SATURDAY'S SCORES
Jacksonville State 10-1, @Austin Peay 4-5
@UT Martin 7-9, Tennessee Tech 4-15
@Eastern Kentucky 6-3, Belmont 4-2
Murray State 7, @SIUE 6
Southeast Missouri 8, @Lipscomb 4
JACKSONVILLE STATE 10-1, AUSTIN PEAY 4-5
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Jacksonville State will enter the final weekend of Ohio Valley Conference play in a tie for the final spot in the conference's postseason event after splitting a Saturday doubleheader with Austin Peay.
The Gamecocks bounced back from Friday's 8-7 series-opening setback to even the series with a 10-4 win over the Governors, but fell in the rubber contest, 5-0. APSU claimed the series with the win and will have the edge over Jax State going into the final OVC weekend by holding the tiebreaker with the series win. JSU will wrap up its final OVC weekend by hosting the Panthers of Eastern Illinois on Thursday (May 20) and Friday (May 21) at Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium. Thursday's series opener is set for 6 p.m., while Friday's action will get started at 1 p.m. Tickets are available online at JSUGamecockSports.com and all JSU students and fans 18 years old and younger are admitted free.
JSU got off to a great start like it did on Friday with a pair of home runs in the first plate appearance. Junior Zeth Malcom blasted a solo home run to the deepest part of Raymond C. Hand Park for the first run, while sophomore Carson Crowe delivered a two-run home run over the left field wall. The Gamecocks would add a run in the second with an Alex Webb RBI, followed by an Isaac Alexander RBI in the third.
The Gamecocks gave starter Kyle Luigs a lead to work with and he responded by going a career-best 5.1 innings of work. Luigs, making his second consecutive start on the weekend, scattered five APSU hits, three runs - two unearned runs and posted a pair of strikeouts. Luigs picked up his third win as a Gamecock after the bullpen held the lead for the Richmond Hill, Georgia native. Junior Trey Fortner and Jackson Tavel maintained the lead before senior Corley Woods finished the final 1.2 innings for his seventh save.
JSU broke open a one-run, 5-4 lead with five runs in the ninth inning. Junior Cole Frederick connected on his second ninth inning home run to start the frame and a bases-clearing double by Isaac Alexander highlighted the big inning. Frederick and Crowe finished with multiple hits in the contest while Alexander turned in four RBI. The junior shortstop added his fifth RBI of the day with a run-scoring single in the eighth inning of the nightcap.
In the nightcap, the Gamecocks fell behind early after APSU put two runs in the first and added single runs in the third, fifth and seventh. The Govs pitching staff kept JSU off the scoreboard until Alexander's RBI in the eighth. JSU had traffic on the base paths throughout the contest but could not come up with key hits to drive in runs. The Gamecocks stranded 14 on the bases and were 3-for-20 with runners in scoring position.
Junior Alex Carignan finished the second game with two of JSU's seven hits.
UT MARTIN 7-9, TENNESSEE TECH 4-15
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin ended the home portion of its 2021 schedule with a series victory over Ohio Valley Conference rival, splitting its Saturday doubleheader with a 7-4 win in Game 1 before a 15-9 setback in Game 2. Combined with a 9-8 win on Friday, the Skyhawks collected their third OVC series win of the spring.
Jack Culumovic (.600 batting average, 3-for-5), Ethan Whitley (.571, 4-for-7 including a multi-home run performance in Game 1, five RBI’s) and Blake Daniels (.429, 3-for-7, four runs scored) led UT Martin offensively today. Casey Harford also drove in three runs on the day for the Skyhawks, who are now 17-27 (9-15 OVC) heading into the final week of the 2021 campaign.
On the mound, David Hussey earned a save in Game 1 and came back to make the start in Game 2, combining for three scoreless innings with four strikeouts. Ryan Insco collected his first win of the season after fanning four Golden Eagles over three innings in today’s first matchup after starter Winston Cannon (five innings, two runs, six strikeouts, no walks) did not factor into the decision.
Whitley’s second multi-homer game of the season and fourth of his career helped the Skyhawks claim a series-clinching victory in today’s opener.
Cannon dialed up back-to-back strikeouts to leave a pair of runners on the basepaths to wrap up the first inning and followed that with an efficient 12-pitch inning that included another strikeout in the second.
Whitley opened the scoring with a solo jack out to left center to lead off the top of the second, issuing UT Martin a 1-0 advantage.
Cannon put up another zero in the third after only tossing four pitches, aided by a double play on a sacrifice bunt attempt.
In the third, Billy Edwards smacked a leadoff triple off the wall in right center and eventually came around to score on a Harford RBI, pushing the Skyhawk lead out to 2-0.
Tennessee Tech (19-24, 12-15 OVC) scored one run apiece in the fourth and fifth innings to even the score. Cannon pitched around a two-out error in the fifth by whiffing his second batter of the frame.
Insco entered the game in the sixth and retired the side in order as the freshman righty from Kirkwood, Mo. carved up the 3-4-5 hitters in the Golden Eagle lineup.
The Skyhawks scored twice in the sixth, taking advantage of a Tennessee Tech miscue. Christian Hall and Culumovic each drew walks and both came around to score on a dropped popup that would have been the third out of the inning.
Insco went back to work in the seventh, generating another scoreless frame to keep UT Martin ahead by a 4-2 margin.
The Skyhawks added three insurance runs in the seventh. Daniels singled with one away and soon crossed the plate on a clutch two-out double to left center off the bat of Hall. Three pitches later, Whitley socked his 29th career homer over the left field wall as the junior first baseman from Mason, Tenn. ranks fourth in school history in round trippers.
The Golden Eagles scored two runs in the eighth but Insco stranded a runner on third base following back-to-back outs to end the threat, piling up two more strikeouts in the process.
Hussey took over in the ninth and was his usual dominant self, accumulating a pair of strikeouts sandwiched around a weak-contact groundout to shortstop to notch his fifth save of the season.
UT Martin made a valiant comeback attempt in the nightcap but Tennessee Tech avoided the sweep.
Still loose from his abbreviated 15-pitch appearance in the opener, Hussey was on point to begin Game 2. He fanned a pair of batters in the first and stranded two runners in the second after Culumovic made a great charging play on a safety squeeze bunt attempt for the third out of the inning.
The Golden Eagles got on the scoreboard first, scoring three runs off Nick Wohlbold (3-4) in the third inning.
The Skyhawks didn’t flinch, pushing across three runs themselves in the bottom half. Noah Thigpen doubled to straightaway centerfield to lead off the inning before Alec Beaman grinded out an eight-pitch walk. Daniels lined a double to left center to score Thigpen plus Beaman before Hall sent a game-tying RBI single to right center to knot things at 3-all.
A four-run top of the fourth by Tennessee Tech resulted in a lead that the Golden Eagles would not relinquish the rest of the way. Eric Steensma struck out a pair of batters entering midway through that inning in relief but the Golden Eagles eventually went ahead 11-3 after tallying four runs on two hits in the top of the fifth.
UT Martin made things interested with six unanswered runs in its next three at-bats. Daniels reached on an error to lead off the fifth and came around to score on a Whitley two-out RBI single. The Skyhawks batted around in the sixth as Nate Self (double), Edwards (single), Beaman (RBI single), Daniels (single), Harford (two-run single) and Whitley (RBI single) all reached safely. Beaman came up big in the next inning as well as the true freshman out of Franklin, Tenn. went opposite field for an RBI triple to score Thigpen, who had singled with one away. That tightened up to score at 11-9 through seven innings of play.
Matthew Shunk allowed UT Martin to get back in the game after a commendable effort out of the bullpen. The senior from Burleson, Texas entered in the fifth and stranded a runner after a strikeout. He then shut down the Tennessee Tech bats in the sixth and again in the seventh, striking out the first two batters of the inning.
Shunk pitched into the eighth but departed after the Golden Eagles scored one run on two hits. Tucker Reed came in and ensured no other runs came in, thanks in large part to a heads-up play in the field by Edwards on a perfect throw to the plate on a fielder’s choice with the infield drawn in.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 6-3, BELMONT 4-2
RICHMOND, Ky. - Eastern Kentucky University’s baseball team completed a three-game series sweep of Belmont University with a pair of wins on Saturday at Earle Combs Stadium.
The Colonels (20-29, 13-17 OVC) won the first game by a score of 6-4 and then edged the Bruins (20-28, 12-15 OVC) in the second game, 3-2.
Each time EKU grabbed the lead in game one, Belmont answered to tie the score. The Colonels led 1-0, 3-1 and 4-3, but the Bruins answered in the very next inning each time to tie it 1-1, 3-3 and 4-4.
Belmont didn’t have the answer for Eastern’s two-run eighth inning. Caleb Upshaw started it with an infield single. Charlie Ludwick followed with a single through the right side to put runners at the corners. Max Williams made it three straight hits with a pinch hit single to left to score Upshaw. After a sacrifice bunt by Logan Thomason moved two runners into scoring position, freshman Will King hit a sacrifice fly to make it 6-4 in favor of the home team.
The tying run reached base in the top of the ninth with two outs, but Will Brian got a ground ball to first to end the game and get his ninth save of the season. Jacob Abbot (3-3) earned the win after pitching three and one third innings of relief. He allowed just one run on two hits and struck out one.
Thomason’s two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth gave EKU a 3-1 advantage. He finished 2-for-3 with a run and two RBIs. Kendal Ewell’s solo shot to start the bottom of the fifth put Eastern ahead 5-4. He had a 2-for-4 game with a run and an RBI. Ludwick was 2-for-3 with two runs.
Belmont scored once in the first and once in the second inning of game two to pull in front 2-0 early. Eastern Kentucky got on the board in the bottom of the third. With one out and runners at first and second, Upshaw doubled to right center to score one. A ground ball off the bat of Ludwick was enough to plate another and tie the game 2-2.
The score remained 2-2 until the eighth. In the top half of the inning, Belmont loaded the bases with no outs. Louis Davenport III came on and got a strike out. Then Cam Ridley made a catch on a shallow fly ball to center and fired a strike to home plate to get the runner, who tried to tag and score, to end the inning.
Daniel Harris IV led off with a triple down the left field line. Ludwick brought home the run again, this time with a sacrifice fly to center field.
The Bruins got the tying run on base in the ninth, again, but Brian closed the door for the second time with a strike out and a ground ball to end the contest and earn his 10th save.
Ludwick finished with two RBIs. Harris was 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Guy Lipscomb had a 3-for-4 effort with a run scored for Belmont.
MURRAY STATE 7, SIUE 6
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - The Murray State Racers (29-21, 17-9 OVC) rallied from a 6-4 deficit to win the rubber match game, 7-6, over the SIU-Edwardsville Cougars (23-23, 13-14 OVC) on Saturday afternoon at Simmons Complex in Edwardsville, Illinois.
The series victory moved Murray State moved into sole possession of first place with a 17-10 record in conference and into one of the four spots in the OVC Tournament in two weeks in Jackson, Tennessee.
Alex Crump drew the game-winning bases loaded walk after an 11-pitch at-bat. He was 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI in the game.
Jordan Cozart drove in three runs in the game, hitting a solo home run in the fourth and then had the game-tying two-run double in the seventh.
Bryson Bloomer was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and one RBI while Jake Slunder scored two runs and drew a career-high three walks.
Murray State opened the scoring in the first on an RBI double from Bloomer to bring home Slunder from first. Bloomer moved to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch to give the Racers a 2-0 lead.
SIUE tied the game on a Richie Well two-RBI triple in the third.
The Racers responded with two runs of its own in the next half inning. Cozart homered for the 14th time this season and a two-out RBI double from Trey Woosley to regain the two-run advantage.
A four-run sixth inning by the Cougars saw SIUE open up a 6-4 lead.
Murray State went to work again in the top of the seventh. A one-out walk and ground-rule double from Slunder and Bloomer put runners in scoring position. With two outs and first base open, SIUE made the mistake of pitching to one of the league's hottest hitters and Cozart delivered on the first pitch he saw, driving in Slunder and Bloomer to tie the game at six.
In the ninth, Alex Crump came to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. He worked a full count after fouling off five straight pitches and drew a walk on the 11th pitch to bring home the game-winning run.
Connor Holden came onto close out the game, picking up his eighth save of the season.
Quinton Kujawa started his fifth game of the season, working 3.2 innings, allowing two runs and striking out a career-high six.
Jake Jones took the win to improve to 6-2 on the year, throwing 2.0 innings, only giving up one hit and struck out two.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 8, LIPSCOMB 4
NASHVILLE - Southeast Missouri (25-18) pounded out 15 hits and used a four-run second inning to get by Lipscomb (18-27), 8-4, Saturday.
SEMO won its 10th series this season and gave Andy Sawyers his 200th career victory as a collegiate head coach. Sawyers is 200-141 between head coaching stints at Hutchinson Community College (87-27) and SEMO (113-114).
Eight of nine starters had a hit in today's series clinching victory for the Redhawks.
Down, 1-0, SEMO had five hits during its big second inning alone.
Andrew Keck led off with a single and later scored on a base hit by Lincoln Andrews. Three more singles, including one from Austin Blazevic, Danny Sperling and Connor Basler came after that. Basler's hit to left center scored both Blazevic and Andrews. On the next play, Sperling scored when Basler was thrown out trying to steal second base giving SEMO a 4-1 lead.
SEMO added two more runs with the help of a one-out single by Danny Wright to increase its lead to 6-1 in the top of the fifth.
Then, in the ninth inning, Jevon Mason hit his first career home run, a two-run shot to left giving the Redhawks an 8-3 advantage.
Hunter Ralls (3-1) was credited with the win. Ralls struck out three and gave up one run on two hits in four innings.
Fischer Rausch, Noah Niznik and Kyle Miller combined to pitch the other five innings out of the SEMO bullpen.
Max Habegger (1-8) suffered the loss. Habegger allowed six hits and five runs, and recorded three strikeouts in four innings of work.
Six Redhawks finished with multiple hits. Basler went 3-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI to lead the way, while Mason, Tyler Wilber, Wright, Keck and Sperling followed close behind with two apiece. Eight of those hits came from the first four spots in SEMO's lineup.
Andrews and Blazevic contributed a hit and a run, as well.
Malik Williams accounted for three of Lipscomb's seven hits.