THURSDAY'S SCORES
Austin Peay 7, @Murray State 3
@Southeast Missouri 6, UT Martin 2
Eastern Illinois 7, @Jacksonville State 4
@Tennessee Tech 9, SIUE 4
@Eastern Kentucky 15, North Dakota State 3
AUSTIN PEAY 7, MURRAY STATE 3
MURRAY, Ky. - Starting pitcher Luke Brown went eight innings, providing seven scoreless, and Austin Peay State University opened its Ohio Valley Conference series against Murray State with a 7-3 victory, Thursday night at Johnny Reagan Field.
Brown’s outing didn’t start auspiciously as he ran into trouble in the first inning after retiring the first two batters he faced. Murray State began a rally with double and a walk before three consecutive singles, each scored a run. Brown would get the third out on a ground ball to end the frame but Austin Peay trailed 3-1.
Yet it was that ground out – simple as it seemed – that appeared to turn Brown’s night around. He would not allow a base runner again until the sixth inning, retiring 14 consecutive batters. He would allow two singles in that sixth inning, but then retired seven straight batters to finish his seven-inning scoreless stretch.
Austin Peay (21-30, 15-13 OVC) took advantage of Brown’s scoreless stretch by battling back to regain the lead. Left fielder TJ Foreman led off the second with a home run, narrowing the deficit to 3-2. Two innings later, Foreman’s single drove in catcher Jack Alexander to tie the game, 3-3.
But the game turned in the sixth inning as the Govs chased Murray State starter Shane Burns and solved stopper Jacob Pennington quickly for a four-run outburst. Burns walked the first two batters he faced, ending his outing. Pennington took over and quickly struck out two batters but could not get pinch hitter Ty DeLancey to end the inning.
DeLancey’s single loaded the bases and sparked the two-out rally. Third baseman Gino Avros singled in a run, second baseman Malcolm Tipler added two more with a single and center fielder Garrett Spain added a fourth run with another single. By the time the Govs recorded the third out they led 7-3.
Austin Peay threated to truly break the game open in the seventh, loading the bases with no outs. However, the Murray State defense rallied by recording two outs at home. The first came on a swinging bunt that third baseman Bryson Bloomer fielded and scooped to catcher Alex Crump for a force out. Right fielder Brock Anderson turned a fly ball into another fielder’s choice when he allowed it to drop and threw home for a second force out. Reliever Alec Whaley then notched a strikeout to end the frame without a run scoring.
Murray State (29-22, 17-11) threatened one final time in the ninth, again with two outs. Three consecutive pinch hitters reached base safely – two walks and a single – bringing up the top of the Racers order. However, Govs reliever Harley Gollert, who began the inning, induced a fly out to left to end the game.
Brown (4-1) went eight innings, allowing three runs on six hits while striking out a career-high nine batters to notch the win. After tossing 32 pitches and facing eight batters in the first inning, he needed just 80 over his seven scoreless frames to face 23 batters.
Alexander went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and was followed in the order by Foreman who was 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. Avros also was 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored
Burns (1-2) allowed five runs on five hits and four walks in the loss. Crump went 2-for-4 with a RBI to pace the Racers offense, which was held to seven hits.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 6, UT MARTIN 2
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Lincoln Andrews, Connor Basler and Wade Stauss each homered and Andrew Keck added three hits to lead Southeast Missouri (26-18, 16-9) to a 6-2 win over UT Martin (18-28, 9-16) Thursday.
With the win, SEMO secured a spot in next week's four-team Ohio Valley Conference Tournament and moved back into first place following Murray State's series-opening loss to Austin Peay.
Starting pitchers Eric Steensma and Dylan Dodd each pitched three shutout innings before UTM scored in the top of the fourth.
Ethan Whitley was hit by a pitch with one out in the fourth and scored on an ensuing home run by Christian Hall giving the Skyhawks a 2-0 lead. Hall's home run ended a streak of 28 consecutive scoreless innings for Dodd.
SEMO answered with a home run of its own to quickly tie the game in the bottom of the fourth. Keck hit a one-out single to left and came around to score on a two-out home run to right center by Andrews. For Andrews, it was his second round-tripper of the season.
The Redhawks took their first lead when nine-hole hitter Basler launched a home run over the left field wall an inning later. Basler's second home run put SEMO ahead, 3-2.
SEMO tacked on another run in the sixth, where Keck was hit by a pitch went to second on an error and touched home on a one-out single by Danny Sperling giving the Redhawks a two-run cushion.
UTM had its chances in the sixth and seventh innings, but came up empty.
In the sixth, the Skyhawks had the bases loaded with two outs before Dodd struck out Jack Culumovic to get out of the jam.
Then, in the seventh inning with a runner on thirds, Casey Harford represented the go-ahead run at the plate. However, reliever Austin Williams got Harford to ground out on two pitches to end the threat.
Still not finished, the Redhawks capped their 16th conference victory with a two-run home run by Stauss in the bottom of the eighth. Stauss did not have a hit in 22-straight at-bats until his team-high 11th home run.
Dodd (8-1) allowed three runs and six hits, struck out five and walked none in five innings. He reached 100 strikeouts this season and became the first Redhawk pitcher to get 100 strikeouts in a season since Joey Lucchesi recorded 149 in 2016.
Steensma (1-3) suffered the loss. He scattered six hits and gave up three runs, while striking out five in five innings of work.
Williams picked up his team-leading sixth save after striking out two in 2.1 no-hit scoreless innings.
Keck went 3-for-3 with three runs scored to lead SEMO which outhit UTM, 12-6. Tyler Wilber, Andrews and Sperling followed close behind with two hits each.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 7, JACKSONVILLE STATE 4
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Eastern Illinois baseball (25-21, 15-14 OVC) won the opening game of the final regular-season series over Jacksonville State (24-27, 14-14 OVC) by a 7-4 margin. Cameron Doherty recorded his fifth save of the season after pitching four scoreless innings. Trevor Nicholson collected his third win of the season.
The Panthers kicked off the first inning with a two-run rally off two hits and two Gamecock errors. Eickhoff started EIU with a single and stolen base. Sweeney drew his first walk of the night to put runners on for the catcher, Knernschield. Knernschield delivered a bloop single to right, and an error by the outfielder scored Eickhoff and put runners on the corners. Pena reached on an error that scored Sweeney to put the Panthers up 2-0.
A two-out rally in the second inning added insurance for EIU. DiLuca drew a walk and stole second, followed by an Eickhoff single to center that scored the second baseman. Panthers led 3-0.
The Gamecocks responded with a four-run third inning. The Panthers battled back with a four-run inning of their own in the fourth. Dane Toppel and DiLuca both managed walks to put the hot-bat of Eickhoff with another chance to score for EIU. Eickhoff delivered another RBI single to center, putting runners on first and third for the OVC's RBI leader: Trey Sweeney. Sweeney drew his second walk, loading the bases for Knernschield. Knernschield battled, drawing a walk to score another EIU run. Dalton Doyle singled, adding still another, and Christian Pena delivered his seventh sacrifice fly, tying him for the most in a single season by a Panther. EIU led JSU, 7-4.
Nicholson was relieved for Doherty in the sixth inning and dominated the Gamecocks lineup. He allowed two hits through four innings, recording his fifth save of the season, a team-high.
TENNESSEE TECH 9, SIUE 4
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - A stellar showing on the mound and senior-led effort with the bats propelled the Tennessee Tech baseball team (20-25, 13-15) to 9-4 victory over Ohio Valley Conference rival SIUE (23-25, 13-15) Thursday evening at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex.
It seemed only fitting that a pair of seniors would lead the offensive charge on Senior Night for the Golden Eagles, with designated hitter Gavin Johns and left fielder Cody Littlejohn combining for five of their team's 15 hits and three of its seven RBI.
With the offense providing plenty of support, returning freshman starter Ty Fisher provided one of the most impressive outings of his young career, tossing his first career complete game. The southpaw allowed four runs, including just three earned, on eight hits while striking out seven and issuing zero walks.
In picking up his team-high sixth win of the season, Fisher also slung the first complete game by a Tech pitcher since current senior Alex Hursey delivered one of the most clutch performances on the hill in program history during the team's 2018 NCAA Oxford Regional Championship run. Hursey completed nine innings in a 2-1 victory, advancing Tech past Missouri State in an elimination game and setting the purple and gold up with two eventual match-ups with Ole Miss.
SIUE seemed to have figured things out on the offensive end early, plating a pair and collecting three of its eight hits on the night in the top of the first inning.
Tech was quick to respond and back its rookie southpaw, jumping on top of the scoreboard with a trio of runs in the bottom half. After a one-out single from second baseman Brett Roberts, first baseman Golston Gillespie crushed a two-run moon shot to left-center field to tie things up. It marked his 11th round-tripper of the year, tying for the team lead with Littlejohn.
Junior slugger Jason Hinchman made it back-to-back jacks for the purple and gold, smashing his own long ball down the left-field line. His 10th home run of the season also represented the 43rd of his career.
The Cougars tried to back control in the fourth, taking the lead once again with a two-run home run to right-center field. Tech's seniors made sure to have their young teammate's back though, helping deliver the game-changing rally in the fifth.
Taking advantage of multiple defensive miscues by SIUE in the frame, the Golden Eagles tied the game after back-to-back errors allowed right fielder Theo Bryant IV to reach safely and then score on a single to third base from shortstop Ed Johnson.
Roberts followed with a chopping double over the third baseman's head, bringing in Johnson for a 5-4 Tech lead. The returning freshman advanced to third on the same play after a third Cougar mistake in the field.
After a pair of outs seemed to right the ship for the visitors, Littlejohn kept the inning alive for his squad, peppering a single through the pitcher's legs and into center field for an RBI and 6-4 Tech advantage. Johns continued the senior surge, smashing a two-run jack over the batter's eye in center fielder, a Herculean shot that seemed to clinch the momentum for the Golden Eagle dugout from that point onward.
For good measure, the two seniors each turned in singles to lead off the seventh inning, setting up the Golden Eagles with their final run of the game for the 9-4 lead. While SIUE turned a double play, Littlejohn came home to score on the play.
With his team firmly in front, Fisher zoned in even further, scattering two hits over the final three innings while striking out four Cougar batters.
Both Johns and Roberts tallied three knocks each on the night while Gillespie, Littlejohn and third baseman Gabe Lacy also produced multi-hit efforts. Eight of Tech's nine batters gathered at least one hit on the night while seven scored at least one run.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 15, NORTH DAKOTA STATE 3
RICHMOND, Ky. - Kendal Ewell hit for the cycle and the Eastern Kentucky University baseball team beat visiting North Dakota State University 15-3 in seven innings on Thursday at Earle Combs Stadium.
Ewell had a single in the first inning, a solo home run in the third, a double in the fourth and then legged out a triple on a ball hit to the gap in right center in the bottom of the sixth. He finished 4-for-5 with four runs and two RBIs.
The Colonels (21-30) trailed 1-0 going into the bottom of the third inning. Ewell began the frame with his home run to tie the game. After a fly out and a single, Charlie Ludwick sent a ball over the wall down the left field line to put Eastern in front by two. It was his eighth of the season. Freshman catcher Will King made it back-to-back dingers when he smacked an 0-2 pitch over the wall in left to cap the four-run inning.
With one out and one on in the bottom of the fourth, five straight Colonels reached base. Ewell started the scoring with an RBI double to right. After a pair of walks, Ludwick drove in two with a single through the right side. A single by King drove in another run and made it an 8-2 game. After a pop up, Max Williams singled through the left side to plate a run. A walk loaded the bases and Cam Ridley followed with a two-run single to left for an 11-2 edge. Two more runs scored on a North Dakota State throwing error and Caleb Upshaw drove in one with a single to center to cap the 10-run inning and put the home team in front 14-2.
The game ended after seven innings by run rule.
Ludwick had two hits in four at bats, drove in four and scored twice. King had a 3-for-4 game with two runs and two RBIs. Upshaw went 2-for-2 with two walks, two runs and an RBI. Williams finished 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
Eight different batters had one hit each for the Bison (36-16). North Dakota State starter Max Loven had allowed four or more runs just one other time this season before giving up six on eight hits in three and one-third innings against the Colonels.