FRIDAY'S SCORES
@#3 Arkansas 13,
Eastern Illinois 2
@Morehead State 8-12, Saint Peter’s 2-2
Bellarmine 4,
@Southern Indiana 2
@#22 Georgia Tech 12,
Tennessee Tech 3
Valparaiso 10,
@UT Martin 2
SIUE 7, @ULM 4
#3 ARKANSAS 13, EASTERN ILLINOIS 2
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Eastern Illinois (3-1, 0-0 OVC) lost their first game of the season to No. 3 Arkansas (4-1, 0-0 SEC) by a final score of 2-13 in seven innings. The Razorbacks have won the last eight meetings against the Panthers.
Ryan Ignoffo went a perfect 2-2 at the plate today including a pair of singles while being walked and hit-by-pitch. Chris Worcester and Lucas DiLuca both picked up an RBI in the loss.
Starting pitcher Blake Malatestinic (L, 0-1) lost his first game of the season after throwing in three innings and allowing six runs on six hits. Hagen Smith (W, 1-0) picked up the win for the Razorbacks.
Early on during Friday's game, the Panthers failed to bring in runs leaving two stranded in the first inning after scoring first in their first three games of the season. Ignoffo picked up one of his hits during the first. Malatestinic went three up, three down to start his afternoon in the bottom of the inning.
After a scoreless second, the Razorbacks capitalized on two bunt singles off of Malatestinic. Kendall Diggs was walked with the bases loaded to give Arkansas their first run of the afternoon. Jared Wegner (2 RBI), Brady Slavens (RBI), Ben McLaughlin (RBI) and Peyton Holt (RBI) all drove in runs to go up 6-0.
Nick Laxner entered the game on the mound for EIU in the fourth and struck out two of his first three Razorbacks. After EIU left the bases loaded in the top of the fifth, Laxner would give up one run after an RBI single by Holt.
Eastern Illinois would get on the board in the top of the sixth off of Austin Ledbetter for Arkansas. After a HBP by Cade Zalewski and a double by Grant Lashure, Worcester would deliver his first hit and RBI of the season to cut the lead to 7-1. DiLuca would also hit a sacrifice fly to center to give EIU their second and final run of the afternoon.
In the bottom of the seventh, Arkansas would score six runs off of Laxner and Jack Potteiger to end the game. Holt and John Bolton would each earn and RBI off of two errors by the EIU defense. Arkansas' Diggs would end the game at 13-2 with a three-run homerun to center field.
EIU posted two runs on six hits while committing three errors and leaving nine runners left on base. Arkansas scored 13 runs on 11 hits while having zero errors through seven innings.
MOREHEAD STATE 8-12, SAINT PETER'S 2-2
MOREHEAD, Ky. - The Morehead State baseball team kept rolling on Friday, treating fans at Allen Field with two victories over Saint Peter's to move to 6-0 on the young season. The Eagles hit seven home runs across the doubleheader, led by three from Ryley Preece, while the pitching staff held the Peacocks to just four runs.
Luke Helton dominated in the home opener, setting a new career high with 10 strikeouts in his second win of the season.
In addition to his 10 strikeouts, Helton (2-0) went seven innings, giving up two runs, both of them earned, on five hits and walking one for Morehead State (5-0).
Trailing 1-0, the Eagles first put runs on the board in the first inning. Morehead State scored two runs on solo shots from Jackson Feltner and Roman Kuntz.
The Eagles then held the Peacocks scoreless before expanding their lead in the fifth inning. The Morehead State offense exploded for five runs, highlighted by a two-run single off the bat of Logan Castleman and a two-run home run from Preece, which brought the score to 7-1 in favor of the Eagles.
Saint Peter's narrowed Morehead State's lead to 7-2 before the Eagles stretched the advantage to 8-2 in the sixth inning. The score remained 8-2 for the rest of the game, as Morehead State coasted to the win.
In game two, junior Ryley Preece put together an outstanding outing at the plate in game two, hitting two home runs to help lead the Morehead State Eagles past the Saint Peter's Peacocks 12-2.
John Bakke (1-0) got the win for Morehead State (6-0). The left-hander went five innings, giving up two runs, one earned, on five hits, allowing two walks and striking out two. Branden Blankenship and Hunter Porter came on and slammed the door on the Peacocks, combining for two shutout innings with two strikeouts a piece.
Preece went 3-for-4 at the plate, supplementing his two home runs with a double while driving in two runs. Reigning OVC Player of the Week Chase Vinson smashed a two-run homer as well, and Max Power also chipped in for the Eagles, going 1-for-3 with a two-run blast of his own. Colton Becker had himself a day in all facets of the game, swiping two bases and driving in two with a double, all while making a few great plays from his shortstop position.
The Eagles got the scoring started early, putting one run on the board in the bottom the first inning as Ryley Preece came across on a sacrifice fly by Roman Kuntz to open the scoring.
The Peacocks failed to push any runs across before the Eagles built on their lead in the third inning. Morehead State hit three home runs (including two from Ryley Preece) in the inning on the way to pushing eight runs aross. which brought the Eagles lead to 9-0.
Saint Peter's narrowed Morehead State's lead to 9-2 before the Eagles stretched the advantage to 12-2 in the sixth inning. The Eagles picked up three runs in the frame, two of them coming across on a two-run homer from Vinson. The score remained 12-2 for the rest of the game, as Morehead State coasted to the win.
BELLARMINE 4, SOUTHERN INDIANA 2
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - University of Southern Indiana Baseball lost the home opener to Bellarmine University, 4-2, Friday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. The Screaming Eagles watch their record go to 3-3, while Bellarmine goes to 4-0.
USI took the initial lead in the first frame when senior centerfielder Ren Tachioka (Japan) scored on a RBI-single to right center by junior first baseman Tucker Ebest (Austin, Texas). Tachioka had moved into scoring position after reaching on an error and stealing second.
The 1-0 lead would last until the top of the third when Bellarmine grabbed a 2-1 lead on a two-run home run. The Knights extended lead to 4-1 with another two runs in the sixth.
USI cut into the deficit in the eighth with a tally to make the score 4-2. Junior rightfielder Drew Taylor (Jefferson, Indiana) entered the game as a pinch runner in the eighth and scored a sacrifice fly by Tachioka before USI left the bases jammed.
In the ninth, Bellarmine set USI down in order in the ninth to notch its fourth win of the year. The Eagles were limited to just three hits in the game.
On the mound, sophomore right-hander Tyler Hutson (Villa Hills, Kentucky) took the loss for the Eagles. Hutson (1-1) allowed four runs, three earned, on five hits and two walks, while striking out six in five-plus innings of work.
#22 GEORGIA TECH 12, TENNESSEE TECH 3
ATLANTA - A pair of one-run leads couldn't hold up for the Tennessee Tech baseball team Friday afternoon, as No. 22 nationally-ranked Georgia Tech pulled away late from the Golden Eagles to take the series opener in Atlanta, 12-3.
The purple and gold opened the scoring on the day in the second inning, with second baseman Eddie Garza providing the early spark. The redshirt freshman blasted a solo shot to center field on an 0-1 count, his second home run of the season, to give TTU a 1-0 lead.
Georgia Tech responded in the third, tagging a two-run shot off Golden Eagle hurler Peyton Calitri to take a 2-1 advantage. The junior right-hander finished off the frame without further damage and held the Yellow Jackets without another run through the fourth and fifth.
The strong performance allowed the Cookeville crew to regroup offensively, as Garza played hero for the second time in the contest. In the fifth, the righty-swinging infielder uncorked a hefty hack on the second pitch he saw, leading off the frame with a round-tripper to right field to tie the ball game.
The Golden Eagles pushed back out front in the sixth, using a pair of hits to the damage this time around. Designated hitter Troy Baunsgard dropped a perfect bunt with one out for an infield single to third base, setting up Theo Bryant IV for the big knock.
With two outs and facing a 2-1 count, the junior right fielder ripped an RBI double down the right-field line, plating Baunsgard for the 3-2 lead in favor of the purple and gold.
The Yellow Jackets answered back in the bottom half of the sixth, picking up a three-run long ball off new Tech hurler Hunter Mann to jump back on top, 5-3. The home squad leaked the lead out to three with a single run in the seventh, but made the most impactful showing in the eighth.
With two outs and the bases loaded, Georgia Tech blew the game wide open with a grand slam to right field, jumping in front by seven. The Yellow Jackets scored twice more in the frame, making it an even half-dozen in the inning for the 12-3 decision.
Garza led the Golden Eagles with a pair of hits and a couple of RBI and runs scored while Bryant added two knocks and a ribbie. Baunsgard and sophomore Tanner Shiver also picked up hits in the contest. Calitri took the loss on the day, tossing five innings with four earned runs allowed on four hits with four strikeouts and just one walk.
VALPARAISO 10, UT MARTIN 2
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team opened the home portion of its 2023 schedule on Friday afternoon by playing host to Missouri Valley Conference foe Valparaiso on a chilly afternoon at Skyhawk Field before ultimately dropping Game 1 of the series by a final margin of 10-2.
The Skyhawks (3-4) saw six different players tally hits at the plate but could not overcome a high-powered offensive afternoon from the visiting Beacons. Valpo opened the contest with three runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back before eventually stringing together five scoring frames to steal the series opener.
UT Martin’s offensive production came from a pair of veterans in Jack Culumovic and Will Smith who each tallied RBIs. Meanwhile, Andrew Fernandez, Blaze Bell, Mac Danford and Alec Beaman also scratched out base knocks.
On the bump, Tristan Walton (1-1) was hit with the loss after reaching the century mark with his pitch count while tossing five innings of work. Choyce Diffey tossed two innings of middle relief action while Baylor Jones was impressive in the final two innings, scattering three hits while allowing zero runs.
Valparaiso (2-2) racked up 17 hits on the afternoon, led by a pair of three-hit afternoons from the tandem of Brady Renfro and Alex Ryan. Meanwhile, Kyle Schmack paced the team with three RBIs – including a two-run home run – while Nolan Tucker also cleared the yard with a two-run homer. On the mound, Griffin McCluskey picked up his first win of the season after striking out four and allowing one run in five innings of work
The Beacons got the game’s scoring started in the opening inning of the contest as Schmack doubled to center field to plate the game’s first run. Then back-to-back singles by Renfro and Skrine saw the visitors jump out to an early three-run advantage.
After Valpo added another run in the top of the second inning off an RBI-single by Renfro, the Skyhawks responded in the bottom half of the inning. Following a leadoff single to left center by Culumovic and a subsequent double by Bell, the Skyhawks had two runners in scoring position with no outs. Looking to get the home team on the board, Smith tallied UT Martin’s first RBI of the season at Skyhawk Field with a single through the left side to score Culumovic on the play and bring the margin to 4-1.
Following a RBI by Ryan in the top of the third by Valpo, the scoring came to a halt until the sixth inning. Already boasting a four-run advantage, the Beacons looked to put the game away in the sixth as Tucker connected on a two-run home run to right center before Skrine came through with another RBI single up the middle to stretch the squad’s advantage out to seven runs. The Beacons then added their final runs of the contest on a two-run blast by Schmack in the top of the seventh.
The Skyhawks did get back on the board in the bottom of the eighth after Caleb Hobson led off the inning with a 10-pitch at bat which ultimately resulted in a walk. Later in the inning, Hobson would use his speed to move from first to third on a single to left center by Fernandez which set up Culumovic for a RBI opportunity that he cashed in with a sacrifice fly to right field to score the game’s final run at 10-2.
SIUE 7, ULM 4
MONROE, La. - SIUE baseball won its third consecutive game to improve to 4-1 with a 7-4 win to open a series at Louisiana-Monroe Friday.
Brennan Orf and Ole Arntson each singled in runs to put the Cougars up 2-0 in the third inning.
After a run from the Warhawks in the bottom of the inning, the Cougars to a 6-1 lead in the fourth. Arntson drove home two with a double before Bunten homered to drive home two more. The home run was the 32nd of Bunten's career. He is now three homers away from tying the career mark of 35 homers.
ULM chased SIUE starter Jake Bockenstedt in the fifth. Cardell Thibodeaux hit a three-run homer to trim SIUE's lead to 6-4.
ULM starter Cam Barlow (1-1) allowed six run on seven hits over four innings.
Bockenstedt worked 4 2/3 innings allowing four runs on five hits. Just one of the runs was earned against Bockenstedt who struck out three and walked three.
Jacob Kampf (1-0) finished the fifth and worked 2 1/3 scoreless innings to earn the win in relief. He gave up four hits, did not walk a batter and struck out two.
Avery Owusu-Asiedu singled home Bunten in the seventh to extend SIUE's lead to 7-4.
Zeus Ponder finished it out with two scoreless, hitless innings for his second save of the year. He walked one and struck out three. Ponder came in with runners on second and third and nobody out in the eighth but stranded both runners.
Orf, Bunten and Arntson paced the Cougars with two hits apiece and SIUE outhit ULM 10-9. Orf finished with three RBIs. Bunten finished with a pair of RBIs.