SATURDAY'S SCORES
Valparaiso 7-1,
@Murray State 2-5
Tennessee Tech 10, @ETSU 9 (10)
@Belmont 6, Wofford 5
UT Martin 6-7, @Western Carolina 2-11
@McNeese 6,
Eastern Illinois 3
@Memphis 9,
SIUE 4
@Saint Louis 2-9,
Austin Peay 1-4
Southeast Missouri 6-3, @Missouri State 3-9
@Kansas State 15,
Morehead State 2
VALPARAISO 7-1, MURRAY STATE 2-5
MURRAY, Ky. - After taking game one of the series on Friday, Murray State (12-5) dropped the first game of the Saturday doubleheader 7-2 before taking a 5-1 victory in game two at Johnny Reagan Field in Murray, Kentucky. The Racers 12-game home winning streak was the third-longest in Murray State history and the longest since 1965 when they won 20 in a row at home.
In game one, the Valpo pitching staff limited the Racers offense for much of the contest, allowing just three MSU hits. Jake Slunder, Brennan McCullough, and Cade Sammons each collected a hit in the game while McCullough and Seth Gardner scored the two runs for Murray State.
Cade Vernon got the start for MSU, going 3.1 innings while allowing four runs and striking out three. Jacob Pennington was the first arm out of the Racer bullpen and went 3.2 innings on the mound while allowing just one earned run and striking out one. Ryan Fender tossed 0.2 scoreless to close out game one for Murray State.
The Racers were able to flip the script in game two, posting 11 hits and plating five runs in the victory. Shortstop Drew Vogel led MSU with a 3-4 day, including two triples for the 16th multi-triple game in MSU history. Bryson Bloomer went 2-2 in the contest with two RBIs and a run scored. Graduate second baseman Jordan Holly continued to shine from the ninth spot in the lineup with two more hits in the game. Holly is now batting .362 on the year with five doubles.
Shane Burns picked up the win, going 4.2 innings while allowing just one earned run and striking out four. Burns now holds a 2.40 ERA in 15.0 innings pitched on the year. Graduate pitcher Alec Whaley made his 90th career appearance at MSU and went 2.1 scoreless innings to close out the victory for the Racers.
TENNESSEE TECH 10, ETSU 9 (10)
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - It came down to 10 innings again, but the Tennessee Tech baseball team claimed victory in extra innings over in-state rival ETSU Saturday, outscoring the Buccaneers 10-9 to take the weekend series.
Less than 24 hours after securing a 4-2 win in 10 frames over ETSU, behind a complete-game performance and 11 strikeouts from starter Peyton Calitri, it was the Tech offense and a reliever that provided the heroics in game two.
Right-handed hurler Colt Taylor closed out the final three frames of the night to pick up his second win of the year, using the advantage created by a big swing in the top of the 10th to deliver the series clincher. Working out of multiple jams, he struck out a pair and allowed his defense to flash the leather to the tune of double plays in the eighth and ninth.
With two outs in the top of the frame, Tech head coach Matt Bragga turned to the bench for spark and found one in junior John Dyer. Stepping in as a pinch-hitter, the eventual right-fielder took a pair of offering outside of the zone, waiting for the perfect chance to strike. On the third pitch, he found it, blasting a high fastball over the wall in left-center field for his third home run of the year and a 10-9 Tech lead.
The contest was a roller coaster for much of the day, with the home squad from Johnson City taking an early, 3-0 advantage in the first. Brock Myers came on in relief with two outs in the frame and lasted a total of five and two-thirds innings, scattering seven hits and three earned runs with three punch-outs.
Tech responded in the third, with shortstop Ed Johnson lacing a two-run triple to left-center field, his first three-bagger of the year. Third baseman Gabe Lacy continued things with an RBI single ripped down the third-base line to tie the game.
A base hit to left field by left fielder Jason Hinchman and a walk to first baseman Golston Gillespie loaded the bases for right fielder Ryan Guardino. The junior grounded out, driving in the go-ahead run before designated hitter Luke Jones followed with a sac fly to center field for a 5-3 lead.
ETSU answered right back, tying the ball game with two in the bottom half. A pair of knocks from Johnson and Lacy in the fourth gave Hinchman the opportunity to put Tech back on the top and the slugger delivered with an RBI single up the middle.
Once again, the Bucs squared things back up in the bottom half, using a home run to make it a 6-6- contest. In the fifth, it was the Golden Eagles continuing the up-and-down theme to the day, with Lacy drawing a bases-loaded walk to put the purple and gold back in front.
The Cookeville crew added to the lead in the seventh, with Lacy again at the forefront of it all. After two-out singles from center fielder Austin Turner and Johnson, the Tech third baseman smashed an 0-2 offering that one-hopped the wall in right-center field for a two-run double.
Trailing by three, ETSU prepared another hump in the roller coaster, scoring three runs to tie the game and put runners in scoring position. Reliever Frankie Cresta dug deep, striking out two of the last three batters to end the threat.
Johnson turned in a spectacular day at the plate, finishing 4-for-5 with three runs, two RBI, and a walk. Lacy connected for three hits and four RBI with a free pass while Hinchman snagged two knocks and a walk with an RBI.
BELMONT 6, WOFFORD 5
NASHVILLE - Behind a six-inning gem from Andy Bean and an NCAA-leading ninth save from Kyle Brennan, the Belmont University baseball team beat Wofford on Saturday, 6-5 at E.S. Rose Park.
Belmont (14-6) secured their fourth one-run win of the season and evened up the weekend series with Wofford at 1-1.
Bean (W, 3-1) went six strong innings on the mound, allowing just two hits and one run while striking out four Terriers.
At the plate, Guy Lipscomb finished 3-for-4 with two stolen bases and three runs. Brodey Heaton went 2-for-4 with a home run, a triple, and three RBIs.
Belmont cracked the scoreboard first on an opposite field two-run home run from Heaton, who hammered a ball to right field with two strikes and two outs in the first inning to put Belmont up 2-0.
After John Dempsey hit a solo home run off Bean in the second inning, the Bruins added to their lead in the third frame with a two-RBI single up the middle that scored Lipscomb and Jackson Campbell, giving Belmont a 4-1 lead.
Wofford cut into the deficit with a sacrifice bunt RBI with the bases loaded in the seventh. However, Will Jenkins struck out the next Terrier batter, leaving the tying runners stranded at second and third base.
The Bruins added some much needed insurance in the bottom of the seventh inning, with Lipscomb beating out a narrow two-out infield single to keep the frame alive, allowing Brodey Heaton to dig in and triple to center field, driving in Lipscomb.
Jarvis then singled to right field to score Heaton with two outs and stretch Belmont's lead to 6-2.
After Wofford put two runners on in the eighth inning, Belmont went to the bullpen and brought out Kyle Brennan to face the red-hot Dempsey, who proceeded to hit a three-run homer to right field and cut it to a 6-5 game.
However, Brennan closed it out in the ninth to seal the Belmont win, his ninth save of the season and the 26th of his career, tying Jon Ivie for the most in program history.
UT MARTIN 6-7, WESTERN CAROLINA 2-11
CULLOWHEE, N.C. - A litany of noteworthy offensive performances guided the University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team to a doubleheader split against the Western Carolina Catamounts on Saturday afternoon, reaching a 6-2 victory in the two sides’ first-ever meeting to get the day started before a high-scoring 11-7 decision in the other way across the weekend nightcap.
Occupying the rightfield position for the day, sophomore Wil LaFollette seemed to be the most productive hitter in a competitive field for that moniker, reaching three RBI on four hits and two runs. The reigning all-conference member drilled his third home run of the season in Saturday’s curtain-jerker (before Houston Wright bombed his own in the next inning), landing a double in Game 2 to boot.
Elsewhere, the trio of Wright, Alec Beaman, and Casey Harford ended the day with six hits, seven runs, and three RBI between them. Altogether, the Skyhawks collected seven extra-base swings in the two-parter while boosting their total home run count to 16.
Following up his complete-game shutout gem against Central Arkansas one week back with an equally-impressive showing on the mound for his fourth consecutive individual win, sophomore righty Rhett Fetner slung over 100 pitches in the Game 1 triumph to the tune of five strikeouts and only two hits allowed.
The defending Ohio Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week, Fetner’s dynamic performance helped UT Martin amass its second straight win on only four runs given up put together. Baylor Jones and closer Blake Davis ensured no WCU shenanigans down the stretch as the Skyhawks took the lead in the fourth at-bat and never looked back.
With Harford already on 2nd base, LaFollette’s 18th career homer in the first frame put the visitors ahead by a deuce. After Western Carolina responded with a single score later that same inning, the next four runs would belong to the navy and orange to signal the end of the bout, with Wright’s 2nd-inning shot continuing the good fortunes.
As Fetner and Jones kept the Catamounts quiet – holding WCU to zero hits in four of the next five innings – a two-run spurt from the Skyhawks hoisted the lead to 5-1 in the 7th on a two-RBI double by catcher Chance Merithew, the redshirt-freshman’s first two runs batted in of the semester.
Another run-scoring double in the top of the 9th (this one by second-baseman Beaman) put the finishing touches on the four-score victory, while Davis struck out a pair of batters in the final stanza to preserve the W.
The Catamounts wouldn’t do themselves any favors throughout the first half of Saturday’s second act, gifting the Skyhawks four straight runs with the bases juiced on a pair of walks, an HBP, and a wild pitch. From there, the game took on a seesaw nature with WCU escaping intact at the end.
The 5th and 9th innings would see UTM boost their offensive production on a five-hit outing, the former on an RBI-ground out that brought Harford home and the latter two off the bat of LaFollette and Jack Culumovic in the team’s final turn at the plate.
Junior Matt Dickey tossed the first three frames as the Game 2 starter, relieved by Seth Petry, Tucker Reed, and Warren Lee. That quartet gathered 10 strikeouts as a unit to bring UT Martin’s 2022 tally to 132 K’s.
MCNEESE 6, EASTERN ILLINOIS 3
LAKE CHARLES, La. - Eastern Illinois (12-4) lost game two against McNeese State (11-9) as the Cowboys beat the Panthers 3-6 in part due to a 16 hit performance by McNeese. EIU ends their win streak at nine games. Starting pitcher Cameron Doherty (L, 2-2) pitched 5.1 innings on Saturday allowing 11 hits including two homeruns. Doherty also posted four strikeouts. Lucas DiLuca continued his hitting streak which moves to 13 games in a row. Ryan Ignoffo also added a homerun for the Panthers, his fifth of the season.
In the top of the first inning, EIU had a chance to score early as they had bases loaded after three singles from DiLuca, Logan Eickhoff, and Ryan Ignoffo but failed to produce any runs in the first. The Cowboys scored one run in the first after Doherty allowed an RBI single for Kade Hunter with two outs.
Panthers would be held scoreless in the second after a three-up three-down inning. Doherty would handle things in the bottom half of the inning leaving two Cowboys stranded on base.
Riley was walked to start the third inning and DiLuca picked up his second hit to put two on for EIU in the third, but failed to convert any runs out of it. Doherty again held the Cowboys in check in the third to keep the score at 0-1.
McNeese State was able to add to their lead in the fourth after a double by Reid Bourque to score one. Doherty would get out of the inning without any further damage. Brad Burckel for the Cowboys hit a solo homerun in the fifth inning off Doherty to increase their lead to 0-3.
Ignoffo got the Panthers on the board in the sixth inning with a solo homerun of his own to cut the lead to two. Doherty's afternoon would end after he let up his second homerun of the game which put the Cowboys up 1-5. Birdsong would close out the inning without surrendering another run.
The Panthers offense would heat up in the top of the seventh after Lucas DiLuca would reach on an error but not after Riley and Ja'Lil Akbar scored. Akbar and Riley both singled with two outs for EIU in the inning. McNeese would changed pitchers in the seventh, and left two on base for the Panthers. The Cowboys would add one more run in the seventh after an RBI single by Braden Duhon.
EIU would end the game going scoreless in the eighth and ninth innings to end the Panthers' nine game winning streak.
MEMPHIS 9, SIUE 4
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - SIUE dropped the second game of a three-game series 9-4 Saturday at Memphis.
The Cougars slipped to 10-7. Memphis is 11-5.
Brett Johnson reached with a one-out infield-single to first before Connor Kiffer doubled to right to put the Cougars on top 1-0. Memphis answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Jacob Compton pushed the Tigers' lead to 5-1 with a three-run home run in the third inning.
Avery Owusu-Asiedu hit a two-run home run, his sixth of the year, in the fourth to cut the Memphis lead to 5-3, before the Tigers answered again with a run in the bottom half of the inning.
Kiffer picked up another RBI in the sixth, driving in Johnson with his second double of the game to make it 6-4.
Memphis scored three times in the eighth on three hits, a wild pitch and a bases-loaded walk, for the final margin.
Johnson and Kiffer each finished 2-4. Kiffer and Owusu-Asiedu each had two RBIs.
Collin Baumgartner (2-1) suffered his first loss of the year. He allowed six runs over the first four innings. Kyle Dixon allowed three runs over 3 2/3 innings of relief.
Alex Scherer and Quinn Waterhouse combined to face the final three hitters.
Memphis starter Dalton Fowler (1-1) gave up four runs over five innings for the win. He struck out six.
Compton led the Tigers at the plate he was 2-4 with the homer and three RBIs.
SAINT LOUIS 2-9, AUSTIN PEAY 1-4
ST. LOUIS - An old fashioned pitcher’s duel unfolded in the series opener between Austin Peay State University’s baseball team and Saint Louis. The Billikens used a walk off two-out single to edge the Governors, 2-1, in seven innings at the Billiken Sports Center.
After a quiet five innings, Austin Peay (7-13) finally broke through against Saint Louis starter Logan Schmitt with two out in the sixth inning. First baseman Ty DeLancey hit his second homer of 2022 to left to tie the game. Catcher Jack Alexander followed with a double into the left-center gap, ending Schmitt’s outing. Patel came aboard and sruck out the first batter he faced to end the Govs threat.
Saint Louis (9-8) scored the game’s first run courtesy a two-out rally in the second inning. Right fielder Cole Smith singled to start the rally and designated hitter Cody Jansen earned a walk to extend it. Shortstop Matt Happ singled to right and Smith scored to give the Billikens the early lead.
Jansen led off the Billikens seventh with a walk. After a Happ groundout, Gollert handed the ball over to reliever Tyler Delong who promptly induced a foul pop out for the inning’s second out. But second baseman Mark Vierling hit a hard ground ball down the third base line to drive in the game-winning run.
Austin Peay starting pitcher Harley Gollert (1-3) pitched into the seventh inning, surrendering the second inning run before tossing four scoreless frames, allowing the Govs offense time to tie the game. He would surrender a leadoff walk in the seventh before recording an out to end his outing.
Schmitt opened with five scoreless innings and didn’t face a runner in scoring position until the sixth inning. Reliever Patel Ryan Patel (1-1) followed him and prevented the Govs from scoring a second run in the sixth and finished with 1.1 scoreless innings to notch the win.
Third baseman Michael Robinson went 2-for-3 with a double to lead the Govs five-hit outing. DeLancey, Alexander, and second baseman Jonah Beamon also had a hit each.
Five different Saint Louis hitters recorded a hit with Happ and Vierling each providing a hit and a RBI.
Austin Peay State University’s baseball team scored first but could not fend off Saint Louis in a 9-4 loss in Game 2 of a Saturday doubleheader at the Billiken Sports Center.
Austin Peay (7-14) took advantage of three Saint Louis errors in the first inning, scoring three runs. Center fielder Skyler Luna began the inning by reaching on an error and, after a Jonah Beamon single, he scored on first baseman Ty DeLancey’s sacrifice fly.
Third baseman Gino Avros then reached on an error with two out and he advanced an additional base along with catcher Jack Alexander on a second error on the play. Third baseman Michael Robinson singled through the left side to drive in both runners for an opening three-run lead.
Saint Louis (10-8) returned the favor in its half of the first inning, scoring three times. First baseman Kyle Fitzgerald reached on a fielder’s choice to drive in the Billikens first run. Designated hitter Cam Redding drove in a second run with a single and a wild pitch with the bases loaded brought in the tying run.
The Billkens tacked on another three-run frame in the third after the first three batters of the inning reached base. Redding singled as the last of those three and drove in a run. Catcher Cody Jansen then used a sacrifice fly for a second run. Right fielder Colten Schild’s double drove in the third run for a 6-3 lead. One inning later, center fielder Matt Turino added a leadoff home run, extending the lead to 7-3.
The Governors has one final golden opportunity to chip into the deficit, loading the bases with two out in the eighth. Right fielder Gino Avros singled, pinch hitter Tyler Delong singled, and shortstop John Bolton walked to load the bases and force a pitching change. Saint Louis reliever Cameron Pferrer got a fly out from the first batter he faced to end the threat.
Austin Peay starter Drew McIllwain (2-2) allowed six runs on six hits and three walks over 2.2 innings and suffered the loss. Reliever Luke Brown allowed the fourth inning solo home run – the only run he allowed in 4.1 innings of relief while striking out six batters.
Saint Louis reliever Ryan Surin (1-0) notched his first win with 1.1 innings of scoreless relief after entering the game for starter Colton Hutt. Hutt was left with no decision after allowing four runs (one earned) on six hits in the opening 4.2 innings.
Robinson drove in two of Austin Peay’s four runs in his 1-for-3 outing at the plate. Alexander doubled twice in the nightcap in his 2-for-4, one RBI performance.
Turino led Saint Louis with a 2-for-4, three RBI outing that including a double and home run. Redding went 2-for-4 with two RBI.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 6-3, MISSOURI STATE 3-9
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Southeast Missouri baseball (14-4) split its series-opening doubleheader against Missouri State (9-8) Saturday at Hammons Field. SEMO grabbed the first game, 6-3, after a five-run third inning before falling late afternoon cap, 9-3.
SEMO took game one of Saturday's doubleheader versus Missouri State at a sun-soaked Hammons Field by a final score of 6-3.
Righthanded pitcher Jason Rackers made the second start of his Redhawk career. Rackers pitched six innings, recording four strikeouts, four walks and three runs allowed for his second win of the 2022 campaign.
Tyler Wilber reached second base via a throwing error from Missouri State third baseman Grant Wood and the Redhawks were threatening in the second inning with no outs. Back-to-back strikeouts and a groundout from SEMO ended the scoring threat.
Missouri State struck first in the bottom of the second inning with a one-out double to left field off the bat of Cam Cratic. Cratic's double scored Mason Hull. Bears center fielder Will Duff then singled through the left side to score Cratic and increase the MSU lead to 2-0.
SEMO responded in the third. A ground ball single into right by catcher Ty Stauss led off the inning before Jevon Mason reached on a throwing error. A walk to Ben Palmer loaded the bases for the Redhawks.
Peyton Leeper then roped a single into right to plate the pair of Redhawks and even the game at 2-2.
Tyler Wilber knocked a double into the left field corner to score Graber who earned a walk.
Lincoln Andrews then perfected the safety squeeze to score Leeper and SEMO's lead grew to two.
Joel Vaske then brought home Wilber on a dropped fly ball to right to conclude a five-run third inning (5-2 SEMO).
Rackers then shut the door on the Bears in the bottom of the third with a pair of strikeouts after a flyout.
Wilber then reached base via error to leadoff the fifth inning. Andrews then picked up a walk before the pair moved up 90 feet on a sacrifice bunt from Vaske.
SEMO added to its lead with an RBI groundout off the bat of designated hitter Spencer Parker, pushing the score to 6-2 in the fifth.
Missouri State got a run back in the bottom of the sixth with a solo shot to right center from right fielder Dakota Kotowski.
The Redhawks would threaten again in the eighth. With two outs in the top half, SEMO had runners on first and second with centerfielder Brett Graber up to bat. Graber flew out to center to conclude the top of the eighth.
Missouri State then loaded the bases in its half of the eighth inning with a walk and two singles. Righthanded pitcher Kyle Miller pitched out of the jam popping up Mason Hull before catching Cratic swinging for the strikeout.
Miller then registered the final three outs of the game to seal the victory for the Redhawks. He picked up the save in 1.2 innings of work, scattering two hits with two strikeouts.
Starter Adam Link was handed the loss, going five innings, allowing six runs on six hits with five strikeouts.
Mason, Graber and Stauss each had two hits. Leeper led the Redhawks with two RBI.
SEMO dropped game two of the Saturday doubleheader to Missouri State, 9-3.
Lefthanded pitcher Noah Niznik made his fifth start of the season versus the Bears. The St. Louis, Missouri, native, worked four innings, surrendering seven hits for three earned runs while registering three strikeouts.
Jevon Mason hit a ground-rule-double that bounced over the left field wall to set the Redhawks up for the first run of the game in the top of the third inning. Next up was Brett Graber, who grounded a ball between second and first to plate Mason, giving the Redhawks an early 1-0 lead.
Niznik let up a leadoff walk to Grant Wood in the bottom of the third went before Anthony Socci grounded into an unassisted double play from Tyler Wilber.
Spencer Nivens doubled to left center before an RBI single from Will Duff evened the game at 1-1.
A leadoff single from Wilber in the fourth followed by a throwing had Redhawks on first and second with two outs. A flyout to left field ended the threat, keeping the score knotted at one.
Second baseman Ben Palmer led off the fifth inning with a solo shot that just cleared the right field fence to put the Redhawks up 2-1.
A walk to Jevon Mason followed by a single to center from Brett Graber put the Redhawks runners on first and second with no outs. A sacrifice bunt from Peyton Leeper advanced the runners to second and third with Tyler Wilber coming to the plate.
A wild pitch from the Bears plated Mason and Graber moved to third. Wilber then flew out to right field for the final two outs with Graber thrown out at home on the play, looking to advance on the fly.
The Bears opened the home half of the fifth with three consecutive singles to load the bases.
With the bases loaded, head coach Andy Sawyers went to the bullpen, bringing in reliever Blake Cisneros.
A ground ball to first scored one for Missouri State to cut the advantage to 3-2.
A passed ball plated the third run for the Bears and the game was tied at 3-3 heading to the sixth.
Hunter Ralls made his sixth appearance of the 2022 season. Ralls worked two innings of relief, facing 10 batters. He allowed four hits and one run while being assessed the loss.
An RBI single into left field by Cam Cratic broke the tie in the sixth (4-3 MSU).
Cratic then drove in the fifth run of the day for the Bears with a single into left field, a carbon copy of his RBI single in the sixth. An RBI double for Grant Wood plated two more Bears, increasing the margin to 7-3 in the eighth inning.
Missouri State would add two more runs in the frame to increase its lead to 9-3 heading into the final frame.
Trey Ziegenbein was awarded the win, coming on in relief for the Bears. He closed out the game, throwing five strikeouts while allowing just two hits.
Mason was 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs. Graber and Wilber each added two hits each.
KANSAS STATE 15, MOREHEAD STATE 2
MANHATTAN, Kan. - Using 13 extra base hits, Kansas State overpowered the Morehead State baseball team 15-2 Saturday at Tointon Family Stadium.
The Eagles slid to 7-11 overall. The Wildcats, who won their seventh straight game, scored on seven of their eight at-bats and hit nine doubles and four homers.
MSU scored in the fifth inning when third baseman Nick Gooden was plunked and right-fielder Chase Vinson drew a walk. After a sac bunt from shortstop Colton Becker, second baseman Ashton Roy drove in Gooden with a ground out to the right side.
Becker also recorded an RBI himself with a run-scoring double in the ninth inning.
Eagle starter Alex Kafka (1-2) was saddled with the loss after allowing five earned runs off seven hits in 5.0 innings. Grant Herron, Zach Miller, Ethan Young and Matt Bettio all saw action on the bump as well. Bettio got MSU out of a six-run eighth for the home with a pair of strikeouts.
MSU's hitters were held in check again by three KSU hurlers. Left-fielder Alex Jacobs did collect a double and another hit as he moved his reached-base (16) and hitting (8) streaks ahead.