SATURDAY'S SCORES
SIUE 2, Texas-Arlington 1 (Nacogdoches, Texas)
@Stephen F. Austin 13,
SIUE 1
Murray State 11-10, Saint Peter’s 1-3
Northern Illinois 7-15,
@Southeast Missouri 5-16
Morehead State 5-9, @Norfolk State 4-6
Eastern Illinois 3-6, @Florida A&M 1-1
@Jacksonville State 8-0, Central Michigan 0-1
Bradley 11,
@Austin Peay 4
@#12 NC State 8-10,
Tennessee Tech 2-3
@Belmont 4, Evansville 3 (11 innings)
@#11 LSU 6,
Eastern Kentucky 3
UT Martin 7, Siena 5 (Mobile, Ala.)
SIUE 2, TEXAS-ARLINGTON 1; STEPHEN F. AUSTIN 13, SIUE 1
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - SIUE moved to 4-2 on the season, splitting a pair of games Saturday at Stephen F. Austin.
The Cougars scored a 2-1 win over UT Arlington in the early game before dropping a 13-1 decision in the nightcap. SIUE will wrap the weekend with an 11 a.m. game against UT Arlington Sunday morning.
The Cougars used a pair of solo homers in the opener to get past the Mavericks.
Trailing 1-0 in the second, Brett Pierson hit a two-out home run to right to tie the score. Raul Elguezabal homered with two outs in the fourth to give the Cougars the lead.
SIUE starter Kenny Serwa improved to 2-0 on the mound. He worked five innings allowing a run on five hits. He struck out a career-high 10 hitters while walking only two.
Kaid Karnes, Braydon Bone and Cole Milam each added scoreless outings in relief. Milam worked the final 2.1 innings, allowing a single hit and striking out four to earn his first save.
The Cougars settled for just five hits against UTA pitchers Carlos Tavera and Michael Wong. Taveras allowed both runs on three hits while striking out 11 in the start. Wong worked two scoreless frames.
Stephen F. Austin touched up SIUE freshman starter Preston Salazar for six runs on five hits over 1.2 innings. All six runs came on five hits in the second inning.
A run in the third and four more in the fourth before rounding out the scoring with two runs in the seventh inning. Brian Chandler, Ryan Brink and Quinn Waterhouse each allowed runs in relief for SIUE. Blake Stuble did not allow a run in a scoreless eighth inning.
SFA catcher Blake Zarrello paced the Lumberjacks' offense. He was 3 for 4 with a grand slam in the second inning and five total RBIs.
SIUE's only run came in the third inning. Aaron Goecks reached on a bunt single to start the inning and advanced to third on a double by John Stallcup. Goecks scored on a groundout by Josh Ohl. The Cougars managed just three hits in the game.
MURRAY STATE 11-10, SAINT PETER'S 1-3
MURRAY, Ky. - It was a clean sweep for the Murray State baseball team Saturday, taking both seven-inning games of a doubleheader against Saint Peter's. After taking game one, 11-1, the Racers downed the Peacocks in game two, 10-3.
In game one the Racers pounded out 15 hits in the first game, getting multiple hits from six players. Bryan Chilton led the way with three RBI while Ryan Perkins hit a home run and scored two runs.
Shane Burns was solid on the mound, throwing five innings, allowing just one run on two hits while striking out eight.
After a scoreless first inning for both teams, the Racers broke through in the second, scoring two runs on wild pitches before Jake Slunder drove in a run with a double.
In the third, the Racers added four more runs on a two-RBI singles by Skylar McPhee and Chilton before an error brought in the final run of the inning.
After the Peacocks got on the board in the fourth, Murray State got in back in the home half on a bases-loaded walk. Perkins put the Racers in double-digits with a two-run home run to right-center. A sacrifice fly by Sean Darmafall in the sixth capped the scoring for the Racers for game one.
In game two the Racers offense clicked once again in the second game of the day as they collected 12 hits, led by Brock Anderson, who went 3-4 with a home run. Perkins also added his second home run of the day and third of the season.
MSU jumped out to a big lead early as they scored seven runs in the first inning. The inning started with a three-run home run by Perkins before a triple by McPhee, two doubles from Bryson Bloomer and Alex Crump, and Anderson's second single of the inning drove in four more runs.
In the second, McPhee drove in his second run of the game with a single before an error brought in another run to make it 9-0 Racers.
Anderson put the Racers in double digits for the third straight game with a solo home run, his second of the season.
Sam Gardner picked up his first win of the season on the mound, throwing five scoreless innings with five strikeouts.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS 7-15, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 5-16
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Andrew Keck knocked in the game-winning run on an infield single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning to complete a remarkable comeback as Southeast Missouri (2-5) split a doubleheader with Northern Illinois (3-4) Saturday.
After dropping the first game, 7-5, SEMO rallied late to win the nightcap, 16-15, in extra innings.
The Redhawks were down, 15-6, when they scored nine runs on eight hits to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Danny Wright hit a grand slam and Justin Dirden smacked a two-run home run in an inning which saw 14 men come to the plate. Landon Hahn, Keck and Austin Blazevic also had RBI-hits in the Redhawks massive eighth.
SEMO and NIU went scoreless in the ninth and headed to extra innings.
In the bottom of the 10th, Hahn led off with a walk and went to second on a bunt single by Wright. With one out, Dirden was intentionally walked to load the bases. On the next play, Keck delivered his one-out game-winning hit.
NIU scored multiple runs in four innings and led by as many as 10 runs (12-2) through the first four-and-a-half frames. The Huskies and Redhawks scored a combined 11 runs in the eighth inning to set up the dramatic finish.
Bryce Grossius (1-0) earned the win as the last of five SEMO pitchers to take the mound. He struck out one in one scoreless inning.
Tristan Michaels (0-2) suffered the loss for NIU.
SEMO registered 21 hits in the nightcap, 10 of which were in the final three innings. Keck went 4-for-5 with a run scored and two RBI, Dirden finished at 4-or-5 with four runs scored, a home run and four RBI and Wright added three hits, a run scored and four RBI. Tyler Wilber, Wade Stauss and Caleb Feuerstake also had multiple hits.
Game one featured four ties, five lead changes and resulted in a decisive eighth inning victory for NIU.
Deadlocked at 5-5 after seven innings, the Huskies used a two-RBI single from Tommy Szczasny to pull away for good.
Jake Dunham led off the NIU eighth with a walk and Jordan Larson singled. After a sacrifice-bunt moved the runners, SEMO reliever Nathan Bock entered the game. Szczasny greeted Bock with what ended up being his game-winning hit.
SEMO had a runner in scoring position and the tying run at the plate in both the eighth and ninth innings, but came up empty. The Redhawks were 3-for-16 (.188) with runners in scoring position and stranded eight runners on base.
NIU struck first with a couple runs in the top of the second inning.
After scoring once in the bottom of the second, SEMO took its first lead in the third.
Wilber and Dirden started things off with back-to-back triples. Wilber scored on Dirden's hit and Keck reached on a fielder's choice. Blazevic hit a two-out single up the middle to put the Redhawks ahead, 3-2.
NIU tied the game at 3-3 during its next at-bat when nine-hole hitter Matt Barnes drove in Szczasny with two outs.
The Redhawks answered to take back the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Wilber doubled to right center, went to third on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice fly by Dirden to get SEMO a 4-3 edge.
The see-saw battle continued as NIU quickly tied the game again on a leadoff home run by Dunham in the top half of the sixth. The Huskies then took the lead after Dylan Lonteen doubled, advanced to third on a base hit by Szczasny and scored on a squeeze play by Alex Rodriguez.
Wilber went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, two doubles and a triple to lead SEMO. Blazevic and Feuerstake followed with two hits each.
Hayden Malenfant (0-1) took the loss out of SEMO's bullpen. Malenfant allowed two runs on two hits and walked one in two innings.
Collin Wilma made his first start on the mound working 5.1 innings. Wilma struck out six and gave up five runs on eight hits.
NIU finished with 12 hits, including three from Szczasny. He went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs, a walk and two RBI.
Nate Thomas (1-0) recorded six strikeouts and did not allow a walk over the final four innings to get his first win. Thomas scattered three hits and gave up a run, as well.
MOREHEAD STATE 5-9, NORFOLK STATE 4-6
NORFOLK, Va. - Facing a doubleheader for the second consecutive weekend, Morehead State baseball walked away with a sweep of Saturday's twin bill, taking both games from host Norfolk State by scores of 5-4 and 9-6.
The pair of victories improved the Eagles to 2-4 on the season while dropping the Spartans to 2-4. Across the two games, Morehead State hitters collected 17 total hits while Morehead State pitching combined for 24 total strikeouts.
Earning his way on with a walk, Boyd promptly stole second to put a runner in scoring position for the top of the order and leadoff man, redshirt sophomore second baseman Bryce Hensor. Hensor preceded to take an 0-1 pitch over the head of the second baseman and into the right-center gap, scoring Boyd from second to give Morehead State the lead.
After falling behind in game two, the Eagles answered in the fourth as the bottom four members of the team's batting order drove home runs in the inning as Dillingham, senior designated hitter Arthur Sells, redshirt freshman leftfielder Bryce Ray, and redshirt junior catcher Brody Shoupe each drove in a run.
Closing the door on both of the Eagles' victories Saturday, senior closer Jake Ziegelmeyer recorded the 11th and 12th saves of his career, surpassing Glen Koger for fifth all-time and moving into a tie with Tyler Keele for fourth on the program's all-time saves list.
Striking out 13 and 11 batters respectively in both ends of Saturday's twin bill, Morehead State pitching has recorded 10 or more punchouts in five consecutive games for the first time since stringing together five such outings from February 21-28, 2015.
With the first of two wins on Saturday, Morehead State head coach Mik Aoki recorded his 450th career Division I coaching victory, having now recorded 451 career wins in his 19-year D1 head coach career.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 3-6, FLORIDA A&M 1-1
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Panthers come away with two big wins in the double-header Saturday. After a hectic week of travel and schedule changes, EIU was able to come away with a couple of victories against the Florida A&M Rattlers. Will Klein and Blake Malatestinic both picked up their first wins of the season in today's games.
In game one Eastern managed to get nine hits in the first game, including two by Christian Pena and Tyler Tesmond. Pena also drew a walk on the game.
Both teams couldn't get it rolling until the fifth inning where they each put a run on the board. Will Klein had a tremendous day, as he finished with six innings pitched and only allowing three hits and two walks. Klein also gave up the lone run of the game for the Rattlers.
Klein was relieved in the seventh for closer Alex Stevenson. Klein finished his day with eight strikeouts. Stevenson let up only one hit in his three innings pitched and finished with a save. The Panthers pitchers stole the show.
Dane Toppel accounted for two of the Panthers three runs in the game, with Dalton Doyle being the other.
After a brief intermission, Malatestinic took the mound and pitched a monster of a game. Malatestinic pitched seven complete innings and let up only four hits, one walk and one earned run.
Trevor Nicholson came in relief for Malatestinic, and showed more of what fans were expecting off him. Nicholson pitched two innings and retired five of his six batters faced. The duo combined for 13 strikeouts on the day.
Eastern had another great offensive game and were helped by the many errors that FAMU racked up. Keith Kerrigan led in the hit total, as he finished going 2-4 with an RBI.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 8-0, CENTRAL MICHIGAN 0-1
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Jacksonville State split a Saturday doubleheader with Central Michigan on Saturday afternoon at Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.
The Gamecocks blanked the Chippewas, 8-0, in the opener and dropped a tough 1-0 decision in the nightcap.
One of the highlights from the twinbill is the solid pitching from the Gamecocks' staff on the 18-inning day. Jax State limited a CMU to one run on the day and it came 14 innings into the day as the Chippewas pushed the lone run of the second game across the plate in the sixth inning. The four pitchers used by JSU on Saturday combined for 15 strikeouts and 13 total hits. CMU's offense started the season last weekend hitting .304 as a team in its first four games at UNLV and scored 45 runs in the four games out west.
Redshirt junior Dylan Hathcock turned in a quality outing in the opener with 5.2 innings of work and scattering five hits. The Tallassee, Alabama left hander finished with three strikeouts and a pair of walks. Redshirt sophomore Trey Fortner finished the final 3.1 innings to earn his second save of the season. Both Hathcock and Fortner benefited from great defense as the Gamecocks turned in four double plays. JSU added another twin killing in the second game for the fifth of the day. Jax State leads NCAA Division I Baseball through the first full week of the 2020 season in double plays turned. JSU has posted 13 doubles plays in the first six games of the season.
JSU took the lead in the third inning with an infield RBI by junior Cole Frederick and a gifted run on a CMU error. The Gamecocks expanded the lead in the fourth after stringing together four hits in the frame, highlighted by senior Tre Kirklin's two-run single. Senior Chase Robinson had the first RBI if the inning with a single to right field. Kirklin was one of four Gamecocks to have multiple hits in the opener. Frederick finished with a pair of hits, while senior Alex Webb and Alex Strachan also added two hits each.
Jax State broke the game open with a three-run seventh inning. Junior Isaac Alexander laced a two-RBI single to right field, followed by sophomore Brook Brannon's first career RBI. Brannon had a single to the left side of the infield.
In game two, CMU's Jordan Patty handcuffed the Gamecocks for 7.2 innings and allowed just two hits in the outing. Jax State's Isaiah Magwood matched Patty for five innings as the sophomore was touched for three hits and fanning four Chippewas. Both teams combined for 28 fly ball outs, including 17 by JSU.
CMU's sixth inning started with a walk issued by freshman Austin Downey. After Zach Giles walked to start the frame, Griffin Lockwood-Powell had a base hit. A sacrifice bunt put the go-ahead run at third base. Downey (1-1) induced a slow ground ball out, allowing the run to score.
Downey shook off the run in the sixth to finish the final four innings with six strikeouts and the one hit.
Webb extended his on-base streak that dates back to last season to nine games with a walk in the fourth and a one-out single in the ninth. Sophomore Carson Crowe had the lone extra base hit of the night with a double in his first plate appearance. Junior Alex Carignan collected his first hit as a Gamecock with a lead off single in the fifth inning.
BRADLEY 11, AUSTIN PEAY 4
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay State University’s baseball team pieced together a late surge but it could not overcome an early deficit in an 11-4 defeat to Bradley, Saturday, in the third day of the SAF Dirt Classic on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Austin Peay (2-4) broke up a shutout bid in the seventh inning with the assistance of a pair of Bradley errors. First baseman Reid Brown led off the inning via a dropped fly ball that allowed him to reach third base. Catcher Alex Hay followed with a single to drive in the Govs first run in 22 innings.
The Governors showed off their patience in the eighth with five consecutive batters reaching safely with two outs. Pinch hitter Sebastian Martinez was hit by a pitch to start the rally with the Govs next three batters each earning a walk. Left fielder TJ Foreman earning the bases loaded free pass to push home a run. After a balk added a second run, third baseman Gino Avros drove in a third run with an infield single to provide the Govs fourth run.
Unfortunately, Bradley (1-5) pieced together its own scoring rally in the game’s opening innings. The Braves sent 10 men to the plate in the first frame, scoring five runs. Second baseman Adam Rellihan’s two-run home run was the inning’s big blow.
The Braves tacked on single runs in the second and fourth innings as left fielder Dan Bolt hit solo home runs in each frame. Right fielder Carson Husmann then added a two-run home run in the fifth as the Bradley lead grew to 9-0. Rellihan tacked on his second home run to lead off the seventh inning.
Avros paced the Govs offense with a 1-for-3, two walk outing that included an RBI. Brown was held without a hit but walked twice, scoring each time.
Govs starter Hayden Josephson (0-1) was unable to complete the first inning, allowing five runs on six hits and a walk while recording two outs in the frame.
Bradley starter Nick King (1-0) tossed four scoreless innings to pick up the win, limiting APSU to a hit and two walks while striking out four.
Bolt led Bradley with a 4-for-6, two home run, three RBI outing that also saw him score three times. Rellihan also had two home runs in his 3-for-4, three RBI day that saw him score three runs.
#12 NC STATE 8-10, TENNESSEE TECH 2-3
RALEIGH, N.C. - Early leads weren't enough for the Tennessee Tech baseball team Saturday, as the Golden Eagles fell in a pair of contests at No. 12 nationally-ranked NC State. The Wolfpack defeated the purple and gold 8-2 in game one and 10-3 in game two.
Playing its second doubleheader in as many weeks to open the season, Tech (3-2) took a 1-0 lead in game one of the day, thanks to an RBI double off the bat of senior third baseman Gavin Johns. The Wolfpack answered in the bottom half and took the lead in the second, 2-1.
Tech evened things up in the top of the third frame, this time using the team's niche trait, the long ball. Leading off the frame, freshman shortstop Brett Roberts hammered a 1-0 offering to left-center field for a solo shot and his second round-tripper of the year.
The Wolfpack opened things up in the fourth, using a pair of home runs to drive in three. They followed with single runs in the fifth, seventh and eighth to win the first contest 8-2.
Roberts and Johns each tallied a pair of hits in the contest to lead the Tech offensive effort. Senior southpaw Alex Hursey struck out five in four and one-third innings, surrendering five earned runs. Rookie Ty Fisher tossed a scoreless frame in the seventh.
Much like the first contest, game two began with the Golden Eagles on top in the first inning. Roberts set the pace by crushing the second pitch of the game to left field for his second dinger of the day and third of the year for a 1-0 lead.
Again, NC State was quick to respond, using a sacrifice fly in the bottom half to tie the game. Inning three proved to be the difference-maker, as the Wolfpack put up five runs on the power of a grand slam and RBI double to take a 6-1 lead.
Junior first baseman Jason Hinchman led off the fourth inning with his own solo blast, sending a 1-2 offering clear past the wall in left field for his sixth round-tripper of the year. NC State gathered two more runs in the bottom half of the frame, however, extending the lead to 8-2.
Hinchman earned his second RBI of the game in the fifth, ripping a double down the left-field line to drive in Roberts, who had singled earlier in the frame. The Wolfpack added single runs in the sixth and eighth to finish with a 10-3 win to claim the series.
Offensively, Hinchman finished 3-for-4 with the pair of RBI while Roberts totaled a pair of hits in five trips to the plate. Connor Adams was dealt the loss after surrendering seven runs in three and a third innings on the hill. Junior Jacob Parham completed the final two innings with just a single, unearned run allowed on one hit.
BELMONT 4, EVANSVILLE 3 (11)
NASHVILLE - Scoring the go-ahead run off a sacrifice fly from freshman Drew Lowry, the Belmont baseball team defeated Evansville 4-3 in 11 innings on Saturday at Rose Park.
The victory marked the second time in the last three years where the Bruins have won back-to-back extra inning games, defeating Northwestern on May 18-19, 2018. Starting pitcher Logan Bowen collected a career high eight strikeouts, with senior Justin Fowlkes earning his first win of the season and his eighth career win.
Evansville struck first in the top of the first inning following a leadoff single and loading the bases off a Belmont error and a hit by pitch, coming up with a single up the middle to bring in the game's first two runs. Following a solo home run in the top of the fourth inning by Evansville, Belmont got runners at the corners after an Evansville error and a single to center field by senior Chandler Adkins in the next half-inning.
The Bruins succeeded off the double steal attempt, scoring a run off freshman Brodey Heaton stealing home to cut the deficit 3-1. Heaton's stolen home base marks the first time a Belmont player stole home since Desi Ammons on March 4, 2016 against Youngstown State.
Heaton's first career home run in the bottom of the sixth inning made it a one-run game, with Belmont pitching five consecutive shutout innings heading into the bottom of the ninth. Adkins led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a single to right field, where Belmont would get a runner in scoring position off a wild pitch with one out.
A groundout to Evasnville's second baseman advanced a runner to third base and was followed by an RBI single from junior Jackson Campbell to tie the game 3-3.
Senior Michael Matter and Fowlkes only allowed one hit in the 10th and 11th innings to Evansville, with Carson Shacklett leading off the bottom of the 11th inning with a double up the middle to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. Freshman Chase Katafias hit a sacrifice bunt to advance Shacklett to third base and Evansville elected to intentionally walk the next two batters to load the bases.
Lowry came up with his second RBI of the season in the next at-bat, driving in Shacklett for the go-ahead run for Belmont's second consecutive 11th inning walk-off.
#11 LSU 6, EASTERN KENTUCKY 3
BATON ROUGE, La. - Eastern Kentucky University’s baseball team allowed two runs in the first inning and then held No. 11 LSU scoreless until the eighth, but fell 6-3 in game two of the series on Saturday at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge.
A two-run home run by Daniel Cabrera with one out in the bottom of the first inning staked LSU to an early 2-0 lead. EKU starter Jacob Ferris then held the Tigers scoreless for the next six and two-thirds innings.
After Ferris retired the first two batters in the bottom of the eighth, five straight Tigers reached base. Alex Milazzo drew a bases loaded walk to make it 3-0 and Cade Beloso followed with a bases clearing double down the right field line.
Eastern (4-1) got three runs back in the top of the ninth, but could not complete the rally. With two on and no outs, Caleb Upshaw singled to left field to score Chris Botsoe and get the Colonels on the board. Logan Thomason drove in a run with a single to center field. Daniel Harris IV’s ground out plated one more and accounted for the first out of the inning. However, the next two batters struck out to end the game.
Thomason finished the game 2-for-4 with an RBI. Botsoe and A.J. Lewis each had a hit and scored a run. Ferris struck out seven, allowed five hits and only one walk in seven and two-thirds innings.
Cabrera went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs for LSU (4-3). Landon Marceaux (1-0) pitched eight shutout innings and allowed four hits on his way to earning the win.
UT MARTIN 7, SIENA 5
MOBILE, Ala. - The University of Tennessee at Martin's baseball team eclipsed an early lead against Siena University to finish off the South Alabama Invitational 2-1.
UT Martin felt yet another sting from an early deficit as they finished up the second inning. Though the Skyhawks had struck first on senior Sean Dixson's third home run of the year in the first, they still were behind 4-1 to Siena. Freshman Eric Steensma was thrown into it all early as he has already made a start to this point, but it was clear that his leash was short. The right-hander battled for 1.1 innings before sophomore Seth Petry took over for the next two innings. Steensma finished the day giving up three runs in his 1.1 innings of work.
From the beginning of the season, the Skyhawks proved it wasn't difficult for them to come back after being in the hole. In two of UT Martins three wins, they came from behind. So as the tallies added up for the Saints, the momentum grew on the opposite end.
The retaliation bid began in the third as the Skyhawks closed in Siena. Freshman Christian Hall started it off by sending a blob single to right-center allowing Junior Blake Daniels to cut the lead in half (4-2). Hall's single in the third made it his third straight game with an RBI. UT Martin extended the start of the scoring parade by capitalizing on an error to make the score 4-3 in the third.
In Petry's relief effort, he held the Saints to just one run in his two innings of work. That run came in the fourth to extend Siena's lead to 5-3. Regardless, as a starter that had to come in for a tough situation, his outing proved to be a successful effort. He would be replaced in the bottom of the fourth by the submarine pitching sensation freshman Ryan Insco. Insco played an essential role in helping stage the comeback as he went four innings, only allowing one hit and striking out three batters.
While the Skyhawk pitchers found their stride, the offensive unit started to settle in against the Saints. This became evident as UT Martin stole the lead away in the fifth inning. A single from Dixson followed by a sophomore Noah Thigpen single allowed two runs to cross the plate. Shaken by the recent offensive explosion, Siena gave away the lead on a wild pitch to make it 6-5.
UT Martin extended their lead just a little more in the seventh inning as errors continued to plague the Saints. Freshman Wil LaFollette scored on a fielding error make the lead 7-5 heading into the eighth.
The eighth seemed more of a tough task for the Skyhawks as Insco got into the first trouble of his young career. With a runner on second and an out on the board, he was replaced by senior Jefferey O'Doherty, who carried out the remainder of the inning.
With a 7-5 advantage, all the previous was back on their junior closer Nick Wohlbold. Wohlbold had saved the game the previous night as he struck out the side against the hosting South Alabama Jaguars. His outing against Siena was a little shakier by the preseason All-Americans standards. He allowed one base runner to reach second base before he struck out the side for a second straight night to preserve the 7-5 victory.