SATURDAY'S SCORES
@Morehead State 11, Southern Illinois 7
@Eastern Kentucky 11, Siena 8
@Murray State 2, Bowling Green 1
@Southeast Missouri 3-9, Ohio 0-2
Bradley 6-11,
@Tennessee Tech 3-6
@Belmont 6, UNC Asheville 4
@Mercer 8, UT Martin 4
Austin Peay 11, @Jacksonville 7
Gardner-Webb 8,
@Jacksonville State 7
SIUE 3, @Central Arkansas 2
Eastern Illinois 5, @Northwestern State 1
MOREHEAD STATE 11, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 7
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Behind the long ball, Morehead State overpowered Southern Illinois en route to an 11-7 victory Saturday, evening the teams' series at a game apiece. The Eagles (4-5) benefit from a pair of home runs in a five-run eighth inning to put away the Salukis (6-5) in a back-and-forth affair at Allen Field.
Morehead State tallied three total home runs in the game as sophomore pinch hitter Zach Boyd and senior rightfielder Arthur Sells collected their second homers of the season while redshirt junior shortstop Logan Goodnight connected on the first home run of his Morehead State career.
Overall, the Eagles collected their 11 runs on a season-high 13 hits, including a pair of career-high three-hit games for both Goodnight and Sells. On the other side, the Salukis plated their seven runs on 11 total hits.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 11, SIENA 8
RICHMOND, Ky. - Senior A.J. Lewis hit a grand slam and drove in five runs in Eastern Kentucky University’s 11-8 victory over Siena College on Saturday at Earle Combs Stadium.
Lewis finished 3-for-4 with a walk, three runs and five RBIs. With EKU (6-2) leading 4-2, the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, Lewis sent the first pitch he saw over the wall in center field for his second home run of the season.
The Colonels had a 9-4 lead before Siena climbed back into the game with four runs in the top of the seventh. Jonathan Crimmin’s pinch-hit, two-run double down the left field line scored the final two runs of the inning and made it a 9-8 game.
Charles Ludwick provided some insurance for Eastern Kentucky in the bottom of the eighth when he drove in two with a two-out triple to right center.
Nick Howie went 3-for-5 with two runs scored for the Colonels. Chance Bodine was 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. Jacob Ferris (1-1) started for Eastern and pitched 6-plus innings. He allowed six runs, five of which were earned, on six hits. The sophomore walked two and tied his career-best with nine strike outs.
Nick Laster earned his first save after tossing the final one and two-thirds innings, allowing one hit and striking out two.
Jake Hall had a 2-for-4 day with three RBIs for Siena (0-10).
MURRAY STATE 2, BOWLING GREEN 1
MURRAY, Ky. - Jordan Holly played hero Saturday afternoon at Reagan Field as he walked off Bowling Green with a bases-loaded two-out single to give the Racers a 2-1 victory and remain perfect at home this season.
The Racers looked like they would go quietly in the ninth as they had two outs and nobody on. Bryson Bloomer started the rally with a single to left before Sean Darmafall was hit by a pitch and Alex Crump walked to load the bases to set the stage for Holly. With the count full, the junior hit a liner to left-center field for his first career walk-off.
Holly also drove in the first run of the game as he drove in Crump from first with a double in the left-center field gap for the first run of the game after 5 ½ scoreless innings. The lead did not last long, however, as the Falcons answered in the top of the seventh with a run of their own.
Shane Burns was solid on the mound, throwing 5.2 scoreless innings with six strikeouts while allowing just two hits. Justin Thomas pitched 1.1 innings allowing one run while Jake Jones earned the win with two scoreless innings.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 3-9, OHIO 0-2
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri (5-6) swept Ohio University (3-7) in a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Capaha Field. The Redhawks won by scores of 3-0 and 9-2.
SEMO claimed its first series win of the season after taking the first three games of its four-game set with the Bobcats.
In game one, Andrew Keck hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the third inning and that was all SEMO needed in a 3-0 win, its second shutout of the series against Ohio. Tyler Wilber and Justin Dirden each walked ahead of Keck who launched his first homer of the season over the left field wall.
While Keck had the decisive hit, sophomore left-hander Noah Niznik was strong on the mound tossing a three-hit shutout. Niznik worked all seven innings allowing just three hits, striking out five and walking two. He improved his record to 2-0 this year. Niznik tossed the second complete game shutout for the Redhawks in the series.
Jack Liberatore (0-1) took the loss. Liberatore allowed four hits and three runs, walked three and struck out five in six innings.
Four SEMO starters had a hit with Keck's being the only one that went for extra bases. Austin Blazevic and Connor Basler had the others.
SEMO scored in the first three innings to take an early 5-0 lead and never turned bask in a 9-2 victory in the nightcap.The Redhawks got eight of their 13 hits from the first four hitters in their lineup. Danny Wright, Wilber, Dirden and Keck all got two hits and scored.
Already ahead, 2-0, SEMO added three-straight runs. Keck doubled home Wilber, Blazevic knocked in Dirden when he grounded out to second and Wade Stauss doubled down the right field line to score Keck.
SEMO put up another three runs three innings later. Wright delivered a single up the middle following back-to-back walks and Keck smacked a two-RBI single to left field to extend SEMO's lead to 8-0. Stauss smashed a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh for the Redhawks final run of the game.
Ohio went scoreless for the first 23 innings of the series before scoring twice in the top o fthe eighth.
SEMO had six players with two hits as Stauss and Landon Hahn rounded out the group.
Collin Wilma (1-1) worked 7.1 strong innings en route to his first career win. Wilma gave up two runs on four hits, struck out five and walked just one in 7.1 innings.
BRADLEY 6-11, TENNESSEE TECH 3-6
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee Tech baseball team fell in both ends of a home doubleheader against Bradley Saturday, losing in game one at Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex, 6-3, before dropping game two, 11-6.
The Golden Eagles (3-6) led for much of the first tilt of the day at Quillen Field, taking a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second frame. It was sophomore catcher Will Long providing the offense in the inning, and all game, lacing a double to left field that cleared the bases for a three-run advantage.
In the fourth and seventh innings, Bradley (3-6) chipped away with single runs, pulling within one. The Braves then provided the blow in the eighth, plating four runs while sending 10 batters to the plate to take a 6-3 advantage.
Tech put together a ninth-inning rally attempt, with Long kicking things off with a leadoff single to center field. He finished 4-for-4 at the plate with three RBI in the contest. Two batters later, freshman Brett Roberts drew a walk to bring the tying run to the plate. Bradley managed a pair of outs to end the contest and take game one.
The Braves continued their momentum into the second contest, using a solo home run in the first to take an immediate lead. The Golden Eagles answered right away thanks to a round-tripper of their own from senior third baseman Gavin Johns. The second-year man crushed his first dinger of the season, a two-run shot, to right field to give his squad a 2-1 lead.
Bradley had its own response in the second, plating three while the Tech pitching staff struggled with free passes. The Braves then opened the game up with seven more runs in the third, again taking advantage of Golden Eagle walks to take an 11-2 lead.
Freshman Trey Wright, redshirt junior Devin Lancaster and sophomore Thomas Saliba combined to keep the purple and gold alive, combining to post six straight scoreless innings. Tech scored three times in the fifth, with two coming off a triple to center field by senior Cody Littlejohn.
Tech snagged one more in the seventh, but stranded the bases loaded with two outs and an opportunity to really close the gap. Bradley would hold on to defeat the Golden Eagles 11-6 and claim the series.
BELMONT 6, UNC ASHEVILLE 4
NASHVILLE - Scoring six runs off a two-out rally in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Belmont baseball team overcame a four-run deficit to defeat UNC Asheville 6-4 on Saturday at Rose Park.
Belmont has overcome a deficit in its last three wins, scoring six runs in the eighth inning for the first time since April 18, 2019 against Murray State. Freshman Jalen Borders earned his first collegiate win and sophomore Aaron Hubbell earned his second save of the season, helping the pitching staff combine for eight strikeouts.
UNC Asheville struck first following two singles and a Belmont error to load the bases, with two RBI singles and a fielder's choice in the top of the fourth inning allowed the Bulldogs to take a 3-0 lead. Belmont struggled to generate offense early, striking out 10 times in the first six innings at the hands of UNC Asheville starter Blake Brown.
After a leadoff double in the top of the eighth inning, the Bulldogs took a 4-0 lead thanks to an RBI single.
A pop up and two strikeouts looked to end the bottom of the eighth inning, but Belmont managed to get a runner on first after a passed ball on a third strike allowed the inning to continue. The Bruins took full advantage, drawing a walk and collecting a double from sophomore Jack Capobianco that gave the Bruins their first run.
Belmont drew two walks immediately to load the bases and then score, cutting the deficit down to two runs.
Behrends answered the bell in the next at-bat, clearing the bases with a double to left center to give Belmont the lead. Sophomore Tommy Crider drove Behrends home with a single to center field, giving the Bruins a two-run advantage heading into the final half-inning.
Hubbell came in and took care of business, retiring all three batters he faced and collecting a strikeout to give Belmont the win.
MERCER 8, UT MARTIN 4
MACON, Ga. - The University of Tennessee at Martin's baseball club fell short again against Mercer after a late-inning rally was stalled by the Bears in the 8-4 defeat.
Thus far in the season, UT Martin has struggled in the early innings. However, the Skyhawks flipped that trait in the first inning as they scored first against their nationally recognized opponents, Mercer University. Heading into the matchup against the Bears, the Skyhawks have been outscored in the first inning 10-3. That wasn't the case as UT Martin struck first for two runs in the first inning. Freshman Wil LaFollette has already become a common name for the Skyhawks as he is enjoying his first-year campaign. He continued to add to that in this game as he blasted a shot to left-center to score both him and senior Sean Dixson.
That lead lasted shorter than the Skyhawks had hoped as the Bears struck in the bottom of the second inning. While the first inning has plagued the Skyhawks, it is the second inning that is the toughest. UT Martin so far has been outscored 13-2 in the second inning before this matchup. After the inning had ended, left-handed senior Sam Folks had given up three runs to give the Bears the slight 3-2 edge.
Folks gave up just one more run in his outing as he established a successful outing by giving up four runs in his five innings of work. With this added run that happened in the fourth inning, Mercer lead 4-2 after Folks exited.
The Skyhawks gained a little momentum in the sixth inning as they produced back to back hits, but managed to get nothing out of the streaky hitting. Though the deficit grew in numbers after Nick Wohlbold gave up his first runs of the season, the Skyhawks didn't lose faith. Heading into the ninth, they trailed the Bears 8-2 but gained two runs to cut the deficit on the defeat. Junior Ethan Whitley doubled home a run, and then junior Houston Wright brought him home on a single to centerfield. Before it was all said and done, the final score favored Mercer, as the Skyhawks fell to the Bears for the second straight day, 8-4.
AUSTIN PEAY 11, JACKSONVILLE 7
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Center fielder Garrett Spain was a single shy of the cycle and drove in four runs, leading Austin Peay State University’s baseball team to a series-leveling 11-7 victory, Saturday afternoon at Sessions Stadium.
Spain sparked the Govs to the lead twice in the game. His two-run double capped a four-run third inning that gave Austin Peay its first lead of the series, 4-2. After Jacksonville regained the lead, Spain belted a two-run home run to right field – his second homer of the season – to give the Govs a 6-5 advantage they would not relinquish.
Spain wasn’t done, adding a leadoff triple to start a three-run ninth and capping his 3-for-5, four RBI outing that also saw him score three times. Catcher Alex Hay, designated hitter TJ Foreman and first baseman Ty DeLancey also had two hits each.
Austin Peay (4-6) continued to battle through slow starts on the mound, Jacksonville (4-7) opening the game with two runs in the first and three in the fifth to take a 5-4 lead after three innings. However, the Govs bullpen would take over in the fourth and combined to limit the Dolphins to two runs over the final six innings.
Reliever Drew McIllwain (1-0) pieced together the most impressive effort out of the pen, tossing three scoreless frames for the win. He entered in the fifth with two runners on base and no outs with the Govs leading 6-5 and promptly induced a fielder’s choice and two fly balls to end the threat.
Jacksonville starter Tyler Santana (0-2) was tagged for six runs on eight hits and four walks in 4.1 innings. The Dolphins pitching staff surrendered 11 runs but saw only five earned after the JU defense committed four errors in the contest.
Designated hitter Jacob Southern went 2-for-5 with three RBI, including a two-run home run in the ninth that set the final score. Shortstop Dakota Julyia went 1-for-5 with a two-run single in the third inning.
GARDNER-WEBB 8, JACKSONVILLE STATE 7
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Gardner-Webb erased a four-run deficit over the final four innings to claim an 8-7 decision over Jacksonville State on Saturday afternoon at Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.
The rubber game of the series will be on Sunday at 1 p.m. after JSU (4-5) took the opening contest on Friday, 9-3. JSU students and all fans 18 years old and younger are admitted free. Tickets for the matinee game are available on JSUGamecockSports.com. The series finale will be streamed on ESPN+ and aired on Gamecock Sports Network.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (6-4) rallied from a 7-3 disadvantage with a three-run sixth inning. GWU's Cam Pearcey had the big hit in the frame with a one-out, two-RBI single. The visitors from North Carolina added the third run on a ground out. GWU's two-run eighth inning proved too be the difference in the contest as a sacrifice fly by Eric Jones scored the tying run and an errant throw by the Gamecocks plated the lead run.
JSU had to come-from-behind early after the Runnin' Bulldogs plated a pair of runs in the first inning off of sophomore Isaiah Magwood. After the two-run first inning, Magwood settled in for next four innings with seven strikeouts and six hits.
Senior Tre Kirklin, who had three hits on the day, connected on his second home run in as many days with a leadoff home run in JSU's first plate appearance. Kirklin would finish the day a triple shy of hitting for the cycle as he delivered an RBI double in the second inning and an infield RBI single in the fifth. JSU's top-three in the order combined for seven of JSU's 13 hits on the day. Senior Andrew Naismith had a double and an RBI single in the Gamecocks' fourth inning. Junior Cole Frederick turned in two singles on the day. Senior Alex Webb finished with a pair of RBI in the setback. Making his first start of the season at third base, sophomore Brook Brannon delivered an RBI.
SIUE 3, CENTRAL ARKANSAS 2
CONWAY, Ark. - IUE evened its series with Central Arkansas, collecting a 3-2 win Saturday afternoon.
The Cougars improved to 5-4 while Central Arkansas fell to 4-6.
Kenny Serwa improved to 3-0 in three starts after allowing two runs on nine hits over eight innings. He struck out nine and now has 28 strikeouts in 19 innings of work this season.
The Bears scored single runs in each of the first two innings to get out to a 2-0 lead. SIUE answered in the fourth with a two-out solo home run from Justin Perkins, his first of the year. The Cougars took the lead in the fifth with two runs coming on four hits. Steven Pattan drove home a run with a groundout. Josh Ohl singled to drive home the game winner.
Noah Cameron worked eight innings allowing all three runs on eight hits. He fanned nine hitters.
Cole Milam picked up his second save of the year with a scoreless ninth inning. UCA stranded the game-tying run on second base following a leadoff double.
The Cougars finished the day with eight hits. Brett Pierson (2 for 4) was the only SIUE hitter with more than a single hit.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 5, NORTHWESTERN STATE 1
NATCHITOCHES, La. - The Panthers pick up a 5-1 win, their fourth of the season, today against Northwestern State. The Demons are handed their second loss of the season by Blake Malatestinic and the Panthers. Malatestinic earns his second win of the season after a huge day. He finished with nine strikeouts, three hits and one earned run.
Alex Stevenson came in to relive Malatestinic in the seventh. Stevenson threw 17 pitches and notched two strikeouts and recorded a save. Stevenson made quick work of the five batters he faced.
The Panthers offense was able to keep the line moving in today's game, as they notched five hits on the five run victory.
Trey Sweeney added another hit to his season and drew a walk. Along with Sweeney, Dalton Doyle, Gunner Smith and Matt Mackey each recorded hits on the day. Smith ended the day with two hits, including a double, and managed a walk. Doyle came in clutch in his hit in the ninth that brought home two. Matt Mackey hit the Panthers first home run of the season; ending with two RBI.