FRIDAY'S SCORES
Jacksonville State 6, @Eastern Kentucky 5
@Belmont 13, Murray State 11
Eastern Illinois 5, @Morehead State 4
Tennessee Tech 9-13, @Southeast Missouri 3-8
Valparaiso 8
, @SIUE 0
JACKSONVILLE STATE 6, EASTERN KENTUCKY 5
RICHMOND, Ky. - Junior Andrew Naismith delivered a pair of two-out, two-RBI singles to lift Jacksonville State past Eastern Kentucky, 6-5, on a damp Friday afternoon at Earle Combs Stadium.
The win secured Jax State's fourth consecutive Ohio Valley Conference series and the eighth-straight series win over the Colonels in series played on the EKU campus. JSU took the opening game of the three-game set on Thursday, 18-3. Saturday's series finale is slated to start at 1 p.m. EST/12 p.m. CST. JSU remained atop the Ohio Valley Conference standings at 12-5 and improved to 21-16 overall. EKU dropped to 22-17 on the season and 9-8 in the league.
Naismith's first of three hits gave JSU a 4-3 lead in the third after the Colonels ha recorded a run in the first inning and a pair in the second plate appearance. His single through the left side capped off a three-run frame for the Gamecocks. JSU rallied with two outs in the third with a pair of two-out walks by senior Nic Gaddis and junior Chase Robinson. Sophomore Isaac Alexander kept the inning alive with an RBI double down the left field line ahead of Naismith's key single, scoring Robinson and Alexander.
After EKU responded with two runs in the home half of the third and take a 5-4 lead, Naismith connected again on a two-out, two-run single to the right side of the diamond. The Auburn, Alabama first baseman finished the contest 3-for-5 with the four RBI. He now has four three-hit contests on the season and it was his seventh multi-RBI game on the season.
JSU's pitching shutdown the Colonel offense after the two-run third inning and kept the tying run on the bases, including twice at third base, on multiple occasions. Freshman Isaiah Magwood was inserted back in to the weekend rotation and went 2.2 innings on Friday. Magwood was touched for six of the nine EKU hits and five total runs, four earned runs. The Hazel Green, Alabama right hander finished with five strikeouts. Redshirt Freshman Trey Fortner was solid out of the bullpen over the next 3.1 innings and posted his second win of the season. Fortner, scattered three Colonel hits and added a pair of strikeouts. Sophomores Jackson Tavel and Christian Edwards combined to close out the game with the final 2.1 innings. Edwards collected his seventh save of the season and added five strikeouts.
Sophomore Cole Frederick had a multi-hit game with two singles, while junior Devin Brown picked up a hit. JSU was gifted 12 walks by the EKU pitching staff, which aided in the Gamecocks' scoring opportunities.
BELMONT 13, MURRAY STATE 11
NASHVILLE - Belmont University Baseball won a hard-fought battle, defeating Murray State 13-11 on Friday afternoon. The win secured the series victory for the Bruins and kept them in the race at the top of the Ohio Valley Conference.
Much like Thursday, Murray State wasted little time getting on the board, scoring in the first inning. One run on two hits gave the Racers a 1-0 lead.
The Bruins were relatively quiet in the first and second innings, with impressive defensive plays by the Racers keeping them off the board.
After senior Casey Queener (Brentwood, Tenn.) retired the Racers in order for the first time of the day, the Belmont offense got going in the third. Freshman John Behrends (Chattanooga, Tenn.) leadoff the inning with a single, but was in danger of being stranded after two quick outs. However, senior Chas Hadden (Morristown, Tenn.) picked him up with a single through the left side. Behrends initially halted at third base, but a fielding error by the Racers' left fielder allowed Behrends to score, tying the game 1-1 after three complete.
The Racers continued to swing the bat early in the count and often, putting a runner on with a leadoff single. With one out, the runner took off to steal the third base bag, but sophomore catcher Jackson Campbell (Russellville, Ky.) threw a dart from behind the plate to catch him stealing for the second out. The out proved to be an important one, as the next Racer hammered a double. With the go-ahead run in scoring position, Queener came up big with a strikeout to end the inning with the score still 1-1.
Belmont continued to push runs across the plate in the bottom of the fourth. Senior Devon Gardner (Maryville, Tenn.) worked a leadoff walk to put the go-ahead run aboard. With one out, freshman Grayson Taylor (Cullman, Ala.) plated another run with an RBI single up the middle. Freshman Tommy Crider (Madison, Ala.) carried the momentum with a base hit of his own to put runners on the corners with one out. A ground ball was enough to push another run home and put Campbell at the plate. Campbell increased the Belmont lead 4-1 with an RBI double. The three run fourth gave Belmont some insurance heading down the stretch.
Murray State responded with a couple runs of its own to tighten things up 4-3 after the top of the fifth.
From there, both offenses were hot. In BU's half of the fifth, Hadden laced a leadoff single and three consecutive walks loaded the bases with just one out. After the next batter struck out, Crider stepped to the plate looking at bases full of Bruins with two outs. With his third home run of the season, Crider smashed a grand slam over the right field fence for an 8-3 lead. Behrends kept the inning alive with a hit and Campbell drove him home with a double before the final out for a 9-3 lead.
The Racers responded with a three-run home run in the top of the sixth to cut the lead 9-6. Things got really interesting when Murray State hit another three-run bomb to tie the game 9-9 after the top of the seventh.
With a series win on the line, Belmont dug in and scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Crider once again put a barrel on the ball and sent a base hit to shallow center. Behrends then worked a walk to put runners on first and second. Campbell blasted his second RBI double of the day, clearing the bases for an 11-9 lead. After another walk worked by senior Zach Ehrhart (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.), Belmont scored two more on wild pitches to take a 13-9 lead.
Murray State threatened to plate a run in the top of the eighth after a leadoff double, but a double play ended the inning scoreless for the racers.
After being held off in the eighth, the Bruins needed just three outs to secure the win. After two hits were given up in the top of the ninth, sophomore Kyle Brennan (Franklin, Tenn.) took over the hill to try and notch his second save in as many days. The Racers put the heat on Belmont, scoring two in the top of the ninth, but Brennan got three strikeouts to preserve the victory.
Belmont improves to 12-7 in Ohio Valley Conference play after Friday's win, putting them two games ahead of Murray State in the race at the top of the table. Sophomore Logan Bowen (Bowling Green, Ky.) earned his fourth win of the season and Brennan notched his fourth save.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 5, MOREHEAD STATE 4
MOREHEAD, Ky. - The Eastern Illinois baseball team closed out their series against Morehead State Friday afternoon. The Panthers were able to come back late in the game to take the final game of the series 5-4.
With the win, EIU improves to 19-21 (10-11 OVC).
The Panthers put pressure on the Morehead State pitching staff early loading the bases with no outs in the top of the second. Ryan Knernschield kicked off the inning with a leadoff single to right center. Keith Kerrigan would reach on an error by Jason Goe to give the Panthers runners at the corners. Trey Sweeney would load the bases when he reached on a fielder's choice on his bunt. Goe was able to get out of the second inning jam with three straight outs.
Knernschield got the Panthers on the board in the top of the third inning with a one run double down the right field line.
Morehead State grabbed the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning on a Dom Peroni two-run single up the middle. Chase Sortor extended the Morehead lead with a two-run homer to left field.
The Panthers would score four unanswered runs to grab the lead back from Morehead State. Jimmy Huber drove in the second run of the game for EIU in the top of the sixth inning with a single through the right side. Hunter Morris would tie the game with a two run homer in the top of the seventh for the Panthers.
Jimmy Govern would give the Panthers a one run lead in the top of the eighth with a single to center to drive in Dane Toppel.
Will Klein improved to 1-0 tossing 3.0 innings with three strikeouts, while Alex Stevenson earned his fourth save of the year.
TENNESSEE TECH 9-13, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 3-8
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Another spectacular day with the bats propelled the Tennessee Tech baseball team to a pair of victories Friday, as the Golden Eagles swept a doubleheader with Southeast Missouri at Capaha Filed, winning by scores of 9-3 and 13-8.
Game one started with a pair of strong pitching efforts. Senior Andrew O'Dwyer (1-0) earned the victory after tossing five innings and holding the Redhawks (16-23, 6-14) to just two runs on five hits. He also struck out three in the contest.
Junior Jacob Cole wiped out the final four frames for the Golden Eagles (17-19, 5-12), limiting the home team to one more run on three hits. He also earned his first Division I save in the contest.
Tech eased into its offensive ways, scoring single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings behind an RBI single from freshman John Dyer, a solo home run from freshman JD Funk and a sac fly from Dyer. Heading into the sixth, the purple and gold held a 3-2 advantage.
And then the offense caught fire. With runners on second and third to lead off the sixth and a pitching change finishing up, Funk turned in a huge hit as part of a career day at the plate. The rookie laced a double to right field, driving in a pair to increase the Tech lead to 5-2.
Later in the frame, after the Redhawks intentionally walked All-American Kevin Strohschein with two outs, sophomore Jason Hinchman made them pay. The first baseman ripped his own double to right center to plate two more and give Tech a 7-2 lead.
SEMO snagged a run back in the sixth, but Tech gave insurance in the ninth to seal the deal. Hinchman clobbered his Ohio Valley Conference-leading 17th home run to left center field to lead off the inning. Back-to-back singles by Dyer and junior Anthony Carrera provided second baseman Nathan McMeansthe chance for an RBI fielder's choice.
In game two, the fire turned into a volcano as the Golden Eagles erupted for seven runs in the top of the first inning. The first nine Tech batters reached base and chased the first Redhawk hurler from the game without recording an out. Shortstop Hunter Higdon and Strohschein each singled to the outfield to lead off the contest. Hinchman followed with a walk to load the bases.
Dyer continued his incredible rookie campaign with an RBI single to left field, keeping the bases loaded for Carrera. The right fielder delivered the big blow of the inning, hammering a grand slam to left field for his 10th long ball of the season.
Three straight singles by McMeans, junior Gavin Johns and Funk loaded the bases again, allowing freshman Jason Hogan to draw a bases-loaded walk and forced a pitching change. One more run would score before the top of the first would end with a 7-0 Tech lead.
The Redhawks scored a pair in the bottom half, but freshman Thomas Saliba gave the Golden Eagles four innings of work in the contest, never relinquishing the lead. SEMO scored twice more in the second, cutting the initial Tech advantage to 7-4.
The Golden Eagles bounced back in the third, with Funk at the forefront of the scoring again. The designated hitter singled to left field to drive in a run. Higdon followed a few batters later with a sacrifice bunt leading to another RBI. Then, following a Strohschein single off the pitcher, Hinchman cranked a double down the left field line to seal the contest with an 11-4 lead.
Southeast Missouri would go on to score three more times in the third, but Saliba got Tech out of the inning. Daniel Holley took over from there covering the next three innings while holding the Redhawks to one run on two hits. He earned his first victory of the year with the performance. Tyler Sylvester finished off the final two frames, allowing just a single hit and striking out three.
Funk led off the seventh inning with his second dinger of the day, a solo shot to left field. Johns would drive in a solo run in the eighth with a bases loaded walk to provide the 13 runs for Tech.
On the day, Funk finished 6-for-10 with five RBI, two home runs a double and four runs scored. Hinchman collected four hits in seven at bats, while drawing three walks and getting plunked by a pitch. He drove in five while scoring twice with two doubles and a bomb.
Also a big part of the day was Strohschein continuing his run at history. The senior center fielder collected three hits, tying for the most in a career in league history with 330.
VALPARAISO 8, SIUE 0
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Valparaiso right-hander Jon Tieman tossed six scoreless innings Friday night to lead the Crusaders to an 8-0 win over SIUE in nonconference baseball at Simmons Complex.
The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for SIUE. The Cougars fell to 13-22. Valpo improved to 8-24.
Tieman allowed just two hits and struck out a career-best 12 hitters on his way to his second win of the year.
The Crusaders took a 1-0 lead against starter David Llorens, who worked three innings before leaving with discomfort in his leg. He walked four and struck out three.
Valpo added four runs in three innings against SIUE reliever Chris Robinson. Valparaiso designated hitter Blake Billinger drove home two with a single in the fifth and the Crusaders took advantage of three SIUE errors in the sixth to score two more.
Outfielder Steve Fitzsimmons hit a two-run homer in the seventh and Chase Dawson added an RBI-triple following a dropped foul ball in the eighth for the final three runs.