SUNDAY'S SCORES
@Morehead State 24, Jacksonville State 12
Murray State 7-11, @Eastern Kentucky 6-10
#21 Tennessee Tech 10, @Belmont 0
@SIUE 12, Austin Peay 7
@UT Martin 3-9, Eastern Illinois 2-10
@Lipscomb 8, Southeast Missouri 7
MOREHEAD STATE 24, JACKSONVILLE STATE 12
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Morehead State Baseball's high octane batting order was in full force Sunday afternoon as junior first baseman Trevor Snyder and senior DH Tyler Niemann each had seven RBI as the Eagles pounded out 24 hits and five home runs en route to a 24-12 series-clinching victory over Jacksonville State.
The Eagles (30-19/16-8 OVC) secured the program's fourth consecutive 30-win season, and Niemann, senior second baseman Braxton Morris along with pitcher David Calderon became the winningest four-year player class in program history with their 136th triumph since 2015.
Sunday's game featured 41 combined hits and nine homers. Snyder nailed two dingers to bring his season total to 14 and his RBI total to a team-best 55. Niemann also had a career-day, hitting a three-run homer and a two-run triple to go along with an RBI sac fly and ground out. Junior left-fielder Niko Hulsizer blitzed a pitch from JSU starter Colton Pate over the left-field fence in the third inning for his ninth round-tripper. His 41 career long balls moved into a tie for fourth place on MSU's career chart. Junior shortstop Reid Leonard also capped the scoring barrage in the eighth with a solo homer.
Leonard drew three walks as well and tied current assistant coach Kane Sweeney's program reached-base streak record at 41 contests.
All nine in the batting order registered a hit and eight had multi-hit games as Morehead State scored at least 24 runs in a game in a fourth OVC series this year. Senior third baseman Eli Boggess, who ranked second in the nation in 2017 in batting average, went 5-for-6, while Snyder was 4-for-7. Hulsizer and Niemann had a pair of safeties, while Morris, junior center-fielder Connor Pauly, junior catcher Hunter Fain and junior right-fielder Jake Hammon tallied two hits each. Snyder crossed the plate five times and Leonard touched the final dish four times.
Morehead State had a pair of five-run innings (third and seventh) and plated six in the fourth.
Jacksonville State scored 11 of its runs in the final three innings, including five each in the seventh and eighth innings. Center-fielder Cole Frederick cranked solo homers in the seventh, eighth and ninth frames, and second baseman Clayton Daniel had two doubles to set JSU's career two-bagger record.
Senior righty Kyle Cantu (4-0) stayed perfect for his record in 2018 by pitching into the seventh inning. He ultimately allowed six runs but stymied JSU until the seventh. Pate surrendered 10 runs in 3.2 innings to fall to 3-5.
MURRAY STATE 7-11, EASTERN KENTUCKY 6-10
RICHMOND, Ky. - On a wild day of baseball, Murray State came away with a big doubleheader sweep over Eastern Kentucky Sunday to win the series. The Racers came from behind in both games, winning game one 7-6 and the lightning and rain shortened game two, 11-10.
In the first game of the day, EKU (26-23, 15-9 OVC) jumped out to the early lead, scoring in each of the first three innings and led 4-0. Davis Sims got the Racers (22-25, 9-15) on the board for the first time with a solo home run to right field, his fifth home run of the season. Later in the inning, Ramsey Scott blasted his eighth homer of the year and got MSU within one, 4-3.
After the Racers tied the score at 4-4 in the fifth on a Brandon Gutzler RBI single, the Colonels reclaimed the lead with a solo homer in the bottom half of the inning. In the sixth, the Racers got their first lead of the day on a two-run single by Grant Wood to center field that put MSU out front 6-5. The lead wouldn’t last long however, as EKU would tie the score at 6-6 in the bottom of the inning.
The Racers would score the game-winning run in the ninth when Gavin Wehby scored from third base on EKU’s fourth error of the game. The Colonels’ right fielder dropped a two-out fly ball to allow Wehby to score. From there, Chance Carner shut the door on the Colonels to seal the win game one.
Carner pitched two hitless innings of relief to pick up his second win on the year. Carner came on with two runners on and nobody out in the eighth and got the Racers out of the jam as he struck-out a pair of batters in the inning. Luke Brown started the game and allowed five runs in five innings of work. Peyton Hayes also appeared in relief.
MSU was out-hit 12-5 in the contest and was led at the plate by Wood who went 2-for-5. Wehby scored a pair of runs in game one.
In game two, the two teams sat through a near two and a half hour rain and lightning delay with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh and final inning. After waiting, the field was determined unsafe to play to finish out the game, with the Racers leading 11-10.
MSU led 11-9 entering the seventh. The Colonels got a run with one out to make the score 11-10 before striking out for out number two, when the lightning came. Mike Farnell picked up his first career save as he got the final two outs of the contest and struck out two batters. Alec Whaley got the win as he pitched three innings of relief.
Wehby had a monster day at the plate in game two, going 4-for-4 with three runs scored and a pair of RBIs. Davis Sims was 2-for-2 with two runs while Brandon Gutzler, Jaron Robinson and Kyle Stevens all went 2-for-4 at the plate in the second game. Farnell was 1-of-2 with two walks and two runs offensively as well.
This time, MSU jumped out to the early 4-0 lead as the Racers got four runs in the first. Wood’s fourth homer of the season drew first blood, a two-run shot to right center. Gutzler would get an RBI hit later in the inning while Farnell scored from third on an EKU error.
After EKU got a run back in the bottom half of the first, Sims recorded a sacrifice fly RBI to right center that put MSU out front again by four, 5-1. The Colonels would take the lead however in the second as they scored five runs to take a 6-5 lead.
In the fourth, MSU reclaimed the lead for good with a three-run inning. Stevens’ second home run of the year tied the game at 6-6 and later in the inning, Wehby would get an RBI double and come around to score on an RBI fielder’s choice by Gutzler to make it 8-6.
MSU pushed the lead to 9-6 on another RBI hit from Wehby before EKU would cut the deficit to just 9-8 with two runs of their own in the fifth. In the sixth, Gutzler doubled down the left field line to score two and put MSU ahead 11-8. EKU responded with a run of its own in the bottom of the sixth.
#21 TENNESSEE TECH 10, BELMONT 0
NASHVILLE - After a lengthy, 12-inning contest on Saturday, the Tennessee Tech baseball team received just what the doctor ordered Sunday afternoon, as junior southpaw Alex Hursey tossed a complete-game shutout to lift the No. 21 Golden Eagles (40-6, 22-2) over Belmont (16-31, 10-17) 10-0 in Nashville.
The victory marked Tech's fifth shutout of the season as well as the team's seventh weekend series sweep of the year. The 40th win of the of the 2018 campaign for the Golden Eagle, it marked the fourth time in program history (all under head coach Matt Bragga) that the team hit at least 40 wins, including the first time during the regular season.
Hursey was methodical and used a brilliant defensive effort to his advantage in tossing his first complete-game shutout in the purple and gold. The JUCO transfer completed all nine innings of the contest with two strikeouts, zero walks and of course, zero runs allowed. He scattered 10 hits throughout the day, requiring just 104 pitches to earn his seventh victory of the season.
The Golden Eagle offense provided a lead early for the left-hander, jumping on the scoreboard in the first inning with the team's signature style, a home run. Junior Kevin Strohschein crushed his team-leading 15th long ball of the year to right center field to provide the 2-0 cushion that proved plenty on the day.
In the second inning, it was an RBI double to left field off the bat of senior Collin Harris that provided the brunt of the damage. Senior third baseman Trevor Putzig added an RBI single up the middle for good measure. Harris tacked on another RBI in the third, making it a 6-0 lead.
Both sides traded zeros on the board for a couple of innings, but the Tech offense had one last burst left in it for the day. In the sixth, the Golden Eagles took advantage of three Belmont miscues. Putzig laced a two-run single up the middle to kick off the scoring. Senior Chase Chambers finished it off with a two-run single to center field, providing a dominant, 10-0 advantage with Hursey dealing.
Putzig finished 3-for-5 with a pair of runs and three RBI while Strohschein drove in two as part of a 2-for-4 showing. Chambers gathered three hits in four at bats, driving two. Harris also tallied three RBI on his 2-for-5 showing.
With losses by both Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky over the weekend, the Golden Eagles clinched at least a share of their second straight Ohio Valley Conference regular season championship. Tech's last two league opponents this season are both the Colonels and Eagles.
SIUE 12, AUSTIN PEAY 7
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Jared McCunn paced a 13-hit attack Sunday as SIUE baseball avoided a sweep with a 12-7 win over Austin Peay at Simmons Baseball Complex.
The Cougars moved to 14-31 overall and 5-19 in the Ohio Valley Conference. Austin Peay dropped to 28-20 overall and 17-10 in the OVC.
McCunn was 4 for 4 with a pair of home runs, a double, a walk and five RBIs to lead the Cougars at the plate. The middle of SIUE's order (McCunn, Brock Weimer and Peyton Cordova Smith) combined for eight hits and 10 RBIs.
After going down 1-0 in the first inning, Cordova-Smith's two-run hit in the bottom of the inning gave SIUE a lead it would never relinquish. Cordova-Smith was 2 for 4. Weimer was 2 for 5 with a home run and three RBIs.
Following the two-run first inning, SIUE scored single runs in the second and third and four runs in the fourth inning to lead 8-2 after four.
Brandon Vial (2-3) started for APSU and allowed six runs in 3 1/3 innings.
The Cougars opened the sixth inning with five consecutive hits, including back-to-back homers from McCunn and Weimer.
On the mound, senior Mason McReaken made his first career start for SIUE. He worked four innings, allowing two runs on three hits. He struck out seven hitters, one shy of his career high. Ryan Byrd worked an inning-plus allowing two runs and striking out two. Chris Robinson worked the final four innings. He allowed three runs.
Kyle Wilson was 2 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs to lead Austin Peay.
UT MARTIN 3-9, EASTERN ILLINOIS 2-10
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team split today’s doubleheader against Eastern Illinois. The Skyhawks won the first matchup by a 3-2 margin before dropping the second game (a seven-inning affair) 10-9.
UT Martin (10-34, 6-18 OVC) was led on the day by Jordan Stoner (four hits, three RBIs) who drove in the game-winning run to claim Game 1 in walkoff fashion. Ben Aslett also tallied four hits and a trio of RBIs on the day. Tyler Albright accumulated three hits and a pair of RBIs while JoJo Allen collected a pair of base knocks and drove in a run. Casey Harford’s lone hit on the day plated a fellow Skyhawk to round out the scoring column for the pair of games.
On the mound, Winston Cannon twirled in his eight full innings of work to keep things close in Game 1. He allowed just one earned run and fanned a career-high nine batters in his strong outing. David Hussey came on in relief to assist in the victory and was credited with the win. Jefferey O’Doherty logged a scoreless appearance for UT Martin as he tossed 0.2 innings of work in Game 2 and allowed just one hit.
Stoner and Aslett led the way for the Skyhawks in the first game as both collected a pair of hits and drove in one run apiece. Stoner’s RBI came in the bottom of the ninth with two outs as he roped a double to claim the victory. Albright was responsible for the remaining UT Martin base knock.
Cannon was extremely effective in his start as he sat down nine men via the punchout in his eight-inning start. Hussey (1-0) entered the game in the ninth and allowed one run but fanned one batter in that span to close out the game.
Cannon made fairly quick work of the first inning as he forced a popout to record the first out. He then conceded a single before getting a pair of flyouts to end the inning. He worked around an error to lead off the second by forcing a foulout, recording a strikeout and getting a friendly ground ball to end the inning. Cannon kept chugging along in the third as he retired the first batter of the frame on strikes before a pair of fly balls retired the side.
Eastern Illinois would strike in the fourth inning for one run to take a 1-0 lead but Cannon would record another strikeout before the frame was over.
The Panthers led off the fifth with a single off of Cannon but he kept his poise as he then forced a groundout and rung up the next two batters to end the inning. He made quick work of the sixth as he retired the side in order on a ground ball and a pair of flyouts.
UT Martin got on the board in the sixth as Shrode opened the frame with a six-pitch walk. Albright then sacrificed himself to move Shrode over. Collin Edwards would reach on an error as Shrode crossed home to knot things up at 1-1.
Cannon opened the seventh with a strikeout then forced a flyout. He then issued a walk but fanned the next batter to get out of the frame safely. He got the eighth inning started off with a pop up followed by a pair of strikeouts to end the inning.
Stoner led off the eighth with a single through the left side before he advanced to second on a wild pitch. An Albright single then moved Stoner to third and put runners at the corners as Aslett stepped up to the plate. Aslett ripped a single to left field to bring in Stoner and put the Skyhawks up by a 2-1 margin.
Eastern Illinois rallied to tie the game up at 2-2 in the top of the ninth but Hussey would sit down the last batter he faced via the punchout.
Looking for a clutch moment, Harford drew a two-out walk before Stoner unleashed a double to right center to claim the 3-2 victory.
In game two, Stoner, Albright and Aslett all connected for a pair of hits and a pair of RBIs in the back end of the doubleheader to pace the team in run production. Allen also collected two hits and drove in one while Harford tallied a base knock and an RBI as well. Ethan Whitley racked up a pair of hits in the contest as Edwards and Blake Davis rounded out the hit column in the matchup.
Peyton Cain started for UT Martin and tossed 2.1 innings while being tagged for five earned runs. He was able to sit down two Panthers via strikeouts in that span. Austen Bullington also logged 2.1 innings of work and gave up two earned runs while ringing up one Eastern Illinois batter along the way. Sam Folks (1-6) was tagged with the loss as he threw 1.2 innings while allowing two earned runs. He managed to force a Panther whiff in his time on the mound. O’Doherty closed out the ballgame and tossed 0.2 inning while allowing just one hit in that span.
Eastern Illinois got on the board first as it put up one run in the second inning to take a 1-0 advantage.
UT Martin put up a four spot in the second as Whitley got things started with a single to center. Allen then connected for a base knock through the left side. Stoner would then get plunked by a pitch to load the bases in time for an Albright single through the left side to plate Whitley and Allen. Aslett then ripped a double down the left field line to bring in Stoner and Albright to give the Skyhawks a 4-1 lead.
The Panthers rallied for a four-run frame of their own in the third to reclaim the lead by a 5-4 margin.
The Skyhawks scored a pair of runs in the third as Davis led off the frame with an eight-pitch walk. Shrode then reached on a fielder’s choice before Whitley single to center. Allen then roped a double to left field to bring in Shrode. Stoner would get hit by another pitch to juice the bases. A wild pitch brought in Whitley to allow UT Martin to tie things up at 6-6.
Eastern Illinois clawed back in the fourth for a pair of runs and struck for another run in the fifth to take an 8-6 lead.
UT Martin put one run up in the fifth as Harford got the frame going with a double down the left field line before Stoner singled to right field to plate Harford and inch closer by an 8-7 margin.
The Skyhawks tied things up in the sixth as Davis led off with a base knock to left and later moved up to second on a wild pitch. Shrode then worked a six-pitch walk before Whitley sacrificed himself to shift both runners over. Allen was then issued a four-pitch walk. Harford would reach base on a fielder’s choice and bring in Davis. Harford then swiped second base before Stoner singled to the shortstop to bring in Shrode and allowed UT Martin to take a 9-8 lead.
The Panthers rallied once again to put up a pair of runs in the seventh to give the eventual final score of 10-9.
LIPSCOMB 8, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 7
NASHVILLE - Jake Perry hit a sacrifice fly to bring home the go-ahead run with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning and send Lipscomb (20-24) to an 8-7 win over Southeast Missouri (21-26) Sunday.
Lipscomb swept the Redhawks in the series.
SEMO trailed, 6-5, before scoring two runs in the top of the seventh inning to take the lead. Tristen Gagan singled through the left side and Peyton Faulkner scored. Faulkner previously reached on a triple to right center. Trevor Ezell touched home to give the Redhawks a 7-6 edge on a fielding error.
That lead didn't stand for long as the Bisons pushed across two unearned runs to get by SEMO in the bottom of the seventh. Lee Solomon scored on a passed ball and Maddux Houghton crossed home plate on Perry's sacrifice fly.
SEMO delivered its biggest blow on a three-run home run by Justin Dirden that brought the game to a 5-5 deadlock in the top of the sixth inning. It was Dirden's team-high 13th round-tripper of the season.
Nicko Ortega (4-1) picked up the win in relief as Lipscomb's bullpen did not allow a hit in the final 2.2 innings. Ortega struck out one in two-thirds of an inning.
Ortega gave way to Robbie Knox in the eighth. Knox recorded three strikeouts and walked two in two no-hit, shutout innings.
Ryan Losman (2-3) took the loss. Losman gave up two runs (both unearned), a hit and a walk in one inning.
Both teams finished with seven hits.
Dirden went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI to lead the Redhawks. Five other players followed with one hit apiece.
The top five hitters in Lipscomb's lineup combined for seven runs. Haughton and Perry had a team-high two hits each. Perry scored three runs, as well.
SEMO suffered its 12th loss by one run this year.