FRIDAY'S SCORES
@Murray State 8, Jacksonville State 7
@Eastern Kentucky 21, UT Martin 6
@Belmont 5, SIUE 3
Austin Peay 4, @Southeast Missouri 2
Eastern Illinois 13, @Tennessee Tech 2
@Southern Illinois 9,
Morehead State 8
MURRAY STATE 8, JACKSONVILLE STATE 7
MURRAY, Ky. - Tyler Duke proved that baseball is a game of inches as his base hit with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth of a tie game landed just fair down the left field line to give Murray State an 8-7 victory over Jacksonville State, Friday afternoon at Reagan Field.
For the Racers, it is their first win in the opening game of a series this season as they improve to 5-2 in the OVC and 9-12 overall. The Gamecocks fall to 2-2 in conference play and 10-12 overall.
It was not easy for MSU as they trailed 5-0 after two innings, but four runs in the final two innings capped a comeback over the team picked second in the OVC preseason poll.
Four Racers had multiple hits led by Wes Schad with three. Duke and Jake Slunder each had two RBI and eight of the nine starters scored a run.
After Trevor McMurray struggled early, Joe Ivey kept the Racers in the game, retiring 11 straight to begin his outing en route to throwing 4.1 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and striking out two.
The Gamecocks scored five runs in the second to take an early lead with a three-run home run Alex Webb being the big hit of the inning.
Jordan Holly started the Racers' comeback in the third as he single to start the inning before stealing second. Slunder then hit a grounder to short, but the throw to try to cut down Holly at third hit Holly in the helmet and bounced away, allowing Holly to score. Brock Anderson followed with a double and him and Slunder both came into score when the third baseman could not handle a hard grounder by Schad.
After a couple of scoreless innings by both teams, the Racers cut their deficit to one when Duke hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Bryan Chilton, who had doubled earlier in the inning.
JSU scored a run in the top of the eighth to bring their lead back to two runs, but Murray State answered with two runs in the home half of the inning. Jaron Robinson singled and Duke walked before a clutch double steal put runners on second and third with two outs for Slunder, who delivered with a two-run game-tying single.
The Gamecocks retook the lead in the ninth with a solo home run, but the Racers fought back with two runs in the ninth to win the game.
Ryan Perkins began the inning with a seven-pitch walk. After a strikeout, Sean Darmafall fought off three 0-2 pitches before taking four straight balls to make it first and second. Another walk to Robinson loaded the bases for Chilton, who hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game. A fourth walk of the inning to Jordan Holly then set up the heroics for Duke as he sent a 1-0 pitch looping down the left-field line, landing just fair beyond a leaping Coach Skirka in the third base coaching box and prompting the Racers to storm out of the dugout to mob Duke around second base.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 21, UT MARTIN 6
RICHMOND, Ky. - The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team’s bats came to life in a convincing 21-6 win over Ohio Valley Conference foe UT Martin in the weekend series opener on Friday at Earle Combs Stadium.
After UT Martin (8-13, 2-5 OVC) plated one in the top of the first, EKU (12-10, 1-3 OVC) got two in the home half of the inning on a two-run single by A.J. Lewis. The Colonels never trailed again.
Eastern plated five runs in the third to take control of the game. Chris Botsoe brought home a run with a single to left. Nick Howie scored on a wild pitch. Botsoe scored on an error. Daniel Harris IV and Corey Conklin had back-to-back RBI singles. Conklin’s knock made it a 7-1 game.
The Skyhawks got two runs back in the top of the fifth. Lewis scored on an error in the top of the fifth, but UT Martin plated another in the sixth to make it an 8-4 game.
The Colonels then blew the game open with nine runs in the bottom of the sixth. Eastern opened the frame with four consecutive singles, the final of which came off the bat of Lewis and scored Ryland Kerr. After Charles Ludwick and Harris IV delivered back-to-back RBI walks, Conklin blasted a two-run double off the center field wall. Logan Thomason followed that up with a two-run double into the gap in left center. One batter later, Kerr doubled home Thomason. Howie capped the big inning with a single through the left side that plated Kerr and made it 17-4.
UT Martin scored two runs in the seventh, but Conklin responded with his first collegiate home run in the seventh, a solo shot that made it 18-6.
Conklin struck again in the eighth, crushing a bases-clearing double to right center, scoring Ludwick, Chance Bodine and Christian Lucio to make it 21-6.
Conklin finished the day 4-for-6 with seven RBIs and two runs scored. Kerr went 4-for-6 with four runs scored and an RBI. Lewis was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs scored.
Right-hander Logan Teague (2-2) started on the mound for EKU and picked up the win, going 5.2 innings and surrendering four runs on eight hits.
Sam Folks (3-1) got the loss for UT Martin, tossing five innings and allowing eight runs on eight hits.
Jordan Stoner, Blake Davis and Creighton Eldridge all drove in runs for the Skyhawks in the game.
BELMONT 5, SIUE 3
NASHVILLE - Belmont University Baseball improved to 6-1 in OVC play Friday night after defeating SIUE 5-3. The Bruins were led defensively by senior Casey Queener (Brentwood, Tenn.) who had a career night on the mound, and offensively by senior Devon Gardner (Maryville, Tenn.) at the plate.
Queener's impressive night started early, striking out the side in the top of the first inning. His defensive efforts on the mound kept the Cougars off the board through three complete innings.
Gardner started off his three-for-three night in the bottom of the second with an infield single. Although he was stranded in the second, Gardner came up big again in the bottom of the third. Sophomore Jackson Campbell (Russellville, Ky.) started the inning with a single up the middle and senior Zach Ehrhart (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) followed that with a walk to put Belmont runners on first and second with no outs. Freshman Grayson Taylor (Cullman, Ala.) delivered the first RBI of the night, plating Campbell to give Belmont a 1-0 lead. After a beautiful sacrifice bunt from junior Chandler Adkins (Knoxville, Tenn.), Gardner doubled down the left field line, scoring two to give Belmont a 3-0 lead after three innings.
SIUE wasted little time responding, plating two in the top of the fourth to cut the Belmont lead 3-2. The Bruins, led by Queener, stepped up defensively keeping the Cougars off the board until the eighth inning. Queener continued to impress, picking off a runner at first base and striking out the side again in the sixth inning.
The Cougars made things interesting in the top of the eighth, scoring a run on two hits to tie the game 3-3. The late tying run never phased Belmont who responded in the eighth with a couple runs of its own. Once again Gardner led off the inning with a hit, this time his second double of the night down the left field line. After Gardner stole second and advanced to scoring position on a sacrifice bunt, the Cougars intentionally walked junior Hagan Severance (Brentwood, Tenn.) to try and set up the traditional double play. Severance took that hope away when he advanced to second on a wild pitch. Another intentional walk would load the bases leaving no room for an SIUE free pass. With two outs, senior Hunter Holland (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) worked a beautiful at-bat, drawing a bases-loaded walk to plate the go-ahead run. The Bruins scored another on a bases-loaded balk to take a 5-3 lead after eight innings.
Just three outs away from the victory, sophomore Logan Bowen (Bowling Green, Ky.) closed things out on the mound. Although a leadoff walk and hit batsmen put the tying runs aboard with just one out, Bowen kept his composure and forced a fly ball and ground ball to end the inning and secure the 5-3 victory.
AUSTIN PEAY 4, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 2
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - A four-run second inning outburst proved to be enough as Austin Peay State University’s baseball team opened its three-game Ohio Valley Conference series against Southeast Missouri with a 4-2 victory, Friday night, at Capaha Field.
Austin Peay (10-9, 5-2 OVC) saw its first five batters reach base safely in the second inning. First baseman John McDonald and designated hitter Matt Joslin ended that streak with RBI singles for a 2-0 lead. Second baseman Bobby Head then reached on an error, and shortstop Garrett Kueber reached on a fielder’s choice, each driving in runs to push the lead to 4-0.
Governors starting pitcher Josh Rye (3-2) made that early run support stand up, opening with three scoreless frames. Southeast Missouri (12-10, 2-5 OVC) would scratch out runs in the fourth and fifth innings, but Rye kept the innings from becoming bigger.
The Redhawks got a one-out triple off center fielder Danny Wight’s bat and shortstop Tyler Wilber followed with a single to drive in a run. The next inning, designated hitter Hunter Southerland hit a one-out double and second baseman Connor Basler followed with an RBI single to cut the deficit to 4-2.
Southeast Missouri threatened to tie or take the lead in the sixth, loading the bases with two outs. Austin Peay turned to reliever Ryan Kouba who struck out the first batter he faced to end the threat – the last significant threat for either team.
Rye picked up his second straight win after holding Southeast Missouri to two runs over five-plus innings. Ross Walker and Ryan Kouba combined for three scoreless innings to get the game into Brett Newberg’s hands. Newberg would notch a third consecutive save, his fourth this season, with a scoreless ninth.
Center fielder Garrett Spain and catcher David Martinez each had two hits to lead Austin Peay’s nine-hit attack.
Dylan Dodd (4-2) surrendered four runs on seven hits over six innings but left with the loss despite striking out six batters. Wright and Wilber each had two hits in the Redhawks’ six-hit offensive outing.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 13, TENNESSEE TECH 2
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - The Eastern Illinois baseball team took on Tennessee Tech in the first game of their conference series Friday evening. The Panthers were able to defeat the Golden Eagles 13-2.
With the win the Panthers improve to 9-11 (3-4 OVC), while Tennessee Tech drops to 11-9 (2-5 OVC).
The Panthers game out aggressive early, jumping out to a 6-0 lead. Christian Pena would reach on a throwing error to kick off the inning. Matt Waznis would triple down the right field line to drive in Pena. Keith Kerrigan singled up the middle to give the Panthers a two run lead. Trey Sweeney would single through the right side to keep the rally alive. EIU would keep the rally alive when Tyler Tesmond would single to left center to drive in Kerrigan. Jimmy Govern would give the Panthers their fourth run of the inning with a single to center. Hunter Morris would hit a two run double to right center to extend the EIU lead to six. Pena would bring in the seventh run of the inning on a sacrifice bunt.
Jay Meuse would give Tennessee Tech their first run of the game with a one run single down the left field line in the bottom of the second. Kevin Stohschein would double down the left field line in the bottom of the third inning to give the Golden Eagles their second run of the game.
Pena would earn his second RBI of the game with a one run single to right field to score Emme. Trey Sweeney was able to drive in two runs with a two run single to center . Govern extended the Panther lead to 12 with an RBI single to left center.
Michael YaSenka earned his second win of the season improving to 2-3. YaSenka tossed 7.0 innings with eight strikeouts.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 9, MOREHEAD STATE 8
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Despite battling back from big deficits twice, Morehead State's baseball club ultimately fell victim to a 9-8 setback to Southern Illinois in the series opener at Itchy Jones Park Friday. A combination of early errors and too many free passes later sent the Eagles back to a 16-6 mark.
Morehead State fell behind 5-0 in the first three innings but scored two in the fourth and three more in the fifth to tie it up, only to see the Salukis (12-8) plate four in the next two frames to pull back ahead.
The Eagles made another valiant rally with a three-spot in the seventh, but had runners on in the final two frames and could not generate the tying tally.
Four combined walks in the fifth frame by Eagles Josh Baumgart (1-1) and Grant Crosby spelled trouble as the Salukis got a leadoff homer and then later scored on a bases-loaded walk and a sac fly.
Trailing 5-0, MSU scored on a pair of ground outs in the fourth. A Jake Hammon two-run double made it 5-4 in the fifth, and senior Trevor Snyder's RBI single tied it.
Later, behind 9-5, junior Dom Peroni drew a free pass with the bases packed in the seventh, and junior Arthur Sells, who was 3-for-4 today, punched a two-run single through the right side.
Besides Sells, Snyder, Hammon and senior Connor Pauly generated two hits each. Senior Reid Leonard had a hit as well to move into a tie for second place in all time hits at MSU with 273. He needs just five more to pass Drew Lee for the record.