SUNDAY'S SCORES
Valparaiso 6,
@Murray State 1
@ETSU 11,
Tennessee Tech 3
Wofford 8,
@Belmont 2
@Western Carolina 14,
UT Martin 9
Eastern Illinois 7, @McNeese 6
@Memphis 11,
SIUE 2
@Saint Louis 7,
Austin Peay 4
@Missouri State 16,
Southeast Missouri 5
@Kansas State 9,
Morehead State 6
VALPARAISO 6, MURRAY STATE 1
MURRAY, Ky. - Murray State (13-6) baseball fell 6-1 to Valparaiso on Sunday afternoon at Johnny Reagan Field in Murray, Kentucky. The Racers and Beacons split the four-game set with the Racers winning games one and three of the series. MSU now sits at 13-2 at home this season with both losses coming at the hands of the Beacons.
Graduate pitcher Adrien Reese got the start for Murray State and shined for the Racers. The Moline, Illinois native threw 4.0 innings while allowing just one Valpo run and striking out five in the outing. Reese now holds a solid 3.45 ERA across 15.2 innings pitched in 2022. Allen Roulette suffered the loss in the series finale while giving up three earned runs in 2.1 innings pitched.
The Racers bats were able to produce hits from seven different players throughout the lineup. Freshman Carson Garner produced the lone run for MSU with a solo shot to left field in the second inning of the game. The Franklin, Tennessee native is now batting .286 on the season with two home runs and 11 RBIs. Second baseman Jordan Holly continues to lead the Murray State offense after picking up another hit on Sunday. The graduate student is now batting .360 this year as the Racers begin conference play next weekend.
ETSU 11, TENNESSEE TECH 3
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - In its finale with ETSU, the Tennessee Tech baseball team could not pull off the weekend sweep, falling to the Buccaneers at Thomas Stadium by a final score of 11-3 in the first-ever three-game series between the two in-state rivals.
The home team got off to a quick start and never looked back, taking a 4-0 lead in the second innings and limiting the scoring chances for the Golden Eagles along the way. The Bucs made it a 7-0 ball game in the fourth, plating a trio behind a pair of long balls.
ETSU added three more markers to the mix in the fifth, taking a 10-0 lead past the mid-way point in the ball game.
The purple and gold finally broke through offensively in the sixth, with left fielder Jason Hinchman belting a 1-2 offering down the left-field line for his sixth home run of the year to lead off the frame. It represented an historic blast for the senior, making just the fourth Golden Eagle and seventh player in Ohio Valley Conference history to register 50 tanks for a career.
He now sits just one away from tying TTU Sports Hall of Famer A.J. Kirby-Jones for third on Tech's career charts for dingers. The RBI moved him into 13th in school history in career RBI, marking his 136th.
Tech collected its second run of the ball game in the top of the seventh, this one courtesy of shortstop Ed Johnson. Collecting his seventh hit of the series, he peppered a double to left field to drive in second baseman Zach Bondurant.
ETSU answered with its 11th run in the bottom half, but the Golden Eagles responded in the eighth with another solo run. Following a walk to catcher Hayden Gilliland and a wild pitch that moved him over, right fielder John Dyer produced.
After smashing the game-winning home run in the 10th inning in Saturday's victory, Dyer came through with a one-hopping double off the wall in left field, driving in Gilliland.
On the mound, both Travis Odom and Eric Newsom turned in scoreless frames for the purple and gold, combining for a pair of strikeouts, one hit, and one walk allowed.
WOFFORD 8, BELMONT 2
NASHVILLE - Despite a four-hit game from Guy Lipscomb, the Belmont University baseball team dropped Sunday's series finale with Wofford, 8-2, at E.S. Rose Park.
Lipscomb finished 9-for-13 over the course of the weekend, picking up two stolen bases as well.
Belmont (14-7) will now regroup and prepare to face No. 3 Vanderbilt at First Horizon Park on Tuesday in one of the more highly anticipated matchups of the season.
Wofford used an onslaught of infield hits and bunt singles to wear down the Bruins, breaking open what was a 1-1 game with a five-run fifth inning that made it 6-1 in favor of the Terriers.
Belmont collected 11 hits in the loss but left nine men on base, going 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position. Eight different Bruins collected a hit in the game.
The home side got on the scoreboard first with an RBI single to left field from Logan Jarvis that drove in Carson Shacklett, but came away wanting more after Guy Lipscomb was thrown out on the play trying to go from first to third base.
Jalen Borders (L, 1-1) started out effective on the mound for the Bruins, allowing just one run through the first four innings. However, Wofford got two walks and a single in the fifth inning before scoring a run on a fielder's choice to bump Borders out of the game and get to the Belmont bullpen.
Belmont loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, and looked prime to respond to Wofford's lopsided frame in a big way. However, Brodey Heaton grounded into a double play that scored Shacklett before Wofford picked up the third out to limit the damage to just the one run.
Dusty Baird pitched effectively in relief for the Bruins, going 2 2/3 innings with no runs allowed on one hit and one walk.
Wofford, among the national leaders in stolen bases with 69 on the year, got just four stolen bags this weekend,thanks in part to the strong arm of Belmont catcher Jackson Campbell, who threw out Terrier baserunners on a handful of occasions.
WESTERN CAROLINA 14, UT MARTIN 9
CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Continuing the offensive-minded nature of the team’s three-game series at Western Carolina over the weekend, the University of Tennessee at Martin baseball club saw two very productive innings behind the plate in the 5th and 9th frames on Sunday afternoon, eventually taking a 14-9 defeat against the Catamounts in a game displaying 23 hits and 24 runs combined.
As the Skyhawks hammered four doubles from four different hitters and one homer off the bat of third-baseman Hunter McLean (the sophomore’s second long-ball of the year), the Catamounts were just able to withstand a late UTM rally in Sunday’s finale, moving the visitors’ record to 7-11 just over one month into the season.
Sophomore rightfielder Wil LaFollette carried over an impressive two-game showing yesterday by swinging the outing’s first RBI in only the fourth at-bat of the day, sending a laser down the left side of the field to score Casey Harford. Counting Saturday’s doubleheader, LaFollette ends the series with a total of five hits, four runs, and four RBI.
The Skyhawks dished out some more offensive weapons in the top of the 5th, notching their second score of the contest with the bases loaded on a fielder’s choice scenario. Catcher Chance Merithew was able to race to home plate on an infield swing by Harford, paving the way for senior Ethan Whitley to blast a three-RBI double to left center to bring UTM within a pair at 7-5.
In their final turn of the weekend, the Skyhawks managed to make a dent in Western Carolina’s lead throughout the 9th frame, although coming just shy of completing the comeback. Appearing as a pinch hitter, second-year slugger Cameron Brady bounced a leftfield double that brought LaFollette home, setting the stage for McLean’s three-score bomb in the very next at-bat.
Accumulating 10 hits as a whole for a total of 24 over the past 48 hours, UT Martin brings their season-sum to 143. Whitley and McLean synced up for six of the Skyhawks’ nine RBI in the Western Carolina rubber match, while the entire roster now has 31 doubles next to 17 home runs to show for on their 2022 resume.
Cementing his second start on the mound in the past six days, junior Jacob Smith was backed up by the trio of Noah Walters, Trey Ricko, and J. Henry Hobson. That quartet struck out six WCU batters as the Skyhawks wrapped up a first-time-ever sequence of games with the Catamounts as the visiting side.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 7, MCNEESE 6
LAKE CHARLES, La. - Eastern Illinois (13-4) wins the third game of their three game series against McNeese State (11-10) by a final score of 7-6. EIU was trailing 6-3 in the top of the seventh when Lincoln Riley hit a three RBI triple to tie the game. Lucas DiLuca had the go ahead RBI to put the Panthers up one. Starting pitcher Blake Malatestinic went 2.2 innings and gave up five earned runs on eight hits. DiLuca added three more hits to his total this week, and extended his hitting streak to 14.
Malatestinic and Chance Stone for McNeese State both had solid innings on the mound through the first inning. Each pitcher allowed only one hit and left runners on base to leave the score tied after one.
Panthers would have two runners on in the second with Chris Worcester (single) and Doyle (walk), but failed to convert any runs out of it. The Cowboys would get on the board though with an RBI scoring double play by Nate Collins. Malatestinic would get out of the inning while stranding one at second.
Ignoffo would answer the run scored by McNeese State as he hit an RBI single to score Eickhoff. It wouldn't take long for the Cowboys to regain the lead as they would go on to score four runs in the third. Malatestinic would give up a fielder's choice RBI, and a two-run homerun before his exit. Tyler Conklin would then go on the mound and give up an RBI double to Braden Duhon to make the score 5-1.
Panthers would threaten in the fourth as they had bases loaded, but the Cowboys would end the inning without surrendering any runs. McNeese State would add one more run in the fourth inning to make it 6-1 after a wild pitch by Conklin.
Eastern Illinois would start to battle back in the top of the sixth as DiLuca would hit an infield single to score Ben Gallaher, and Eickhoff would hit into a groundout at third but still managed to score Bryce Hayman from third to move the score to 6-3.
The seventh inning saw the Panthers' bats come alive as they would take the lead in the top half of the inning. Nathan Aide started the inning off with a walk and was followed by a single from Worcester and a bunt single from Doyle. After a strikeout and a fielder's choice to get Aide out at home, Riley would step in an hit a triple to center field to clear the bases and tie the game. Shortly after, DiLuca picked up his third single of the game to score Riley from third to get the go-ahead RBI and erase a four run deficit.
Wainscott would close out the bottom of the eighth without any base runners, and Robbins would earn his fifth save of the season after going three-up three down. Catcher Grant Lashure was able to throw out a runner at second to clear the bases, and lead the way for a pop-up to left field to close the game.
EIU would post seven runs on 13 hits and had two errors. McNeese State would have six runs on 15 hits and one error.
MEMPHIS 11, SIUE 2
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Memphis starter Landon Gartman limited SIUE to just two runs on three hits Sunday as the Cougars fell to the Tigers 11-2 in the series finale.
The loss drops the Cougars to 10-8. Memphis improved to 12-5.
Gartman tossed into the seventh and struck out seven. Two runs ties a season-low for the Cougars.
A Connor Kiffer double in the fourth inning and a groundout by Ole Arntson in the seventh inning accounted for the only runs of the day for the Cougars.
Trailing 7-2 in the eighth, the Cougars loaded the bases one-out walk by Braedyn Brewer, followed by a Josh Ohl single and Brett Johnson hit by pitch. Kiffer lined a ball to the left side, where Memphis shortstop Ben Brooks made a diving catch and then doubled off Ohl at second base.
Ohl finished with two hits Sunday, Kiffer and Bunten had the other two hits.
Taylor Bruninga (1-1) made the start allowing four runs on seven hits in three innings. Kade Karnes allowed two earned runs over three innings. Alec Kubik pitched a scoreless inning.
Memphis scored four times on five hits in the bottom of the eighth to push their lead to 11-2.
Brooks was 4-4 at the plate with four RBIs to lead the Tigers.
SAINT LOUIS 7, AUSTIN PEAY 4
ST. LOUIS - Center fielder Skyler Luna had two hits and two RBI but Austin Peay State University’s baseball team was held scoreless over the final six innings, dropping a 7-4 decision to Saint Louis, Sunday, at the Billiken Sports Center.
Saint Louis (11-8) opened the scoring with left fielder Tyler Fogarty’s two-run home run in the first inning. However, Austin Peay responded with two runs courtesy Luna’s single in the second inning to tie the game.
The Billkens regained the lead with a two-run second inning. Third baseman Cameron Swanger supplied a run on a double and shortstop Matt Happ added another with a single. But again, the Governors responded with two runs in the third to tie the game. Reserve right fielder Knaje Guthrie provided a run-scoring infield single and left fielder Jeremy Wagner chipping in a single to right field to tie the game at 4-4.
Saint Louis took the lead for good in the third with catcher Cody Jansen driving in a run with a sacrifice fly for the 5-4 lead. From there, Saint Louis starter Trevor Harris and two relievers kept Austin Peay off the scoreboard over the final six innings.
Austin Peay (7-15) would have a change to change the story in the sixth and ninth innings, loading the bases with two outs in each frame. However, the Billikens pitching got a fly out to end the sixth and a strikeout to end the game.
Harris (2-3) notched the win for the Billikens while holding Austin Peay to four runs on nine hits over six innings. Reliever Cameron Pferrer recorded his third save, entering the game with two on and working around a two-out single to end the game.
Austin Peay reliever Peyton Jula (0-1) was charged with the loss after allowing the third-inning run, but it was the only run he allowed in 3.2 innings of work that saw him strike out five batters.
Luna led the Govs with his 2-for-3, two RBI effort. Guthrie and Wagner also went 2-for-3 with a RBI each as the Govs outhit Saint Louis, 10-8.
Happ went 2-for-4 with three RBI, providing insurance with his two-run single in the eighth. Fogarty went 1-fr-2 with two RBI and two runs scored.
MISSOURI STATE 16, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 5
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Southeast Missouri (14-5) dropped its series finale to Missouri State (10-8) by a score of 16-5 Sunday afternoon at Hammons Field.
MSU had seven extra base hits, including four doubles and three home runs to claim its series win.
The Bears took a 7-0 lead after scoring four runs in the first inning and three in the third. Drake Baldwin hit a two-RBI double and Dakota Kotowski followed with a two-run home run in the first inning. MSU tacked on two more runs in the fourth, another five in the fifth and plated two in the seventh to finish off its win.
SEMO scored its first runs on a two-run home run by Tyler Wilber in the top of the sixth inning, his team-high eighth round-tripper of the season. A double by Wilber knocked in two more runs for the Redhawks in the eighth before Brett Graber scored SEMO's other run in the ninth.
Tommy Windt (2-0) fell to his first loss of the season. Windt allowed seven runs on eight hits and struck out five in three innings of work. Forrest Barnes (3-1) was credted with the win in relief after striking out six and giving up two runs on one hit in five frames.
Offensively, MSU registered 15 hits for the day.
Wilber paved the way for SEMO going 2-for-4 with a home run, double, one run scored and four RBI.
KANSAS STATE 9, MOREHEAD STATE 6
MANHATTAN, Kan. - Morehead State Baseball grabbed an early 5-1 advantage at Kansas State Sunday, but the host team plated seven runs in the final three frames to rally past MSU and hand the Eagles a 9-6 setback.
The Eagles fell for the fourth straight game, sliding to 7-12. K-State won its eighth straight and moved to 11-7.
An RBI single by left-fielder Alex Jacobs got the early scoring flurry started. Right-fielder Chase Vinson and shortstop Colton Becker led off the second frame with back-to-back long balls over the fences at Tointon Family Stadium for a 3-0 lead. It was the first bomb of the year for Becker and second for Vinson.
The Wildcats trimmed the lead to 3-1 in the third, but first baseman Jackson Feltner, who had been held hitless in the series, finally connected for a two-run double in the fourth to make it 5-1.
Kansas State started its rally with an RBI double in the fourth, but then poured it on in the sixth, seventh and eighth while holding the Eagles in check. A three-run homer in the seventh finally put the hosts ahead 7-5, and then they added a two-run smash in the eighth.
Jacobs recorded an RBI double in the top of the ninth to set the final margin at 9-6.
Eagle closer John Bakke actually made his first career start, tossing the first 3.0 frames while recording two strikeouts and not allowing an earned run. Reliever Jarrett Miller, who entered with the OVC's best ERA at 0.69, unfortunately was touched up with the go-ahead three-run homer and was saddled with the loss to fall to 1-1.
Feltner led the offense with three hits, while Jacobs was 2-for-4, extending his reached-base streak to 17 games and hitting streak to nine contest. Becker was also 2-for-3 - part of 10 hits for the Eagles.