SATURDAY'S SCORES
@South Alabama 6,
Southeast Missouri 5
Eastern Kentucky 9, @#15 Georgia Tech 6
@Nicholls 11-3,
Eastern Illinois 4-4
@Charlotte 18,
Morehead State 3
@Davidson 14,
Morehead State 8
@Samford 5,
UT Martin 4
@#24 Dallas Baptist 13,
Austin Peay 2
@Jacksonville State 5, Alabama State 3
Southern Illinois 4,
Tennessee Tech 3 (Jacksonville, Ala.)
Tennessee Tech 5, Alabama State 3 (Jacksonville, Ala.)
SOUTH ALABAMA 6, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 5
MOBILE, Ala. - South Alabama (1-1) rallied late to get by Southeast Missouri (1-1) in a close 6-5 win to even the series at one game apiece Saturday afternoon at Stanky Field.
Tied, 4-4, after after seven innings, USA scored twice in the bottom of the eighth to claim its first victory of 2021.
Peyton Leeper walked, went to second on a single by Lincoln Andrews and later scored an unearned to put the Redhawks up 4-3 in the top of the eighth.
Noah Bailey knotted things up on a sacrifice bunt during the Jaguars turn in the eighth. Reid Powers then doubled to left field to score pinch-runner Drake Dobyanski for the game-winner.
USA's bullpen finished off the Redhawks with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
SEMO got on the board first with the help of two hits and an error. Danny Wright reached on a mishap by left fielder Caleb Balgaard. Wright went to second on an ensuing bunt single by Wade Stauss, advanced to third on Tyler Wilber's single and scored when Andrew Keck hit into a double play in the top of the first inning.
The Redhawks put up three more runs in the fourth inning. Andrews doubled home Austin Blazevic. Peyton Leeper, who was hit by a pitch, would score on wild pitch and Andrews touched home on a sacrifice bunt by Connor Basler to grab SEMO a 4-2 advantage.
USA, however, answered with two runs in both the seventh and eighth frames.
SEMO outhit USA, 10-6, with four players getting two hits. Stauss, Blazevic, Wilber and Andrews contributed multiple hits. For Andrews, it was his second-straight multi-hit performance.
Left-hander Noah Niznik made his first start of the season on the mound. Niznik gave up two runs on three hits, walked four and struck out three in 5.1 innings.
Relievers Austin Williams, Hunter Ralls, Blake Cisneros and Kyle Miller pitched the rest of the way. Cisneros (0-1) was credited with the loss.
Tyler Samaniego (1-0) picked up the win out of the Jaguars bullpen and Collin Brougham earned his first save.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 9, #15 GEORGIA TECH 6
ATLANTA - Brent Lovell hit a 3-run home run as the Eastern Kentucky University baseball team beat No. 15 Georgia Tech, 9-6, on Saturday at Russ Chandler Stadium.
The win is the program’s sixth victory against a top-30 ranked team since the start of the 2016 season.
The Colonels (1-1) scored in the first inning and never trailed. The EKU lead-off hitter reached base in five straight innings – the third through the seventh – and scored each time. Eastern drew 11 walks in the game, forcing six Yellowjacket pitchers to throw a total of 223 pitches.
Caleb Upshaw’s single to right field with one out in the first inning brought home Logan Thomason and gave Eastern Kentucky a lead it would never relinquish. Thomason reached on a single to left to start the third inning and scored on an error to make it 2-0. The Colonels went up 3-1 in the fourth after freshman Will King followed Kendal Ewell’s lead-off triple with a single through the left side.
Upshaw started the fifth with a double to center and Charlie Ludwick followed with a walk to set the table for Lovell, who missed the 2020 season with an injury. With a 1-0 count, the sophomore launched his fifth career home run over the wall in left field to turn a 3-1 lead into a 6-1 advantage.
Georgia Tech stopped the bleeding with two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but EKU answered with two key runs in the sixth. Thomason drew a walk to begin the frame, moved to second when Daniel Harris IV walked, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. With one out, Ludwick sent a ball deep enough to center to drive in Thomason. Harris advanced to third on the sacrifice fly and then scored on a wild pitch to make it 8-3.
The Yellowjackets stayed within striking distance with a run in the bottom of the sixth, but just as they had in the fourth and sixth innings, the Colonels answered. Cam Ridley singled to begin the seventh and scored on a single to right field by Harris.
A solo home run by Drew Compton and an RBI single by Luke Waddell in the bottom half of the seventh drew the home team to within three, 9-6. With the tying run at the plate John Farley got a strike out to end the seventh. Will Brian, who also missed the 2020 season with an injury, came on to pitch in the eighth and retired the side in order.
Georgia Tech’s first two batters in the bottom of the ninth reached to bring the tying run to the plate. Brian got a strike out and then a game-ending 4-6-3 double play to end the game. The double play was confirmed after a video review.
Lovell finished 1-for-4 with a walk, a run and three RBIs. Thomason had two walks, went 2-for-4 and scored three times. Upshaw had two hits in six at bats, scored a run and drove one in. Freshman Max Williams also had two walks and two hits.
Louis Davenport III started for Eastern Kentucky. He allowed one run on three hits and struck out four in three innings. Senior Brennan Kelly (1-0) earned the win after pitching two and one-third innings in relief. He allowed three runs on five hits and struck out two. Brian (1) earned the save after tossing two innings of hitless relief. He struck out two and walked one.
Waddell finished 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI for Georgia Tech. Compton was 3-for-4 with a run and two RBIs.
NICHOLLS 11-3, EASTERN ILLINOIS 4-4
THIBODAUX, La. - Eastern Illinois (1-1) split the day against the Nicholls State Colonels (1-1) on Saturday.
The Colonels got the best of the Panthers in game one, winning 11-4. The Panthers took game two in a 4-3 win after a strong pitching performance by Ky Hampton and Alex Stevenson. The Panthers' pitching allowed only three hits on the game and no earned runs. The Panthers will return tomorrow at 2 p.m. to finish the series against Nicholls State.
The Panthers dropped the opening game of the season after a tough pitching outing. The Panthers managed to strike first in the game in the third inning. Grant Emme reached base on a single to in the gap to right-center. Trey Sweeney followed with a double to deep left-center to put runners on second and third. Christian Pena stepped up to bat next for the Panthers. NSU's pitcher threw a ball past the catcher, which brought Emme around to score and put Sweeney on third. Pena managed to hit the ball deep to center, allowing Sweeney to tag up to score.
Keith Kerrigan started the Panthers' next rally with a hit down the right-field line to put him at first. Dalton Doyle was next to bat and drew a walk to put runners at first and second. Tarron Lawson exited the on-deck circle and laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners. Lucas DiLuca drew a walk to load the bases for Logan Eickhoff. Eickhoff delivered a rope past the shortstop to bring two home for the Panthers to put the score at 4-0.
Cameron Doherty took to the bump to start in the first game of the season. He pitched four innings and was pulled heading into the fifth inning after allowing three runs. He ended the day with three strikeouts, four hits, and three earned runs.
Jason DeCicco was credited with the loss after letting up three earned in the fifth inning.
The Panthers started game two strong, scoring three runs in the first inning. Sweeney reached base after being hit by a pitch, which brought up Pena, who responded by smacking a shot up the middle past the pitcher to put runners at the corners. Sweeney and Pena advanced after a wild pitch to put the Panthers up 1-0 with a runner on second. Knernschield singled down the left-field line, which scored Pena.
Doyle's double in the sixth inning put another run on the board for the Panthers after Pena scored again. The Panthers would hold this lead until the end of the game.
Hampton's debut was great, as he pitched to soft contact and allowed only two hits. He finished with four strikeouts and two walks. Stevenson pitched a gem, recording his first save of the season. Stevenson finished his day with seven strikeouts, one hit, one hit-by-pitch, and no earned runs.
CHARLOTTE 18, MOREHEAD STATE 3
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - In the first of two games on Saturday, Morehead State dropped an 18-3 decision at Charlotte.
The 49ers scored runs in all but one inning (seventh). The big inning came in the third when the home team put seven runs across. A grand slam highlighted the outburst.
Morehead State scored once each in the first three frames. In the first, junior third baseman Stephen Hill doubled to drive home junior second baseman Bryce Hensor. Hensor picked up an RBI in the second on a single to score freshman left-fielder Bryce Ray.
Senior catcher Jack Gardner belted Morehead States first home run of the year in the third frame.
The Eagles used six pitchers in the game, and the group combined to strike out 12 49er batters. It was the fifth straight game since last season's shortened year that Eagle pitchers have struck out seven or more batters. Junior pitcher Cory Conway made his 56th career relief appearance, tossing 2.1 innings in the middle of the game. He is now fifth in career relief appearances in program history, and it was his 60th career overall appearance.
Outfielder Logan Goodnight tossed an inning on the mound, getting a strikeout, in his first career pitching assignment.
Sophomore Luke Helton was tagged with the loss, allowing four runs in the first two innings.
DAVIDSON 14, MOREHEAD STATE 8
DAVIDSON, N.C. - In the second of two games on Saturday, Morehead State dropped a 14-8 game at Davidson.
Gardner got the Eagles on the board in the first inning with an RBI single to score Hensor. A bases-loaded walk and RBI ground out pushed the Wildcats ahead 2-1 after one frame.
An error led to three unearned runs for Davidson in the third inning before the hosts busted the game open with a five-spot in the third. Davidson nailed a two-run homer and a two-run triple in the frame.
MSU plated two runs in the third and fourth. Hill belted a run-scoring triple and Gardner picked up another RBI with a single in the third. The fourth saw Ray score via a wild pitch and Hensor record an RBI grounder. Garner then scored on a passed ball to make it a 10-6 game in the fifth.
Trailing 12-6, the Eagles scored twice in the sixth when DH Tim Petrucelli's grounder was misplayed at first base, allowing Ryan Layne and Jon Burghardt to score.
- Gardner was 3-for-5 at the plate to up his season average to .500. He had his third career multi-hit game.
Eagle pitchers Matt Bettio (0-1), Alex Kafka and John Bakke combined for nine whiffs by Davidson batters.
SAMFORD 5, UT MARTIN 4
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team was in control through seven-and-a-half innings this afternoon at Samford but was stunned by a come-from-behind 5-4 Bulldog victory at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
The Skyhawks (0-2) were led offensively by Christian Hall, who reached base safely three times (two hits, one walk) and scored two runs. Will Smith drove in a pair of runs while Casey Harford scored a run and had one RBI out of the 3-hole. Wil LaFollette (one RBI) and Sean Dixson (one run scored) also helped pace UT Martin, who went hitless over the final six innings.
Earning the start on the mound for the Skyhawks today was Sam Folks, who allowed just one unearned run over 3.2 innings of work. The senior southpaw struck out three batters and allowed three hits with one walk. Ryan Insco was the first UT Martin reliever out of the bullpen, fanning a pair of batters with one run allowed over 2.1 frames. Nick Wohlbold (three runs allowed in two innings) was saddled with the loss.
The Skyhawks got on the scoreboard early, generating two runs in the top of the first. Dixson was hit by a pitch and four pitches later, Hall ripped a single through the right side to put baserunners on the corners. Harford then delivered an RBI single and LaFollette came through for a clutch two-out RBI single to give UT Martin some early momentum.
Folks needed only nine pitches to get through the bottom of the first and followed that with a perfect 10-pitch frame in the second.
The Skyhawks tacked on two more runs in the top of the third, as Hall led things off with a single. Harford reached on a fielder’s choice and the bases became loaded after an Ethan Whitley single to center. With two away, Smith singled up the middle for a big two-RBI hit that padded UT Martin’s advantage out to 4-0.
Folks allowed two baserunners in the third inning but managed to escape the jam. A pair of errors led to an unearned run in the fourth before Insco stranded a pair of runners on the basepaths with a called strikeout to close out the frame.
Insco continued his fine work in the fifth, not allowing a hit through the heart of the Samford lineup. The Bulldogs made the score 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth following a one-out RBI double but Insco settled in to strand that runner on third by inducing a pair of popouts to end the inning.
In his first inning of work, Wohlbold dialed up a pair of strikeouts but Samford got within one run after a two-out solo home run. After the Bulldogs singled to lead off the eighth, Wohlbold got two quick outs but a pinch-hit double evened the score and was followed by an RBI single up the middle on the next pitch, resulting in Samford’s first lead of the day.
The Skyhawk offense stalled in the top of the ninth, putting three balls in play but not coming away with a chance to put the potential tying run on base.
#24 DALLAS BAPTIST 13, AUSTIN PEAY 2
DALLAS - Catcher Jack Alexander homered in his first at-bat as a member of Austin Peay State University's baseball team and center fielder Garrett Spain also hit a solo home run but nationally-ranked Dallas Baptist rallied to down the Govs, 13-2, in Saturday's season-opener for both teams at Horner Ballpark.
Alexander's solo home run to left came in the third inning and gave Austin Peay (0-1) the game's first run. One inning later, Spain hit a solo home run to center field, the first of his two hits on the afternoon.
However, by the time Spain stepped to the plate, Dallas Baptist (1-0) built a 3-1 lead on shortstop Shayne Jones' three-run home run in the bottom of the third. The Patriots added to their lead in the fifth as the Govs defense battled through a shaky frame that led to three unearned runs and a 6-2 DBU advantage that proved enough.
Spain opened his 2021 campaign with a 2-for-4, RBI performance with an eighth-inning double joining his home run. Alexander was 1-for-2 with a RBI while designated hitter Ty DeLancey and shortstop Xavier Torres each had a hit.
Jones' 2-for-5, four RBI day included a second home run as part of a six-run sixth inning. DBU hit five home runs on the day: left fielder River Town, first baseman Andres Sosa and third baseman Andrew Benefield each hitting a homer.
Austin Peay starter Harley Gollert (0-1) went 3.1 innings in the opening loss and allowed three runs on three hits and four walks.
DBU starter Dominic Hamel struck out seven batters and held the Govs to two runs on two hits through five innings to pick up the victory.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 5, ALABAMA STATE 3
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Jacksonville State junior Isaac Alexander delivered a pair of runs and senior Kyle Luigs tossed three shutout innings to lead the Gamecocks to their first win of the 2021 season with a 5-3 win over Alabama State on Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.
JSU (1-1) bounced back after falling in the season opener on Friday to Southern Illinois on Friday. JSU, who put together a four-team round robin tournament after games were canceled due to the weather. The Gamecocks will close out the first weekend of the season with a rare non-conference contest with Ohio Valley Conference member Tennessee Tech. The Golden Eagles fell to SIU in Saturday's opening game andralliedin the night cap for a 5-3 win over ASU.
The Gamecocks erased an early deficit against the Hornets by answering the opposition in their half of the inning. ASU generated the first run of the game with one-out single by AJ Gardner off of Jax State starter Dylan Hathcock in the second inning. Hathcock went the first four innings, scattering five Hornet hits and recording four strikeouts.
Alexander keyed JSU's two-run second with a two-out single back up the middle, scoring junior Alex Strachan, who started the inning with an infield single and Derrick Jackson, Jr. reached by walk. Alexander picked up his second hit of the day with a single in the fourth. After ASU equalized in the fourth with another Gardner RBI single.
JSU broke the 2-2 deadlock in the home portion of the fourth after taking advantage of back-to-back hit-by-pitches and two walks by the Hornets. Senior Tre issued the fourth free pass of the inning for the RBI.
Luigs, a graduate transfer from North Georgia, kept ASU off the bases for three innings as the righthander finished with three strikeouts and worked around a pair of walks. The Richmond Hill, Georgia native was handed a three-run cushion to work with as JSU extended the lead with a two-run seventh. Senior Alex Webb slapped an RBI single to right field, followed by a sacrifice fly by Strachan.
Senior Corley Woods tossed the final two frames to preserve the win and record his first save of the season.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 4, TENNESSEE TECH 3/TENNESSEE TECH 5, ALABAMA STATE 3
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - After moving its opening weekend down to Jacksonville, Ala. for a round-robin tournament at Jim Case Stadium, the Tennessee Tech baseball team finally kicked off its 2021 campaign Saturday, splitting doubleheader action with Southern Illinois and Alabama State.
The Golden Eagles (1-1) fell to the Salukis (2-0) in game one of the day, 4-3, but rallied in game two for a 5-3 victory over the Hornets (0-2). Tech's victory over ASU came in exciting fashion, with the Golden Eagle overcoming a two-run deficit after the seventh-inning stretch.
Alabama State scored runs in each of the first and second innings while starter Breon Pooler found a groove early, tossing three and two-thirds frames of perfect baseball. Preseason Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year Jason Hinchman finally cracked the armor, drawing a full-count walk with two outs in the fourth.
Tech first baseman Golston Gillespie broke up the no-no in the next at-bat, and subsequently, the shutout, singling to right field. An error allowed Hinchman to round third and cross safely to cut the deficit in half.
Southpaw Connor Adams entered the game in the third inning, covering the next five frames for the Golden Eagles with nearly immaculate pitching. He allowed just a solo home run to the final batter he faced, scattering three other hits while striking out a career-high eight batters.
Senior Mark Leonard took over for Adams following the seventh-inning long ball, getting Tech out of the frame without further damage. In the bottom half, another Tech veteran sent the comeback into full throttle.
Cody Littlejohn, who homered in the first contest of the day, led off the bottom of the seventh with a triple to left-center field. Newcomers Owen Kiess and Gabe Lacy each were plunked to load the bases, bringing Auburn transfer Ed Johnson to the plate.
Johnson also took one for the team, getting hit by a pitch to drive in Littlejohn and cut the deficit to one. Brett Roberts, a freshman All-American a season ago, reached safely on a fielder's choice to third base, driving in the tying run and putting a restart button to the contest.
A scoreless frame by Leonard took the purple and gold to the eighth, where Hinchman, Gillespie and Littlejohn played hero. Hinchman smacked a leadoff single to right field and reached third on an error. Gillespie launched a 1-2 offering into left field for what would amount to the game-winning double. Littlejohn added an RBI single to left field for good measure, giving Leonard a buffer headed into the ninth.
The right-hander made quick work of the Hornet in the ninth, forcing an 0-1 fly ball to center field to start the frame. He fanned the final two batters to earn the win with two and a third innings of work and four strikeouts.
In game one, junior Tyler Sylvester tossed four innings while making Tech's opening-day start, allowing one run on three hits. He also struck out four batters. The Golden Eagles took an early 1-0 advantage behind a Gillespie RBI single in the third, but Southern Illinois answered with a run in the bottom half.
Littlejohn's round-tripper in the fourth put Tech on top, 3-1, but the Salukis scored once in the fifth and two more times in the sixth to rally and take the contest 4-3.
On the day, Littlejohn was 4-for-7 with three RBI, a triple and a long ball while Gillespie managed four hits in eight at-bats. He drove in two and posted a double. Hayden Gilliland made his collegiate debut in game two of the day, doubling for his first career hit.