• OVC Baseball Report – May 13 (PDF)
This Week’s Schedule
Tuesday, May 14
Eastern Kentucky
at Morehead State, 11:00 a.m. (ESPN+)
Eastern Illinois at Illinois State, 5:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
Central Arkansas
at Little Rock, 6:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
Middle Tennessee
at Southern Indiana, 6:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
Thursday, May 16
*SIUE at Morehead State, 4:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
*Eastern Illinois at Lindenwood, 5:00 p.m.
*Little Rock at Tennessee Tech, 6:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
*UT Martin at Southeast Missouri, 6:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
*Western Illinois at Southern Indiana, 6:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
Friday, May 17
*SIUE at Morehead State, 4:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
*Eastern Illinois at Lindenwood, 5:00 p.m.
*Little Rock at Tennessee Tech, 6:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
*UT Martin at Southeast Missouri, 6:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
*Western Illinois at Southern Indiana, 6:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
Saturday, May 18
*SIUE at Morehead State, 12:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
*Eastern Illinois at Lindenwood, 1:00 p.m.
*Little Rock at Tennessee Tech, 2:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
*Western Illinois at Southern Indiana, 1:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
*UT Martin at Southeast Missouri, 2:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
OVC Players of the Week
PLAYER
Lucas Loos, UTIL • 6-1, 220, Sr. • Payson, Ill. • Eastern Illinois
Loos repeated as OVC Player of the Week after hitting .500 (9-for-18) with eight runs scored, two doubles, three home runs, eight RBI, two stolen bases, a .583 on-base percentage and 1.111 slugging percentage in five games. He opened the week by going 3-for-5 with a double, home run and three RBI at Northwestern. He added a double and scored a run the following day at Butler. In the team's series opener with Morehead State he scored three runs, while hitting a home run and drawing a walk. In the middle game of the series Loos was 2-for-5 with two runs scored, a home run and two RBI. He closed the weekend with a 2-for-3 performance, including stealing a base, as EIU topped the Morehead State 5-1. Loos has a 15-game hitting streak and has reached base safely in 43 games, both the longest active streaks in the OVC. Loos ranks first in the OVC in doubles (0.46/game), second in batting (.388), home runs (0.42/game), RBI (1.63/game), total bases (3.27/game) and slugging (.835), third in hits (1.52/game) and fourth in runs (1.08/game) and on-base percentage (.460).
Others Nominated: Dawson Hokuf, Lindenwood; Nico Baumbach, Little Rock; Roman Kuntz, Morehead State; Bryce Cannon, Southeast Missouri; John Stallcup, SIUE; Logan Mock, Southern Indiana; Mac Danford, UT Martin; Adam Juran, Western Illinois.
PITCHER
Josh Newell, RHP • 6-2, 210, So. • St. Charles, Mo. • Lindenwood
Newell combined for a shutout on Sunday as Lindenwood topped UT Martin 3-0. The sophomore pitched seven innings, allowing six hits (five singles) and one walk while striking out six. Newell retired the first six batters of the game and only allowed two batters past second base. He closed out his stint on the mound by retiring four of the final four batters he faced. It marked the second outing of the year for Newell where he did not allow a run during his start.
Others Nominated: Colton Coca, Eastern Illinois; Jacob Weatherley, Little Rock; Logan Katen, Southeast Missouri; Garrett Helsel, SIUE; Tristan Walton, UT Martin.
Notes From Around the League
Highlights From Around the League: Entering the final weekend of OVC play, all 10 teams are still alive to make the eight-team OVC Baseball Championship field ... Four teams could still claim at least a share of the OVC regular season crown, with Little Rock owning a one-game lead over Southeast Missouri entering the week ... Morehead State's Roman Kuntz set a new OVC single-season home run record with his 28th blast on Saturday (he ranks second nationally in home runs); Kuntz had 83 RBI entering the week which is three away from tying the OVC single-season record in that category ... Teammate Ryley Preece established a new OVC career runs scored record with his 242nd run over the weekend ... Morehead State reached the 30-win plateau for the seventh time in the past 10 seasons over the weekend; first-year head coach Brady Ward is now the winningest first-year head coach in Eagles history ... Morehead State has 116 home runs on the season (a mark that is fourth nationally), which is 19 away from the OVC single-season record (135 by the 2018 Tennessee Tech team that went to the Super Regionals) ... EIU's Lucas Loos has reached base in 43 consecutive games (the longest streak in the OVC this season); it is the longest such streak for an EIU batter in the last 10 seasons ... SIUE clinched an OVC tournament berth for the third consecutive year (a first for the program); SIUE had its third walk-off victory of the season on Sunday ... UT Martin will be in the OVC Tournament field for back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history ... Tennessee Tech head coach Matt Bragga picked up his 526 victory as a coach in the OVC, which is tied for sixth place all-time (with SEMO's Mark Hogan).
Regular Season Title Up For Grabs: Entering the final weekend of the regular season as many as four teams could claim at least a share of the OVC Regular Season Championship. Little Rock currently holds a one game advantage over Southeast Missouri, a two-game lead over Morehead State and a three-game lead over Tennessee Tech (who they host this weekend). A title for Little Rock would be its first in its two seasons in the OVC. Southeast Missouri has claimed five OVC regular season titles (2002, 2014, 2015 2016, 2021), Morehead State has won 13 (1957, 1963, 1964, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1983, 1985, 2023 - including Divisional Crowns in 1964, 1968, 1974, 1976 and 1985), and Tennessee Tech has earned nine (1949, 1955, 1970, 1988, 1997, 2010, 2013, 2017, 2018 - including Divisional crows in 1970 and 1988).
MSU's Preece Sets OVC All-Time Runs Record: Morehead State outfielder
Ryley Preece established a new OVC career runs scored record on May 11 at Eastern Illinois. The senior scored his 242nd career run to pass the record of 241 previously held by Jacksonville State's Bert Smith (2006-10). Preece enters this week with 242 career runs scored.
MSU's Kuntz Sets OVC Single-Season Home Run Record: Morehead State 1B
Roman Kuntz established a new OVC single-season home runs record on May 11 at Eastern Illinois when he smashed his 28th home run, breaking the mark previously held by Morehead State's Niko Hulsizer (who hit 27 home runs in the 2017 season on his way to OVC Player of the Year honors). Kuntz enters this week with 28 home runs which ranks second nationally behind Georgia's Charlie Condon (34 - which is a new BBCOR era NCAA single-season record).
Kuntz Approaching Single-Season OVC RBI Record: Morehead State 1B
Roman Kuntz enters the week with 83 RBI this season, which is just three shy of tying the OVC single season RBI record, held by Murray State's Wes Cunningham (86 in 2010).
2024 OVC Baseball Championship presented by SERVPRO: For the second year in a row the OVC Baseball Championship presented by SERVPRO will be held at Mtn. Dew Park in Marion, Illinois. This year the event runs May 22-25. The event was also held at the venue (which was previously known as Rent One Park) in 2019. For the third year in a row, the bracket includes four single-elimination games on Wednesday, with the winners advancing to the double elimination portion of the bracket which will include the No. 1 and 2 seeds (who receive a bye until Thursday games). The venue, home to the Thrillville Thrillbillies of the Prospect League (the team completed its first season in 2023),.opened in 2007 and has a Sportexe Turf synthetic surface and features 3,400 chairback seats and lawn seating for over 2,000. It also has a new high-definition LED video board, 14 suites, a banquet facility, an entertainment plaza and kids’ play area. The stadium is located directly off Interstate 57. This year marks the 45th OVC Baseball Championship. The first elimination style OVC Baseball Tournament was held in 1980, most usually being played at the site of the regular season championship. Beginning in 2001 the tournament switched to a neutral site for the first time.
Four OVC Players on Brooks Wallace Award Watch List: Four OVC shortstops are among those on the 2024 Brooks Wallace Award Watch List. The players are Morehead State's
Colton Becker, UT Martin's
Andrew Fernandez, Western Illinois'
Trevor Leon and Eastern Illinois'
Lucas Loos. The award honors the nation's top shortstop and will be presented by the College Baseball Foundation later this year. It is named for former Texas Tech shortstop Brooks Wallace, who played for the Red Raiders from 1977 to 1980. Wallace died of leukemia at the age of 27.
Two OVC Players Named to Pitcher of the Year Watch List: Two OVC players - Little Rock's
Hoss Brewer and Tennessee Tech's
Peyton Calitri - have been named to the 2024 Pitcher of the Year Watch List by the College Baseball Foundation. The award is presented by the College Baseball Foundation.
Stopper of the Year Watch List: Little Rock senior
Jacob Weatherley was one of 59 pitchers nationally on the Midseason Watch List for the 19th Annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Stopper of the Year Award, given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I Baseball. The NCBWA will announce the finalists on Wednesday, June 5 with the winner being named on Friday, June 14 at the 2024 College World Series.
Kuntz Named National Hitter of the Week by the NCBWA (March 20): Morehead State senior DH Roman Kuntz has been named the Dick Howser Trophy National Hitter of the Week by the NCBWA. In five games Kuntz hit .455 (10-for-22) with 10 runs scored, two doubles, five home runs, 14 RBI, a .538 on-base percentage and 1.227 slugging percentage. The senior homered in four of five games (each of which was a MSU victory) as the Eagles averaged 16 runs per game during the week. He scored twice and drove in three runs in the team's midweek win over Ohio. In the first game of a weekend series with Eastern Michigan, he was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI before combining to go 6-for-9 with five runs scored and eight RBI in a Saturday doubleheader sweep. Overall Kuntz scored 10 of the 12 times he reached base.
Little Rock Picked as 2024 OVC Preseason Favorite: Little Rock was picked as the 2024 OVC preseason baseball favorite in a vote of OVC head baseball coaches and communications directors. The Trojans picked up 12 of 20 first-place votes and 155 points in being picked first, just ahead of Morehead State who received the other eight first-place votes and 148 points. Southeast Missouri was predicted third (127) and followed by UT Martin (106), defending tournament champion Eastern Illinois (100), Tennessee Tech (93), SIUE (67), Southern Indiana (52), Lindenwood (31) and Western Illinois (20).
MSU's Preece and LR's Wells Named OVC Preseason Player/Pitcher of the Year: In a vote of OVC head baseball coaches and communications directors, Morehead State senior outfielder
Ryley Preece and Little Rock junior right-hander
Jackson Wells were tabbed OVC Preseason Player and Pitcher of the Year. Each earned their respective Player of the Year award at the end of the 2023 season. Additionally, 18 total players were named to the Preseason All-OVC team, all of whom were either first or second-team selections last year and were automatic picks for this year’s team. The 18 players came from six OVC teams with Morehead State leading the way with five selections and Little Rock and UT Martin having four apiece.
OVC Professional Success: Former OVC baseball players have found professional success at the Major League. Former UT Martin pitcher
Alec Mills tossed the 16th no-hitter in Chicago Cubs history (and 305th in MLB history) against the Milwaukee Brewers on September 13, 2020. Former Belmont standout
Matt Beaty was a member of the 28-man playoff roster for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who defeated the Tampa Bay Rays four games to two to win the 2020 World Series. Since the OVC was formed in 1948, he is the first former OVC player to be on the active roster of a World Series Champion (most recently former SIUE pitcher Spencer Patton was a member of the 2016 Chicago Cubs championship team, but was not active for the World Series). In 2021, Eastern Illinois SS
Trey Sweeney was selected in the First Round by the New York Yankees (No. 20 overall), becoming just the third First Round pick in OVC history. SEMO pitcher
Dylan Dodd was then selected in the Third Round by the Atlanta Braves, marking the first time in OVC history two players were selected in the Top 3 rounds of the same draft.
New Teams: After welcoming three new teams last year, the OVC welcomed another new program in 2023-24. Western Illinois joined the OVC on July 1 after previously being in the Summit League. They are just the 25th full-time member in the 76-year history of the OVC.
All Teams Eligible for OVC Tournament: Both reclassifying teams, Lindenwood and Southern Indiana, are eligible to compete and win the OVC Tournament Championship this season. Should a transitioning school win an OVC Tournament Championship, the AQ shall be awarded to the tournament runner-up. Should the tournament runner-up also be a transitioning school, the AQ representative shall be the third-place team (where the third-placed team cannot be determined, the AQ shall be the semifinal team that had the highest remaining seed going into the tournament).
The 2024 Season: The 2024 season marks the 76th year of competition in the OVC. Over the previous 75 years, 13 different teams have claimed an OVC baseball regular season championship.
ESPN+: This year marks the sixth of the OVC’s media rights deal with ESPN to air games on ESPN+, the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company Direct-to-Consumer & International segment. This season over 200 men’s and women’s basketball regular season Conference games and non-conference games will be streamed on ESPN+. Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for $10.99 a month (or $109.99 per year) or as part of a bundle with Disney+ and ad-supported Hulu ($15.99/month). ESPN+ is an integrated part of the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices). More information can be found at
www.OVCSports.com/ESPN.