FRIDAY'S SCORES
Murray State 17, @Eastern Illinois 10 (Mattoon, Ill.)
@SIUE 18, Austin Peay 9
Tennessee Tech 19, @UT Martin 6
@Southeast Missouri 8 Morehead State 7 (10)
Belmont 3, @Purdue 2
MURRAY STATE 17, EASTERN ILLINOIS 10
MATTOON, Ill. - Murray State (19-18) baseball took the first game of their series with Eastern Illinois 17-10 on Friday at Lake Land College in Mattoon, Illinois. In the offensive battle, the Racers hit six home runs, tying them for second in school history for single-game homers.
The Racers offense collected 18 hits on the day with six different players having a multi-hit performance. Parker Estes and Alex Crump led the firepower with three hits and a home run for each of them. Lead-off man Jake Slunder also put together three hits on the day. Bryson Bloomer, Drew Vogel, Seth Gardner, and Jordan Holly all blasted a home run in the contest to join Estes and Crump. Bloomer was the top RBI man on the day with four to go along with two runs scored.
Jacob Pennington impressed on the mound in relief going 4.2 innings while giving up just two runs and striking out 10 in the appearance. Alec Whaley earned the win after giving up just one run in three innings while also striking out three.
Murray State blasted six home runs in the contest to tie them for second in school history for single-game HR's
The Racers set the single-game home run record a season ago versus EIU with seven
The offensive outburst gives MSU six games of scoring at least 13 runs this season
Jacob Pennington tossed 10 strikeouts in relief for the most by a Racers pitcher this season
Murray State has now won four consecutive OVC games to bring them to 5-8 in conference play
SIUE 18, AUSTIN PEAY 9
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - SIUE baseball sent a Division I-era program record eight home runs over the outfield wall en route to an impressive 18-9 win over Austin Peay on Friday evening.
The Cougars began the game on the wrong end of the scoreboard, as the Governors stormed out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. The momentum would shift in SIUE's favor in the home half of the third, as the Cougars hung six on the visiting Governors. Josh Ohl, Connor Kiffer, and Brady Bunten all notched home runs in the inning, while Brett Pierson singled to right field to send home Brennan Orf.
Austin Peay would cut the Cougar lead to four with a home run to center field in the visitor's half of the fourth; however, SIUE would return with a pair of homers to left field by Bunten and Orf. The Cougars' offensive onslaught would continue one inning later, as Brett Johnson sent the ball over the wall to extend the SIUE lead to nine before a single through the left side from Kiffer scored Ritchie Well and gave the Red & White an eight-run advantage.
The Governors cut the SIUE lead to three in the seventh, but a triple down the right field line from Johnson and a two-run blast to left field from Ohl in the home half of the inning extended the Cougar lead to six.
Bunten would send his third home run over the wall in the bottom of the eighth inning, scoring Kiffer and pushing the SIUE lead to eight. Shortly after, Ohl doubled down the left field line and score Johnson, Orf, and Drew Mize and giving the hosts an 11-run lead. A two-run top of the ninth for the Governors was not enough, as the Cougars take the first game of the weekend series by a nine-run margin.
Brant Glidewell had a masterful performance on the mound, pitching 6.1 inning and striking out seven Governor batters. Glidewell improves to 3-2 on the season. Quinn Waterhouse turned in an equally-impressive outing in relief, hurling 2.2 innings and allowing just three runs on four hits with a trio of strikeouts.
TENNESSEE TECH 19, UT MARTIN 6
MARTIN, Tenn. - The bats went to work for the Tennessee Tech baseball team Friday evening, as the Golden Eagles (21-14, 5-5) erupted for a 19-6 victory over Ohio Valley Conference and in-state rival UT Martin at Skyhawk Baseball Field.
The offense really got going in the third inning, for Tech's most runs since the 19-7 win over North Alabama on Mar. 22, the most hits (20) since the team's 18-4 victory at Southeastern Louisiana, and the second-most home runs on the year with the six smacked in a 15-7 W over Purdue Fort Wayne on Mar. 6.
Right fielder Ryan Guardino got things going with a single up the middle for the team's first hit of the night. Two batters later, center fielder Austin Turner – who acted a lot like a second lead-off man for the purple and gold – crunched an RBI triple off the top of the wall in right field, putting Tech on top 1-0.
Shortstop Ed Johnson, the actual Tech lead-off hitter on the day, tripled the lead two pitches later, hammering a two-run blast to left field. Following a single to right field by third baseman Gabe Lacy, left fielder Jason Hinchman made some more history.
Since 2003, only 10 Division I baseball players had reached the 60-career-pumps mark, including former Golden Eagle greats Zach Stephens (2011-14) and Kevin Strohschein (2016-19) – each with an OVC and school-record 62 – and future MLB veterans Justin Smoak of Louisville and Matt LaPorta of Florida. Hinchman became the 11th on the night, tattooing a two-run oppo-taco to right field.
His 16th jack of the season made him just the third player in school and league history with 60 dingers for a career, joining Stephens and Strohschein.
Catcher Hayden Gilliland followed with a double off the top of wall in centerfield, which rises up the middle while also acting as the batter's eye. First baseman Golston Gillespie made it back-to-back doubles with a towering smash off the wall in right field.
Designated hitter Eric Newsom peppered an RBI single to right-center field, driving in the sixth run of the inning for the purple and gold. Guardino, who kicked off the frame, delivered the last blow of the inning to the Skyhawks, sending a long shot to right field for a sacrifice fly ball and a 7-0 lead.
UT Martin answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning, but Tech was quick to strike again in the fourth. Turner led things off with a four-pitch walk and Johnson delivered a single to set up Lacy for another huge swing.
The slugger uncorked a monster bomb to left field, driving in a trio with his seventh dinger of the year. Hinchman continued the inning with a double to right-center field and Gilliland drove him in with a single up the middle, minting a 9-2 lead.
Tech added two more in the fifth, with Guardino leading things off with a base knock to center field. Another walk drawn by Turner and base hit by Johnson set up Lacy for a two-run single to left field.
Up 11-2, the purple and gold continued to do damage, scoring twice more in the sixth. Guardino uncorked on the first pitch he saw for a solo rocket to center field, his sixth round-tripper of the year. Hinchman later drew a bases-loaded walk to make it a 13-2 ballgame.
Once again in the seventh, Tech put on the pressure, with Guardino toasting a two-run shot over the scoreboard in left field for his second tater of the night and seventh on the year. UT Martin cut the deficit to 17-6 with a pair of two-run shots, but the Golden Eagles were the last to dent the dish on this night.
After a pair of quick outs to start the eighth, Gilliland got plunked with a pitch to set up Gillespie for one more big swing. The slugger went yard for the ninth time on the year, sending a two-run rainbow over the wall in center field.
Starter Peyton Calitri (4-3) earned the victory with five innings of work and just two earned runs allowed. He scattered seven hits and no walks while striking out three. Matthew Meadows turned in two and one-third frames of scoreless ball out of the bullpen, allowing just one hit and a walk.
Seven Golden Eagles produced multi-hit efforts on the night, led by a 4-for-4 performance from Guardino, who plated four and scored three. Gillespie tallied three hits and a pair of RBI, scoring three times as well.
Johnson secured three knocks, two RBI, and two runs while Lacy boasted three hits, a team-high five RBI, and two runs. Hinchman drove in three with a 2-for-5 showing while Gilliland tallied two hits as well. Turner drew a team-high three walks and was 2-for-2 with a team-high four runs scored.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 8, MOREHEAD STATE 7 (10)
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - – Ben Palmer registered an RBI knock in the bottom of the 10th inning to propel Southeast Missouri Baseball (26-10, 9-4 OVC) past Morehead State (16-20, 5-5 OVC), 8-7, Friday night in game one of the series at Capaha Field.
Brett Graber and Ty Stauss hit consecutive singles before a Lincoln Andrews walk set the stage for Palmer's walk-off RBI.
With the bases loaded and one out lit on the scoreboard, Palmer grounded to the shortstop, plating Graber on the error for the extra-innings victory.
Palmer, a sophomore from Fridley, Minnesota, scored twice Friday before bringing home the game-winning run on an Eagles error.
Morehead State raced out to an early 3-0 lead Friday before SEMO cut the deficit to one run (5-4) in the fifth.
The Redhawks finally took the lead in the sixth. Palmer reached on an error with two outs before Jevon Mason belted his ninth home run of the season.
Mason, a junior from West Des Moines, Iowa, cleared the right field wall with his two-run shot to pull the Redhawks ahead 6-5.
SEMO increased its lead to 7-5 in the seventh inning. Tyler Wilber led off with a single to second before Andrew Keck showed off his speed, legging out a RBI triple. The triple was Keck's second of the 2022 campaign.
Morehead State then evened the contest at 7-7 in the top of the ninth to force extra innings ahead of Palmer's bases-loaded heroics.
Colton Becker tripled to right before Chase Vinson hit a two-run homer to knot the game.
Morehead State jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first opening the game Friday with consecutive singles. Ryley Preece led off with a base hit to center and advanced to second on a single from Jackson Feltner.
Logan Castleman grounded out to move the pair of Eagles in scoring position. Alex Jacobs then knocked a two-run single to provide Morehead State an early edge.
Feltner added a sacrifice fly in the third to increase the margin to 3-0.
The Redhawks then started to chip away with runs in the third, fourth and fifth.
Peyton Leeper singled home Palmer in the third frame before Stauss plated Spencer Parker with an RBI double to cut the edge to 3-2.
The Eagles then added to their lead with a pair in the fifth. Becker commenced the inning with a double before Vinson earned a walk.
The duo advanced 90 feet into scoring position after a sacrifice bunt by Brody Shoupe. Becker scored on a RBI groundout before Vinson tagged home on a wild pitch from Austin Williams.
SEMO continued to respond and cut the deficit to 5-4 in the bottom half of the fifth.
Mason was hit by a pitch followed by a Leeper single to center.
Mason would then come around to score on a fielder's choice by Wilber coupled with an Eagles throwing error. Leeper headed to third on the miscue and scored on a RBI single by Keck.
SEMO starter Jason Rackers allowed five runs on five hits with three strikeouts over 4.2 innings. Luke Helton surrendered four runs (two earned) on seven hits for the Eagles as both starters were credited with no-decisions.
Williams scattered two hits with five strikeouts in three innings of relief.
Kyle Miller improved to 6-2 in 2022, earning the win with 2.1 innings of three-hit, two-run ball to go along with five strikeouts.
John Bakke was assessed the loss, allowing the game winning run on two hits in 1.1 innings on the mound.
Mason, Leeper, Keck, Graber and Stauss each tallied a pair of hits in the victory. Mason and Keck both notched two RBI.
Wilber went 1-for-5 at the plate to extend his hitting streak to 11 games.
Feltner paced Morehead State at the dish, going 3-for-4 with a RBI.
With the win, SEMO improved to 18-1 at home in 2022. The Redhawks have won 20 of their last 22 matchups at Capaha Field dating back to the 2021 season.
SEMO has now matched its highest home win total in a season under the helm of head coach Andy Sawyers which he also achieved in 2017 and 2018.
BELMONT 3, PURDUE 2
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Behind two home runs from Tommy Crider and another pitching gem from Andy Bean, the Belmont University baseball team took down Purdue, 3-2, in their series opener at Alexander Field in West Lafayette, Ind., on Friday night.
Belmont (24-14, 9-3 OVC) secured their first victory over a Power Five opponent since Feb. 14, 2020, when they beat Kansas, 6-0, at E.S. Rose Park. The win is the first on the road over a Power Five opponent since the Bruins took down Northwestern, 7-5, on May 19, 2018, in Chicago.
Crider's go-ahead home runs in the second and sixth innings gave the junior from Madison, Ala., five home runs in his last five games. The reigning OVC Player of the Week now has three multi-homer games this year, and became the first Bruin in over a decade-plus to homer multiple times in a single game against a Power Five opponent.
Bean (W, 7-1) went seven strong innings, going blow-for-blow with highly-touted Purdue ace Jackson Smeltzer and coming out on top of the pitcher's duel with just two earned runs allowed, four strikeouts, and only one walk.
The sophomore from Fisherville, Tenn., had strong defense behind him, with the Bruins turning two crucial double plays late in the game—one in the seventh inning on an outfield assist from John Behrends that cut down a Purdue runner attempting to tag up, and one in the eighth inning on a groundball that went from second-to-short-to-first to erase a Boilermaker baserunner.
The throw in from Behrends was one of the most remarkable defensive plays this season, with the junior from Chattanooga, Tenn., delivering a perfect throw to Jackson Campbell who applied an athletic tag to keep Belmont in front, 3-2.
The Bruins jumped ahead in the second inning on Crider's solo home run, then took a 2-0 lead in the third inning when Guy Lipscomb slammed a ball to left field that was misread by the left-fielder, allowing Lipscomb to reach third base and then come home on a second Purdue error on a throw that went into the third base dugout.
The Boilermakers responded with a run in the bottom of the third inning, and appeared to tie the game at 2-2 on a sacrifice fly to the outfield. However, the Purdue runner was ruled to have left early, and Belmont stepped on third base to record the out. Purdue's manager was ejected soon after for arguing the call.
Purdue got a solo home run to tie the game at 2-2 in the fifth inning, setting the stage for Crider's second solo go-ahead homer in the sixth that set the final score at 3-2.
Will Jenkins tossed a scoreless eighth inning on the hill in a high-pressure situation to hand it over to Kyle Brennan (SV, 12), who added on to his program-record for career saves with his twelfth of the season, pitching a scoreless ninth inning to send the Bruins over the railing of the dugout and onto the field.