolded between Governors starter Brandon Vial and Clemson starter Jake Higginbotham each opened with five scoreless innings.
Austin Peay (30-22) broke up the scoreless game in the sixth inning, using three consecutive walks to push in a pair of runs in the top of the sixth. Clemson returned the favor in its half of the sixth, using a bases-loaded walk followed by a sac fly to tie the game, 2-2.
Both teams would bend but not break over the next four and a half innings. Clemson would have an opportunity with a runner on third base in both the ninth and 10th frames. However, the Govs would cut a man down at the plate in the ninth and used a double play in the 10th to bring the threats to a close.
Austin Peay would have its chances in the 10th and 11th innings, getting a runner to second base in each inning. The 10th saw the opportunity arise with two out and a sharp ground ball could not get through the infield, ending the chance. One inning later, the scorinig opportunity arose with one out, but Clemson got a ground out and strike out to hold the score.
Clemson (39-13) broke the tie with third baseman Grayson Byrd’s leadoff home run. It is the first walk off home run allowed by the Governors this season.
Vial would last five-plus innings and allowed one run on three hits and two walks. Ross Walker would supply 1.2 innings of relief in the eighth and ninth innings, retiring five of the six batters he faced. Harley Gollery (3-3) suffered the loss after allowing one run on two hits in two-plus innings of work.
Clemson’s Travis Marr (6-1) picked up the win after tossing a scoreless 11th inning. Tigers starter Jake Higginbotham went 5.2 innings, allowing two runs on four hits.
Byrd had Clemson’s lone multi-hit outing, finishing the day 2-for-4 with two RBI, including a sacrifice fly in the sixth.
Right fielder Nick Walker had Austin Peay’s only multi-hit day, finishing 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored. Designated hitter Brett Newberg and shortstop Bobby Head each had bases-loaded walks for the Govs only RBI.