FRIDAY'S SCORES
@Southeast Missouri 8, Butler 0
SIUE 2-0, @Missouri State 1-14
North Alabama 6,
@Tennessee Tech 5
@Little Rock 9, Grambling 5
@#2 Tennessee 23,
Morehead State 4
Eastern Illinois 11, @Arkansas State 8
@Alabama State 11,
Lindenwood 0
Oakland 4,
@Southern Indiana 2
@Central Arkansas 10,
UT Martin 6
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 8, BUTLER 0
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - LHP Noah Niznik registered a season-high nine strikeouts in his seven-inning outing as Southeast Missouri (5-10) defeated Butler (2-12) in Friday night's game by a final score of 8-0.
Niznik, the St. Louis, Mo.-native, picked up his first official win of the season as he fanned nine Bulldog batters over 26 faced and threw just 87 pitches over the seven innings.
Chance Resetich paced the Redhawks offense going 2-for-4 in the ball game with a double and two RBI.
Carlos Aranda blasted his fifth home run of the season with one out in the fourth to jolt the Redhawks offense. Aranda finished 1-for-3 with two runs scored and a RBI.
Getting the start in right field, Carlos Aranda got SEMO on the board first in the fourth inning with a solo blast, over the left field fence to give the Redhawks a 1-0 lead.
The Redhawks offense took advantage of a two-out error on the Bulldogs' first baseman, Jake DeFries, in the same inning as SEMO exploded for four more runs.
Peyton Leeper skyed an infield pop-up that tricked the Bulldog's first baseman as catcher Nolan Ackerman came around to score.
Back-to-back hits by Ben Palmer (1B to left field) and Chance Resetich (2B to left field) plated Peyton Leeper, Jevon Mason, and Ben Palmer to give the Redhawks a 5-0 lead.
Ty Stauss grounded out to the Bulldogs' second baseman the following inning to plate the sixth run of the contest.
Aranda would score on a wild pitch from RHP Cade Thune in the fifth, and Chance Resetich scored on Thune's second wild pitch in the sixth as the Redhawks would hold on to win by a final score of 8-0.
The Bulldogs recorded just four hits on the day.
RHP Gavin Johnston relieved Niznik to start the eighth inning. Johnston pitched two innings, allowing just one hit, and registered two strikeouts over six Bulldog batters.
Butler's Cory Bosecker (0-3) took the loss in the contest, giving up just three earned runs over four and two-thirds.
SIUE 2-0, MISSOURI STATE 1-14
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - SIUE baseball split a doubleheader Friday to open a three-game series at Missouri State. The Cougars won the opener 2-1 behind an outstanding start from Jake Bockenstedt. Missouri State won the second game, blanking SIUE 14-0.
SIUE ran its winning streak to six games following the game one win. The Cougars are 10-3 overall. Missouri State is 8-5.
Brennan Orf put the Cougars on top in the third with an RBI-single to drive home Drew Mize, who had doubled to start the inning.
The Bears answered immediately with a pair of one-out singles in the bottom of the inning. A wild pitch brought home the tying-run.
The Cougars took advantage of an error in the top of the seventh to break a 1-1 tie. Avery Owusu-Asiedu led off the inning with a bunt, then scored when Missouri State pitcher Brandt Thompson threw the ball away on a sacrifice bunt attempt.
Bockenstedt worked a career-best eight innings and tied his season-high with nine strikeouts.
Zeus Ponder worked the ninth to record his fourth save of the season. He struck out one and gave up two hits.
Aside from driving in the tying run, Orf may have saved the game in the ninth for SIUE. The Bears had runners at first and second and one out in the inning, when MSU third baseman Dylan Robertson hit a deep drive to left. Orf was able to run the ball down, making a leaping catch against the left field wall. Ponder fanned the next hitter to end the game.
Missouri State scored seven times on nine hits against SIUE pitchers Hayden Cooper and Conrad Teague. There were also four walks in the inning.
Of the nine hits, eight were singles. Zach Stewart had the only extra base hit in the inning, scoring three runs with a bases-clearing triple.
The Bears scored four more times in the third on three hits.
MSU outhit SIUE 14-5 in the contest.
Dimitri Ivetic worked 3 1/3 scoreless innings in relief, allowing a hit with a walk and a strikeout. Gunner Millsap struck out two in a scoreless inning. Spencer Stearns allowed an unearned run in the eighth.
NORTH ALABAMA 6, TENNESSEE TECH 5
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Patience at the plate wasn't enough for the Tennessee Tech baseball team to hold on to an early lead Friday afternoon, as the Golden Eagles fell in their series-opening contest with North Alabama, 6-5, at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex.
Tech took an early 1-0 lead in the second, with third baseman Peyton Mills and shortstop Troy Baunsgard each drawing walks. Two batters later, designated hitter Preston Ford laced an RBI single down the right-field line with a pair of outs to plate the first run of the contest.
The Lions answered in the third, using a pair of defensive miscues by the Cookeville crew to plate two, unearned runs and take a 2-1 advantage. Neither side could get much going in the fourth, but the Golden Eagle patience paid off in the fifth.
Catcher Hayden Gilliland led off the frame by drawing a free pass and second baseman Eddie Garza followed two batters later with a one-out base knock. Mills drew another walk to load the bases, prompting a pitching change by UNA.
Even with a new hurler on the mound, Tech kept its approach at the dish, as Baunsgard watched four of the next five pitches miss their mark for an RBI, bases-loaded walk to tie the game. Next up, first baseman John Dyer wore a 1-1 offering off his leg to drive in a go-ahead run for a 3-2 lead.
Center fielder Jackson Green followed suit two batters later, also getting plunked on a 1-1 count to drive in one more for the home purple and gold. Left fielder Austin Turner eked out an infield single to third base to make it a 5-2 ball game before the Lions finally got out of the inning.
UNA scratched back in the seventh, using a one-out walk and a base hit to put the tying run at the plate. North Alabama's Kyle Machado took advantage of a small break in the wind, which was blowing in from center fielder all day, and smashed a game-tying home run to left-center field.
In the eighth, the Lions loaded the bases with two out and scored the eventual game-winning run on a wild pitch by the Golden Eagles. UNA attempted to score on another offering that momentarily got away from Gilliland, but the junior backstop alertly gathered the ball and tossed it to Tech hurler Jacob Morin to nab the runner at the plate for the final out of the inning.
Tech looked to rally in the ninth, picking up a pair of two-out base knocks up the middle off the bats of Baunsgard and Dyer, but North Alabama closed things down to pick up the first win of the weekend.
Six different Golden Eagles combined for the team's six hits on the day. Mills led Tech with two runs scored while finishing with three of the team's 10 walks on the day. Starter Peyton Calitri earned a no-decision after tossing six and one-third frames while allowing five total runs, including three earned, and striking out five.
LITTLE ROCK 9, GRAMBLING 5
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - After allowing three first inning runs to the Tigers, Little Rock was able to right the ship and went on to defeat Grambling by a final score of 9-5, improving to 7-4 on the season.
Trailing by a trio of runs in the bottom of the first, the Trojan offense went to work early by getting the first four batters of the game on base via single. By the end of the frame, Little Rock had cut the lead to just one run.
Grambling threatened again in the top of the second, but Lukas Frers was able to escape a jam by coaxing a flyout to left field with runners on second and third and two outs.
The Trojans picked up where they left off in the bottom of the inning beginning with a walk, a sacrifice bunt and then a single by Alex Seguine brought in the tying run after which Little Rock never trailed again.
Frers continued into the third and faced the minimum in the inning, striking out two during the process. Little Rock was finally able to take its first lead of the game when, with one out, Ryan Lee sent a no-doubt homerun over the left-center field wall scoring Noah Brewer and Skyler Trevino as well as himself on one swing.
A bizarre series of events led to Grambling scoring two unearned runs in the top of the fourth, tightening the score back to just a one run lead for the Trojans. Scott McDonough entered the game in relief of Frers in the top of the fifth and though a Tiger baserunner was able to make it to third, the lead was preserved at 6-5. McDonough would strike out the side in the sixth inning, though another Grambling baserunner was able to reach third base.
After a leadoff single from Ty Rhoades in the bottom of the sixth and a sacrifice bunt moving him to second, Luke Pectol drilled a single to left which scored the freshman from Jonesboro, cushioning the Little Rock lead by a run.
The Trojans would add two more runs to double the lead in the seventh with a single from Rhoades and a sac fly from Seguine bring home Trevino and Jake Wright respectively.
Austin Stubber was able to close out the game for Little Rock, coming in in the top of the seventh and facing 10 batters over the final three innings with the only baserunner coming on a fielding error.
Four Trojans collected multiple hits in the game and Little Rock put up 12 total hits as a team on Friday, eclipsing double digits as a team for the fourth time this year.
Frers earned the win for his efforts out of the bullpen, his first as a Trojan. The Surrey, British Columbia native pitched 2.2 innings, giving up two runs both of which were unearned and allowed just two hits while striking out four.
McDonough and Stubber combined for five no-hit innings of work and struck out six total batters between the two of them, Stubber also earned his first save of 2023.
Lee hit his second homerun in a Little Rock uniform on Friday evening in a 1-for-2 performance, scoring twice and driving in three runs.
All nine Little Rock starting position players reached base in the game, with eight also collecting at least one base hit.
The Trojans will be back in action tomorrow afternoon for game two of the three game series against Grambling. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. and Jackson Wells is the projected starting pitcher for Little Rock.
#2 TENNESSEE 23, MOREHEAD STATE 4
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The Morehead State baseball team fell to No. 2 Tennessee in the series opener on Friday, as the Eagles couldn't overcome the Volunteers' multiple big innings, falling 23-4.
Senior Luke Helton (2-2) started and took the loss on the mound for Morehead State (9-5).
At the plate, the Eagles were led by Jackson Feltner, who reached base three times with a walk, single, and solo home run. Nick Gooden has a two-run home run, and Chase Vinson put together a 2-4 performance with a double.
Morehead State attempted to battle back from an early deficit in the fourth, when Roman Kuntz notched the Eagles' first hit off Chase Dollander before Nick Gooden launched a two-run home run to put MSU on the board.
The Volunteers expanded their lead further before the Eagles offense got back to work, cutting into that lead in the eighth on Jackson Feltner's fifth home run of the season.
Ethan Davis held the Vols scoreless in the eighth before MSU put up another run in the ninth on an RBI single by Logan Castleman.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 11, ARKANSAS STATE 8
JONESBORO, Ark. - Eastern Illinois baseball (7-4, 0-0 OVC) took game one of a three game series against the Red Wolves of Arkansas State (7-6, 0-0 SUN BELT) by a final score of 11-8. Seven different Panthers recorded an RBI in the game.
Ryan Ignoffo was able to provide for EIU both at the plate and on the mound. He crushed his fourth home run of the season while also adding three RBI. He also pitched the final four innings for EIU while striking out eight for his second save of the season.
Tyler Conklin (W, 2-1) started the game for the Panthers and pitched for 5.0 innings while giving up six runs on 10 hits. He also had a season tying six strikeouts in the win. Max Charlton (0-1) suffered the loss for ASU after surrendering four runs on two hits.
Eastern Illinois jumped out to the early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning after Cole Gober's RBI single and a double steal attempt with Gober and Ignoffo at first and third scoring Ignoffo. Conklin would get two early strikeouts in the bottom half.
After two more punch outs by Conkin, Ignoffo would deliver his fourth home run of the season with a solo shot to left field. EIU's lead would not last long as the Red Wolves scored five of their six runs in the bottom of the third.
With the bases load, Arkansas State's Brandon Hager and Kody Darcy would deliver singles to drive in three runs off of Conklin. Cross Jumper would tack on another run with an RBI single while Cason Campbell delivered an RBI double to score Darcy.
EIU would tie the game in the fourth at five a piece starting with a double by Kolton Poorman would was driven home by Ben Gallaher with an RBI single. Lucas DiLuca would add an RBI double in the next at-bat. ASU's Hager would add the Red Wolves' sixth run with an RBI double in the bottom of the fourth.
The Panthers took control of the game during the sixth inning with four runs scored. After two singles and a walk, DiLuca would get his second RBI of the afternoon with a walk with the bases loaded. Chris Worcester followed that with an RBI single into left field. Ignoffo collected his second and third RBI with a double that gave EIU a 9-6 lead.
Ignoffo would be put in to pitch to start the sixth and would put up big numbers both at the plate and on the mound. He would go one two three to start the sixth while registering two strikeouts. EIU would tack on one in the seventh (Lincoln Riley RBI walk) and in the eighth (Cade Zalewski RBI double).
Despite giving up two runs in the bottom of the ninth, Ignoffo would get back-to-back strikeouts to end the game. He finished the game with a season high in strikeouts (8) and in innings pitched (4.0). He also earned his second save of the season.
Eastern Illinois finished the game with 11 runs scored on 13 hits with no errors. The Red Wolves finished with eight runs on 11 hits with no errors.
ALABAMA STATE 11, LINDENWOOD 0
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - The Lindenwood baseball team (2-12) was unable to record a run against Alabama State (8-8) on Friday in an 11-0 loss.
Sophomore Preston Salazar (0-4) got the ball to start for Lindenwood and took the loss. Offensively, the Lions were led by sophomore Marcus Heusohn, who went 1-for-3 on the day.
The Lions had five different players register a hit, one of which was Heusohn who also registered a stolen base. Lindenwood stranded two runners in the second inning, and two more in the sixth frame. The Lions had runners in scoring position with one out in three different innings, but were held off the scoreboard.
Heusohn led the Lions at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one stolen base.
OAKLAND 4, SOUTHERN INDIANA 2
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - University of Southern Indiana Baseball lost the series opener with Oakland University, 4-2, Friday evening at the USI Baseball Field. The Screaming Eagles watch their record go to 5-8, while Oakland goes to 4-8.
After spotting the Golden Grizzles a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, USI grabbed a 2-1 lead on a pair of solo home runs by senior centerfielder Evan Kahre (Evansville, Indiana) and junior first baseman Tucker Ebest (Austin, Texas). Kahre led off the Eagles' first inning with his first home run of the season, while Ebest led off the fourth inning with his team-best fourth of the year.
The score would remain in USI's favor until the top of the seventh when the Grizzlies scored three times to re-take the lead, 4-2. The Eagles missed a chance to chip away at the deficit in the eighth, leaving the bags jammed, and in the ninth, leaving a runner on base.
USI sophomore right-hander Tyler Hutson (Villa Hills, Kentucky) took the hard luck loss for the Eagles after departing the game with the score tied, 2-2, and the eventual winning run on second. Hutson (1-2) allowed three runs on four hits and four walks in the start, while striking out a career-best seven in 6.1 innings of work.
CENTRAL ARKANSAS 10, UT MARTIN 6
CONWAY, Ark. - The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball squad carried a lead into the bottom of the eighth inning today but the Central Arkansas Bears ended the game with six unanswered runs to win in walkoff fashion.
The Skyhawks led from the fourth through seventh innings thanks in large part to redshirt junior right-hander Eric Steensma, who mowed down Central Arkansas for a season-high four innings out of the bullpen. The Western Springs, Ill. native did not concede a run and scattered just three hits in his most successful outing of the 2023 campaign.
Jack Culumovic posted his third multi-hit game of the season this afternoon as he went 2-for-5 with an RBI. Slade Taylor drove in a pair of runs while Nate Self scored twice and had an RBI. Caleb Hobson also scored a run and collected an RBI out of the leadoff spot for UT Martin (4-11).
On the mound, Tristan Walton made the start and struck out four batters over three innings. The junior lefty recorded a pair of strikeouts in the first but Central Arkansas (6-7) was able to put two runs on the scoreboard.
The Skyhawks tied the game up in the top of the second as Blaze Bell drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a Will Smith double. Self lifted a sacrifice fly out to left field to score Bell before Taylor came up with a big two-out RBI single that plated Smith and evened the score at 2-2.
Walton stranded a runner on third base with back-to-back strikeouts to complete the second inning, allowing UT Martin to take a lead in its next at-bat.
Hobson was hit by a pitch to lead off the top of the third and soon stole second. He trotted home on an RBI double down the left field line off the bat of Culumovic, tilting the score to 3-2 in favor of the Skyhawks.
The Bears reclaimed the lead with two runs in the third but once again, UT Martin had an answer in its next turn to the plate.
Hunter McLean ripped a leadoff double into the gap in left center and later stole third base after a walk was issued to Self. Taylor brought in McLean on an error off a sacrifice bunt that made the score 4-4. Two batters later, Self scored on a groundout to give the Skyhawks a 5-4 advantage.
Steensma entered the contest in the fourth and immediately silenced the Central Arkansas bats. He stranded one runner in both the fourth and fifth innings before retiring the side in order on only 12 pitches in the sixth. He then gutted his way through the seventh, stranding the bases loaded with an inning-ending flyout to center.
The Skyhawks added an insurance run in the top of the eighth. McLean battled back from an 0-2 count to draw a walk before Self guided a single through the left side. Taylor laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move both runners up 90 feet before Hobson generated a sacrifice fly, handing UT Martin a 6-4 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth.
However, the Bears tied the game in the eighth and won the game in the ninth after a two-out grand slam after Choyce Diffey (0-1) was one out away from sending the contest into extra innings.