FRIDAY'S SCORES
Eastern Michigan 6,
@Morehead State 4
@SIUE 4-12, Western Michigan 1-6
@Tennessee Tech 13, Purdue Fort Wayne 4
@Alabama 5,
Murray State 1
@Southeast Missouri 16, Bradley 7
Kent State 7,
@Austin Peay 5
@Belmont 7, Dayton 6
UT Martin 12, @North Alabama 3
Eastern Illinois 7, @Grambling State 4
EASTERN MICHIGAN 6, MOREHEAD STATE 4
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Friday versus Eastern Michigan (2-5), Morehead State baseball (3-7) was unable to overcome a late offensive surge from its opponent as the Eagles fell 6-4 in the first game of the battle of the Eagles. Morehead State played catch-up from the start after going down in the first inning, and will look to get back on track in Sunday's doubleheader.
In the first inning, Morehead State found itself down 2-0 before a sacrifice fly from Alex Jacobs scored Jackson Feltner from third to cut the deficit to one. Luke Helton then settled in on the mound, not giving up a run again until the fifth. He finished his day pitching four and one-third innings, giving up three runs on seven hits and striking out four. The junior right-hander has pitched at least four innings in all three of his starts so far this season.
After going down 3-1 in the top of the fifth, the Eagles were able to respond with two runs of their own that tied the game. Colton Becker led off the inning with a double and then scored easily on a double from Feltner. Feltner advanced to third on a single from Roman Kuntz, before Jacobs hit another sac fly that scored him from third to tie the game at three.
A scoreless sixth inning passed before Eastern Michigan put up a run in the top of the seventh, as Shane Easter scored on a wild pitch from John Sherman, which gave the opposing Eagles a lead they would not lose.
EMU pushed two more across in the eighth inning on an RBI single from Matt Kirk and a groundout form Easter.
Morehead State threatened in the ninth and scored a run after Trevor Callahan shut down a run-scoring opportunity for Eastern Michigan. Becker came to the plate with two outs and roped his second double of the game down the left field line before a single from Ryley Preece allowed him to score, bringing Jackson Feltner to the plate. Feltner got a pitch he liked to start the at bat and drove it to deep right-center field, but it did not quite have the distance, and EMU center-fielder Brady Huebbe made the catch to end the game.
Reliever Jarrett Miller shined again for Morehead State, as he threw two-thirds of an inning and got out of a bases-loaded jam that kept MSU in it. Sherman was saddled with the loss, allowing three runs in 2.1 innings.
Kuntz, Becker and Feltner all had multi-hit games for the home team.
SIUE 4-12, WESTERN MICHIGAN 1-6
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - SIUE swept a baseball doubleheader from Western Michigan Friday at Simmons Baseball Complex. SIUE won the opener 4-1 before taking the nightcap 12-6. Both games were seven inning contests.
SIUE (4-4) scored four times on four hits in the first inning of the early game. Ole Arnston and Avery Owusu-Asiedu each picked up two-run hits in the inning.
Sophomore starter Noah Matheny shined over a six-inning start. He allowed a single run on six hits and struck out eight. Jake Bockenstedt struck out one in a perfect seventh inning.
The Cougars scored early and often in game two. After a first inning run from the Broncos, the Cougars went back to work and put another four-spot on the board. Following a leadoff base hit from Josh Ohl, Brett Johnson hit his fourth home run of the year to make it 2-0. Owusu-Asiedu drove home a run on a groundout and Brett Pierson drove an RBI double to right. Connor Kiffer made it 5-1 in the second with an RBI-single and Owusu-Asiedu connected for a solo home run in the third to make it 6-1.
Richie Well smashed the first pitch he saw in the fourth to deep left center for his first home run of the year and two batters later Johnson hit his second of the game to extend SIUE's advantage to 8-1. He made it 11-1 in the fifth when he dropped a triple into the left field corner with the bases loaded.
Johnson finished 3-4 with the two home runs and six RBIs.
The Broncos got a run back in the sixth and SIUE scored its 12th in the bottom of the inning on a bases loaded walk.
Western Michigan scored four times in the seventh for the final margin.
Kaid Karnes started game two and worked five innings, allowing a run on five hits. He struck out six and did not walk a batter.
In all SIUE finished with 16 runs on 17 hits with the three home runs and seven extra base hits in the two games combined.
SIUE also stole seven bases over the course of the day, including five in the second game. Kiffer had four stolen bases.
TENNESSEE TECH 13, PURDUE FORT WAYNE
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Another explosive offensive performance propelled the Tennessee Tech baseball team to its best start since the 1955 campaign Friday evening, as the Golden Eagles (8-0) rolled past Purdue Fort Wayne in the series opener at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex, 13-4.
The win moved the purple and gold to a perfect 8-0 on the year, officially representing the second-best start in program history and the best since the 1955 squad kicked off its season 14-0. Plating 13 runners on 15 hits, the Golden Eagles also recorded their seventh straight game scoring in double figures.
The visiting Mastodons were quick to the opening punch, using three straight hits to open the game and score the first run of the night. A sacrifice fly later in the frame put Purdue Fort Wayne up 2-0 after just an inning of work.
It took a few innings for the Tech offense to settle in, but once the bats found a rhythm, it was all she wrote. In the bottom of the third, shortstop Ed Johnson led off the frame with a double off the top of the wall in left field, narrowly missing a long ball. Two batters later, left fielder Jason Hinchman didn't miss, blasting a two-run bomb to left-center field to tie the game.
The round-tripper marked the third of the season for the senior slugger and the 47th of his career. He now sits just three away from passing Chase Chambers on the program's all-time career list and becoming just the fourth Golden Eagle in program history to smash 50.
Purdue Fort Wayne jumped back on top in the fourth, using a leadoff double and subsequent single to score once. The Mastodons double the lead to 4-2 on a defensive miscue by the Tech squad later in the inning.
It was all Tech from that point on. In the bottom half of the inning, the Golden Eagles loaded the bases with the first three batters. Following a pitching change, Johnson was quick to strike, ripping a single off the pitcher's thigh that trickled into right field. The screamer plated a pair to tie the game once more.
Third baseman Gabe Lacy made sure the go-ahead and eventual winning run crossed safely, grounding into a double play that allowed center fielder Austin Turner to score.
The purple and gold blew the game wide open in the fifth, with first baseman Golston Gillespie kicking things off with a single on the first pitch of the inning. A walk to designated hitter Hayden Gilliland set up Ryan Guardino for his first light show (the new lights at Quillen Field flash with each Tech home run) of the season.
The Wofford transfer demolished an 0-1 offering to left-center field for three runs, leaving no doubt about his first dinger as a Golden Eagle. Lacy made it five runs in the inning, lacing a double to right-center field to drive in pair and give Tech its seventh straight contest in double figures. Second baseman Nick Spardone added an RBI ground out in the sixth for good measure.
Starter Peyton Calitri was spectacular with the lead, allowing just one hit over the fifth and sixth innings. In the seventh, the Mastodons mounted a rally, loading the bags with just one out, but the right-hander dug deep and struck out the final two batters in the inning to keep the scoreboard clean.
The Tech hurler picked up his second win in as many weeks, completing seven frames while scattering eight hits and three earned runs with five punchouts.
Guardino provided one more set of fireworks in the eighth, crushing his second tater of the contest clear into the night sky in left-center field. Relievers Daniel Holley and Frankie Cresta each tallied an inning of work with two strikeouts to close out the contest.
Offensively, it was Guardino with the top showing on the night, driving in five with three hits in four at-bats. Nine different Golden Eagles collected hits in the game, with five producing multiple knocks. Johnson, Lacy, and Hinchman all managed a pair of RBI as well.
ALABAMA 5, MURRAY STATE 1
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Murray State (8-1) baseball fell for the first time on Friday 5-1 against Alabama at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Racers put together four hits in the matchup but ultimately could not piece together enough to topple the Crimson Tide.
Jacob Pennington led the Racers with three scoreless innings on the mound in relief while also hitting a solo home run in the contest for his second big fly of the season. The Murfreesboro, Tennessee native has not allowed a run in 10.1 innings this season while striking out 10 and walking just one. At the plate, Pennington is now batting .474 with two home runs and seven RBIs on the year.
Starting pitcher Hayden Wynja went five innings while striking out and allowing eight hits. Jake Slunder, Seth Gardner, and Riley Hawthorne all collected a hit in the game.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 16, BRADLEY 7
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri (7-1) began its three game homestand versus Missouri Valley Conference member Bradley (3-4) Friday at Capaha Field. The Redhawks strung together 16 runs on 15 hits to extend their winning streak to five, winning the series opener, 16-7.
SEMO has now scored double-digit runs in four straight games during their win streak.
Tyler Wilber knocked his third home run of the 2022 campaign to right to provide SEMO an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Keaton Rice then clobbered a solo shot the following frame to even the game at 1-1.
The Braves increased their advantage to 2-1 with a homer from TJ Manteufel in the third. SEMO limited it to a solo blast after catcher Andrew Keck caught Connor O'Brien stealing third. The Redhawks pulled ahead 10-2 after a nine-run third frame.
Ben Palmer was plunked by a pitch to open the inning before moving to third on a single from Jevon Mason and an error on Peyton Leeper's at bat. Wilber then singled home a pair of Redhawks to switch the lead in favor of SEMO, 3-2. Keck and Lincoln Andrews then both earned consecutive walks. Andrews was credited with an RBI as he grabbed the walk with the bases juiced.
Brett Graber then drove a two-run double to left center to plate Andrews and Keck and extend the margin to 6-2. Joel Vaske picked up the Redhawks third walk of the inning before an RBI single from Danny Sperling. John Day then came on in relief of Grant Jausel. Jausel let up 10 runs on five hits with four walks and two strikeouts.
SEMO scored six runs with no outs in the bottom of the third. Ben Palmer then lined out to left to score Graber with a sacrifice. Sperling and Vaske advanced 90 feet on a wild pitch from Bradley's John Day before Mason doubled them home. Day took over for Bradley starter Grant Jausel. In the fourth, Vaske added a RBI single to left to score Lincoln Andrews. Andrews and Graber compiled consecutive doubles before Vaske's base hit. The Braves then pushed across a pair in the top of the fifth. Peter Hansen notched an infield single before Rice doubled to left center to put the pair in scoring position.
Carson Husmann brought Hansen and Rice home with a single to left to cut the SEMO lead to 11-4. SEMO continued to add to its advantage with a three-run seventh stanza.
Wilber knocked a one-out single to put Leeper and Palmer at second and third. The trio then advanced up a bag, plating Palmer on a wild pitch. Keck then brought Leeper home with sacrifice fly to right. Andrews concluded the inning with a two-out RBI double to right.
Bradley's Cole Luckey then hit a pinch hit two-run homer to bring the SEMO lead to 14-6 in the eighth.
Anthony Klein finished the game for the Redhawks pitching the final frame, allowing one hit and one run out of the pen.
KENT STATE 7, AUSTIN PEAY 5
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Another early deficit was again nearly erased, but Austin Peay State University’s baseball team dropped its series opener against Kent State, 7-5, Friday night on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.
After two scoreless innings Friday, Kent State (2-5) broke through in its half of the third as it sent nine batters to the plate. The frame opened with the first four batters reaching safely, right fielder Justin Kirby and first baseman Aidan Longwell each driving in runs with base hits.
Three batters later, a run scored on a fielder’s choice saw Austin Peay fail to record an out. Center fielder Collin Mathews made the Govs pay for that failure with a three-run home run to left-center field, giving Kent State a 6-0 lead.
Austin Peay (6-4) would get a run back in its half of the third courtesy second baseman Jonah Beamon’s run-scoring single. But it wouldn’t be until the eighth inning that they would mount what has become their customary comeback.
In the eighth, the Govs got the leadoff man aboard before the top of the lineup came to the plate. A single and a walk loaded the bases and third baseman Michael Robinson lined out to center field to drive in a run. Then with two out, first baseman John McDonald drove in a run with a single and catcher Jack Alexander drove in two runs with his triple into the right-field corner, cutting the deficit to two runs, 7-5, and bringing the tying run to the plate. However, the Govs were unable to keep the inning alive as Kent State reliever Evan Wolf struck out a batter to end the frame.
Austin Peay starter Harley Gollert (1-2) struck out a season-high seven batters but allowed six runs on eight hits over five innings of work and took the loss.
Alexander led the offense with his 2-for-4, two RBI effort that included the team’s first triple of 2022. Avros and Beamon also had two hits each.
Kent State starter Richie Dell (1-0) notched his first win of 2022 after holding the Govs to one run on five hits while striking out seven over six innings. Longwell took the mound in the ninth and induced a double play and a fly out to post his first save.
Mathews led the Golden Flashes offense with his 2-for-4, three RBI day. Second baseman Mack Timbrook added two RBI in his 1-for-4 outing with both RBI coming on plays that did not result in a base hit.
BELMONT 7, DAYTON 6
NASHVILLE - With a season-high 16 hits, the Belmont University baseball team withstood late pressure from Dayton on Friday night at E.S. Rose Park to earn their tenth straight win, 7-6.
The ten-game winning streak is the longest for the Bruins since 2010, when they started the season 10-0.
Kyle Brennan (SV, 6) picked up his nation-leading sixth save of the season in his sixth attempt, shutting out the Flyers with a scoreless ninth inning to secure the victory. Brennan now has 23 career saves, currently 4th all-time at Belmont behind Jon Ivie, who tallied a program-best 26 saves from 2008 to 2011.
Dominic Baratta (W, 3-0) picked up the win after making his first relief appearance of the season, taking over for Joshua South with two outs in the fourth inning and proceeding to go 1 2/3 innings with one earned run allowed.
Dayton jumped over South early, collecting a run on an RBI double that put runners at second and third with one out. South buckled down, however, and struck out two straight batters to keep the deficit at 1-0.
In the ensuing half-inning, Belmont responded with three runs to take the lead. Guy Lipscomb drew a leadoff walk before John Behrends doubled to set up second and third with nobody out. Brodey Heaton drove in the tying run with a groundball to the shortstop, then Logan Jarvis scored Behrends with an infield single. After Carson Shacklett singled, Jackson Campbell picked up an RBI base hit to close out the scoring in the first inning.
South would deal with plenty of baserunners throughout the rest of his outing, but was able to get through tough situations with timely outs. After giving up a two-run home run in the fifth inning, South was replaced by Baratta after going 4 2/3 innings with five hits, six strikeouts, and two walks.
Once again, Belmont immediately responded by plating three runs in the bottom half of the fifth inning, with Jarvis and Shacklett tallying back-to-back singles before Grayson Taylor tripled to the right field corner to bring both in. Tommy Crider then singled to pick up his first RBI of the season and give Belmont a 7-3 lead.
Dayton, however, wasn't going away quietly.
The Flyers loaded the bases with nobody out in the seventh inning before Marcos Pujols popped up to second base for one out. The Bruins went to the bullpen, replacing Baratta with Will Jenkins, who got the ensuing Dayton batter to ground to third base, where Logan Jarvis, trying to turn the inning-ending double play, accidentally threw the ball into right field, allowing two runs to score.
Dayton then pulled off a double steal to scratch across another run and bring the score to 7-6.
Jenkins needed just seven pitches to retire the side in the eighth inning, striking out two Flyers in the process, to set the table for Brennan to pick up the save in the ninth.
Carson Shacklett went 3-for-4 with a run scored to lead six Bruins who tallied multiple hits. Behrends, Jarvis, Campbell, Brodey Heaton, and Jack Capobianco all contributed two hits each.
Prior to Friday, the most runs Belmont had given up in a game was the three allowed to Toledo in the season opener--the 3-2 defeat is the Bruins' only loss this season.
UT MARTIN 12, NORTH ALABAMA 3
FLORENCE, Ala. - Recap coming soon.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 7, GRAMBLING STATE 4
GRAMBLING, La. - Eastern Illinois (4-3) takes game one of a three game series against Grambling State (2-6) by a score of 7-4. Starting pitcher Trevor Nicholson pitched six innings for the Panthers while striking out 12 batters. He is the first Panther since Brendon Allen in 2017 to strikeout at least 12 batters. EIU has a team struck out 19 batters in game one. Lucas DiLuca manged to go 2-5 on the day with a double, two runs scored, and a RBI.
Grambling State took the early lead on the Panthers in the first after the Tigers had a runner on off a single, and Cameron Bufford hit him home off a triple. It marked the first extra base hit that Nicholson has given up on the season. EIU managed to strand a runner to leave the first down 1-0.
Nicholson would bounce back in the second inning after the Panthers were shutout in the top of the inning. The Tigers went three-up, three-down with three Ks for Nicholson in the bottom half of the inning.
In the top of the third, Bryce Hayman manged to get on first after an error by Grambling State's third baseman. He then moved to second on a wild pitch by Page Semar. Lincoln Riley singled through the left side of the infield to give the Panthers runners at the corners. Eickhoff manged to reach on an error by the third baseman to score Hayman from third to tie the game up at 1-1. Nicholson again was able to strand one runner in the bottom of the third while also picking up two more strikeouts.
The Tigers and Panthers were dead even in the fourth and fifth innings with both teams giving up one hit and no runs. Nicholson picked up his last three strikeouts in the bottom half of the sixth inning to give home 12 for the game, the most by a Panther since 2017.
EIU would capitalize on two errors by the Tigers in the seventh to give them their first lead of the game. Worcester started off the inning with a walk and after a strikeout by Hayman, Gallaher was hit by a pitch to give EIU runners on first and second. After a Riley walk to load the bases, DiLuca singled to left field to score Worcester from third. Aide struckout swinging but was safe at first after an error by Grambling's catcher which scored another run. A wild pitch by Corben Peters was able to bring home Riley. The Panthers scored their final run of the inning after Ignoffo reached safely at first from an error by the shortstop to bring home DiLuca to bring to lead to 5-1.
EIU was held in check in the top of the eighth, but saw their lead cut to one after a three run inning from the Tigers. Grambling's Bufford hit a solo homerun to leadoff the inning for GSU. After a hit-by-pitch, a walk and a error by Worcester, Keshon Hall manged to double off of Ignoffo to score two runs in the bottom half of the eighth to make the score 5-4.
The Panthers managed to break open their lead more in the top of the ninth. DiLuca lead off the inning with a double to left field, and Eickhoff followed him with a single which scored DiLica after an error by the left fielder. Aide would then collect his first triple of the year to score Eickhoff from third and bring the lead to 7-4.
Grambling State threatened in the ninth with bases loaded with one out, but Robbins would come in and strike out the only two batters he faced to pick up his first save of the season, and the opening game victory for Eastern Illinois.
Eastern would finish the game with seven runs on seven hits, and had three errors. GSU posted four runs on 12 hits and committed five errors.