FRIDAY'S SCORES
Murray State 10-16,
Western Illinois 5-0 (Cape Girardeau, MO)
@Tennessee Tech 6-4, Le Moyne 2-2
@Little Rock 5-5, Evansville 4-1
Morehead State 4, @Arkansas State 3 (11)
@Florida A&M 4,
UT Martin 2
@Memphis 4-3,
Southeast Missouri 1-7
@Southeastern Louisiana 6,
Lindenwood 0
Southern Indiana 3, @Alabama State 1
@ULM 11-8,
Eastern Illinois 7-1
@South Alabama 5,
SIUE 2
MURRAY STATE 10-16, WESTERN ILLINOIS 5-0
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - The Western Illinois Leatherneck baseball team opened their 2025 season with a doubleheader against Murray State at Capaha Field on Friday but were unable to secure a victory, dropping both games in the neutral-site matchup.
In the opener, Western Illinois' offense put together a solid effort, scoring five runs on ten hits. The Leathernecks plated runs in four different innings, with Kenneth Perez leading the charge by going 2-for-3 with two doubles and three RBI's. Trevor Leon also had a strong day at the plate, reaching base four times and scoring twice.
Despite their offensive efforts, the Leathernecks struggled on the mound. Starter Max Tripure (0-1) took the loss, giving up eight runs on eight hits in just three innings of work. The bullpen was more effective, as Karsten Stotlar and the relief corps combined to allow just two runs over the final five innings, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome.
The second game of the doubleheader was a rough outing for Western Illinois, as the offense was held to just two hits in a seven-inning contest. Murray State's pitching staff struck out nine Leatherneck batters while issuing only one walk.
On the mound, starter Harrison Dubois (0-1) lasted four innings, allowing five runs on six hits. The bullpen struggled as well, giving up a combined nine runs in the fifth inning.
With the losses, Western Illinois falls to 0-2 on the season.
TENNESSEE TECH 6-4, LE MOYNE 2-2
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - It would be hard to draw up a much better start to the 2025 campaign than what the Tennessee Tech baseball team enjoyed on Friday, as the Golden Eagles swept their season-opening doubleheader against Le Moyne at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex.
Tech (2-0) produced wins of 6-2 and 4-2 behind stellar pitching, solid defense, and timely hitting, simply outplaying the visiting Dolphins (0-2) in the three key areas of the game. Originally slated to only play one game on Friday, the purple and gold gladly took advantage of the double dip rearranged thanks to expected inclement weather in the Cookeville area on Saturday and Sunday.
Both teams made swift work of the opening inning, with neither starting pitcher needing more than seven pitches to get through a scoreless frame. The two offensive units settled in as the game wore on, with the Phins striking a cord first in the top of the third.
Le Moyne dialed up a lead-off walk before back-to-back base knocks drove in the first runner of the day. After a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third with just one out, the Tech defense showed off, with right fielder Jorsixt Jimenez providing the highlight.
The Golden Eagle newbie caught a fly ball in normal territory before unleashing a perfect, one-hop dart to catcher Ryan Lee to nab the Dolphin runner at the plate for an inning-ending double play. Le Moyne's lead didn't last for long either, as the Tech offense took its turn impressing the home faithful.
After shortstop Owen Lee and center field Nicho Jordan drew one-out walks, designated hitter Mack Whitcomb brought everyone home with classic ambush tactics. The sophomore crushed the first offering he saw over the wall down the right-field line, securing the first Golden Eagle home run of the season and providing a 3-1 lead.
The purple and gold added to the mix in the fourth with a solo run before the Dolphins answered back in the top of the sixth. Le Moyne used Tech's lone defensive miscue of the contest to eventually plate an unearned run and trim the deficit to just 4-2.
In response, the Golden Eagles kicked off the bottom half of the frame with a lead-off double from Ryan Lee and a bunt single off the bat of left fielder Jackson Green. After Green swiped his second bag of the day to get into scoring position, Owen Lee delivered the big swing, peppering a two-run single through the right side.
Sophomore hurler Jack Brafa took the win in the opening contest, tossing 5.0 innings while scattering four hits and a walk and surrendering just one earned run. Newcomer Patrick Johnson produced well in his first appearance out of the bullpen, covering the next three frames with three strikeouts, no runs allowed, and just three baserunners. Sophomore Drew Mattox covered the final inning to secure the win, allowing just one hit.
Competing in a scheduled seven-inning affair for game two, the Cookeville crew didn't waver after a pair of first-inning mistakes left a quick, 2-0 hole to climb out of. Junior starter Jaxson Pease seemed to be cruising towards a seven-pitch inning to open the tilt, but a defensive error on a strikeout to the last batter of the frame left the door open.
With new life, Le Moyne quickly made Tech pay for the mistake, smashing a first-pitch fastball over the wall in left-center field for a quick 2-0 lead. Pease escaped the inning without further damage and the Tech crew turned the page.
Using a patient approach, the Golden Eagles regained their momentum in the second inning with a sacrifice fly to left-center field off the bat of first baseman Kayne Jinks. With the deficit trimmed in half, Tech got back after it again in the third.
Second baseman Eddie Garza drove in the tying marker with an RBI groundout to second base with the bases loaded. A wild pitch to the next Golden Eagle batter allowed Whitcomb to dent the dish and put the purple and gold on top for good.
Pease cruised through the second, third, and fourth frames, racking up five punch-outs along the way while limiting the Dolphins to just one baserunner. Le Moyne did chase the Golden Eagle hurler in the fifth after recording the first out, but sophomore right-hander Juan Vargas and the Tech defense cleaned things up.
With one out and a runner on second, Whitcomb made a great block on a ball in the turf and unleashed a laser to nab the Dolphin runner attempting to advance to third. Following a two-out free pass to the next Le Moyne batter, Whitcomb struck again, firing a frozen rope to second base to hose an attempting base stealer and end the frame.
Tech added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth, with Whitcomb ripping a one-out double down the third-base line. Jordan followed immediately by lacing the next offering to left-center field to plate his teammate for a 4-2 lead.
Vargas shut down the Dolphin offense over the final two frames, piling up five strikeouts while scattering a pair of doubles. The youngster secured his first save of the season in the process, giving Pease the win with his six punch-outs.
Third baseman Jackson Rooker led the team with a pair of hits in the second contest while playing stellar defense at the hot corner. Garza paced the Golden Eagles in game one with a pair hits while Owen Lee tallied a knock, two RBI, and two doubles.
LITTLE ROCK 5-5, EVANSVILLE 4-1
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - In one of the more memorable opening days in school history, Little Rock swept Evansville Friday, 5-4 and 5-1, at Gary Hogan Field. The two teams were forced to play a twin bill because of looming inclement weather on Saturday. The Trojans needed three runs in their final at-bat in Game 1 to win in the bottom of the ninth inning and cruised in the second game after taking a 2-0 lead in the fifth inning.
Evansville begins the season highly regarded after nearly upsetting eventual College World Series winner Tennessee in the Super Regional last summer.
The series finale is set for 1 p.m. Sunday at Gary Hogan Field.
In game one, Evansville took a 3-2 lead in the eighth inning and added an insurance run in the top of the ninth to lead 4-2 as the Trojans readied for their final at-bat.
After walking Trojan hitter Trey Hill and striking out Reed Willbanks to begin the frame, Aces pitcher Drew Fieger walked Zach Henry and Alex Seguine to load the bases. He was then pulled from the game in favor of Kellen Roberts.
Junior college transfer Cooper Chaplain promptly greeted Roberts with a deep drive that was misplayed by the centerfielder, scoring Hill. Another junior college transfer, Ryan Geck, banged out his fourth hit of the day to score Henry and tied the game at four. The four hits marked the most by a Trojan on opening day since 2011.
After Roberts induced a ground-ball out, Chaplain moved over to third base and scored on an ensuing Roberts wild pitch ending the game.
The Trojans took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Aiden McGinnis grounded out into a double play.
Evansville tied the game in the top of the third, and the 1-1 score held up until the bottom of the seventh when Seguine's double-play ground out drove in Willbanks.
Trojans ace Jackson Wells pitched five strong innings giving up two hits while walking three and striking out six. Zach Busick came on in relief and gave up three hits in 2.1 innings.
Hunter Royal took the win pitching the final 1.2 innings and gave up one hit and with two strikeouts.
In game two, Evansville pitcher Kenton Deverman, who has received preseason All-American honors, held Little Rock early, but Henry, who was 2-for-4 with two RBI, finally got to him. He smashed a two-run homer in the fifth inning which gave Little Rock a 2-0 lead, which they never relinquished.
Deverman took the loss giving up five hits and two runs with six strikeouts in seven innings.
The Trojans added three insurance runs in the eighth inning off of Parker MacCauley and Jacob Jarvis. Seguine, who was 2-for-4 with an RBI, and McGinnis both scored runs on groundouts and another was plated on a wild pitch.
Brody Bunting took the win for Little Rock giving up just one hit and walked one while striking out four. Blake Van Cleve pitched the final four innings yielding two hits, with five strikeouts and two walks.
MOREHEAD STATE 4, ARKANSAS STATE 3 (11)
JONESBORO, Ark. - Catcher Hunter Thomas got just enough of a pitch in the top of the 11th inning to push Morehead State to a 4-2 win over Arkansas State in Jonesboro, Ark., in the season opener for both clubs.
MSU center fielder Hayden Robbins led off the inning with a single to right to lead off the inning. The Richmond, Ky., product went four for five on the day with a triple and scored twice. Thomas then lifted a fly ball to left-center that just cleared the wall over the outstretched glove of Arkansas State center fielder Ashton Quiller. Thomas finished the day one for five with three runs batted in.
Will Grimmett (1-0) got the win for Morehead State. He threw four innings out of the bullpen, giving up one run on four hits. Morehead State starter Hunter Porter threw four innings, allowing two runs on three hits. He struck out four Redwolves batters and walked three. Josh Furtado gave Morehead State three innings of one-hit baseball with two strikeouts.
In the bottom of the 10th, with the score tied at 2-2, designated Jake Henry Williams led off with a single up the middle. Arkansas State catcher Kaden Amundson bunted to the right side that Grimmett misplayed. Leadoff hitter Wil Frech then bunted up the third base line for a base hit to load the bases. Grimmett then enticed two ground balls to second baseman Aubrey Kearns to force runners at the plate. The Eagles got out of the inning with a grounder to shortstop Andy Cisneros to force the runner at second.
Arkansas State opened the scoring on a walk and a RBI single in the bottom of the second inning. The Redwolves struck again when designated hitter Jake Henry Williams slammed a home run to left to put Arkansas State ahead 2-0.
Morehead State's offense broke through in the seventh. Designated hitter Caden Sheridan led off with a single to left. First baseman Alex Kean followed with a single to right, moving Sheridan to third. Andy Cisneros scored Sheridan with a safety squeeze bunt single up the first base line to pull the Eagles to within one at 2-1.
Morehead State struck again in the eighth. Hayden Robbins lined a one-out triple to left center. Hayden Thomas plated Robbins with a grounder up the middle to tie the game.
Arkansas State starter Collin Maloney went 5.1 innings allowing two hits. He struck out six Eagles, walked one and hit two MSU batters.
FLORIDA A&M 4, UT MARTIN 2
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Despite taking an early 2-0 lead, the University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team fell 4-2 to Florida A&M in the season opener at Moore-Kittles Field.
Jalen Fithian and Jordan Hudson (sacrifice bunt, one stolen base) had multi-hit games while TJ Grines (one run scored, two stolen bases), Cameron Greene (one hit), Jonah Katsaboulas (one hit), JT Popick (one hit) and Blaze Bell (one hit) contributed to the Skyhawk offensive attack.
UT Martin received five strong innings from Brandon King (0-1), who surrendered just two hits in his Skyhawk debut. Zach Wager would pitch the final three innings in relief.
Grines was able to score a UT Martin run after stealing second and third base following a dropped third strike to make the score 2-0 in favor of the Skyhawks. Ben Kim then hit a solo home run for the Rattlers to make it 2-1 through five innings.
Florida A&M (1-0) would strike again to take a 3-2 lead during the bottom of the sixth. The Skyhawks loaded up the bases in the top of the eighth but two lineouts to second base helped the Rattlers deter the UT Martin threat.
Florida A&M followed that up with a solo home run in the eighth from Broedy Poppell, giving the Rattlers a two-run lead heading into the ninth inning.
The Skyhawks drew a walk from Arderrius Townsend and got a base hit from Katsaboulas to bring the go-ahead run to the plate. However, Popick’s hot shot to third base would be corralled for the final out of the game.
MEMPHIS 4-3, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 1-7
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Southeast Missouri Baseball (1-1) split Friday's doubleheader with Memphis (1-1) dropping game one, 4-1, before winning game two by a final score of 7-3.
SEMO's offense recorded 19 hits over the two games scoring eight runs. The defense held Memphis to just seven runs over the two games including great starting pitching from RHP Sam Heyman in game two.
Center fielder Michael Mugan blasted the first home run of the season in game two for the Redhawks. Mugan crushed a grand slam to left field with the Redhawks leading 2-0 to bust the game open leading to the Redhawks victory.
The Redhawks scored a run in the ninth inning of the first game of the Friday doubleheader, but it wasn't enough as the Tigers took the contest by a final score of 4-1. Catcher Shea McGahan recorded the first triple of the season leading off the ninth inning.
Outfielder Demitri Shakotko, making his Redhawk debut, registered his first RBI in a Redhawk uniform with a groundout to second base to score the first run of the season.
SEMO's offense was led by McGahan and second baseman Brooks Kettering who each finished 2-4 at the dish. Kettering led off the game with the first hit of the season and followed it up with a two-out double in the seventh inning.
RHP Brian Strange (0-1) pitched 5.0 innings in his season debut allowing just two earned runs. Over 18 hitters, Strange recorded three strikeouts and surrendered just two hits.
LHP Jackson Kranawetter made his first appearance in a Redhawk uniform out of the bullpen in relief of Strange. Kranawetter finished the game pitching 3.0 innings and recorded five strikeouts over 14 hitters. He allowed just one run on four hits.
The Tigers used two solo home runs in the second and third inning by Cade Tucker and Cy Turner to gain a 2-0 advantage. An error allowed the third run to come across for the Tigers before an eighth inning solo home run from Shane Cox made it 4-0 Tigers.
DH Carson Schrack, third baseman Mikey Rocha, short stop Andrew Ramirez, and right fielder Demitri Shakotko all recorded a hit in their Redhawk debut.
SEMO Basball scored one run, on 11 hits in the season opener outhitting Memphis by an 11-6 advantage.
Center fielder Michael Mugan blasted a grand slam in the top of the third inning to power the Redhawks past the Tigers in the second game of Friday's doubleheader. Mugan's homer marked the first home run of the season for the Redhawks and put them up 6-0 in the third.
SEMO jumped out to a 2-0 lead after Mugan executed the squeeze bunt to score Ty Stauss from third base to make it 1-0. A wild pitch during Andrew Ramirez's at-bat pushed the second run of the second inning across.
A scoreless game following Mugan's third inning blast, the Redhawks would score again in the eighth inning as catcher Liam Forsyth recorded an RBI sacrifice fly to center field to score Mugan. SEMO led 7-0 after the top of the eighth.
Memphis would add runs in the bottom of the eighth and the bottom of the night, but it wasn't enough as the Redhawks held on for the 7-3 victory.
RHP Sam Heyman (1-0) made the start in game two pitching a flawless 6.0 innings and picked up his first win of 2025. Heyman surrendered just two hits and struck out eight Tigers. He threw 79 total pitches, 55 of them being strikes in his season debut.
RHP Matthew Lorenzano and LHP Alex Hayes sealed the deal pitching the final 3.0 innings. Hayes recorded three strikeouts in his outing.
SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA 6, LINDENWOOD 0
HAMMOND, La. - Lindenwood baseball (0-1, 0-0 OVC) suffered an opening day loss on Friday against Southland Conference opponent Southeastern Louisiana (1-0, 0-0 SLC) by a final score of 6-0. The Lions offense was limited in game one, being held to just three hits.
Lindenwood was sat down in order in the top of the first with three straight strikeouts. SLU took advantage early off of starting pitcher Josh Newell as Ryan Brome hit a lead-off home run in the first inning. Southeastern Louisiana would score one more as they led 2-0 after one.
After scoreless inning by Newell in the second and third, SLU was able to bring in three more runs. Newell allowed two straight singles to start the inning before Parker Coley hit a three-run home run to push the SLU lead to 5-0.
Filip Sarota got the first hit of the ball game during the top of the fifth inning, but was left stranded on first. Michael Walsh would enter the game in the fifth and was able to get out of a bases loaded jam. Kam Edwards then had his first of two hits in the game in the top of the sixth before SLU scored their sixth run in the bottom half of the inning.
Edwards had his second hit of the game in the top of the ninth, but the Lions fell short on Friday. The Lions left five runners on base against SLU while committing one error. Southeastern Louisiana scored six runs on 12 hits while adding an error.
SOUTHERN INDIANA 3, ALABAMA STATE 1
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - University of Southern Indiana Baseball opened the 2025 campaign with a 3-1 victory over Alabama State University in Montgomery, Alabama. USI is 1-0 to start the season, while Alabama State is 0-1 to begin its season.
USI grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top first when junior third baseman Patrick McLellan singled through the right side to score senior centerfielder Khi Holiday from third. Holiday had moved into scoring position after singling to lead off the game, stole second, and advanced to third on a ground out.
After Alabama State tied the score in the bottom of the second, USI senior leftfielder BJ Banyon put the Eagles back into the lead, 2-1, after stealing third and scoring on a throwing error in the top of the third. The Eagles added to lead in the sixth when freshman third baseman Kannon Coakley scored on a passed ball for the eventual 3-1 final.
On the mound, USI junior right-hander Blake Kimball picked up the win after going six innings. Kendall allowed one run on five hits, one hit, and one walk, while striking out one.
USI sophomore right-hander Aaron Rubio closed out the final three innings to earn his first save as an Eagle. Rubio threw three innings, setting down all nine hitters, striking out two.
ULM 11-8, EASTERN ILLINOIS 7-1
MONROE, La. - The Eastern Illinois baseball team (0-2, 0-0 OVC) dropped both games of their opening day double header at Louisiana Monroe (2-0, 0-0 Sun Belt) on Friday.
Louisiana Monroe overcame a fast start from EIU to down the Panthers 11-7 in game one.
After loading the bases with two outs in the first, the Panthers plated a pair of runs, with Cade Zalewski being hit by a pitch to bring in the first score before a Zak Goodwin RBI walk tacked on another.
After the Warhawks were held scoreless in their half of the first, EIU extended their lead to four with a Pierce Bauerle two RBI double in the second inning.
The lead was short-lived, however, as ULM brought across six runs in the bottom of the second, which included a go-ahead three-run homer off the bat of clean-up man Jake Haggard.
The next four innings were completely scoreless with both pitching staffs settling into a nice groove, but the Warhawks broke the stalemate in the bottom of the seventh with a Bryce Blaser solo home run.
ULM hung another crooked number in the eighth to stretch their lead to seven as three different Warhawks recorded RBIs in the frame.
Those insurance runs proved vital, as a Brett Stanley three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth put the Panthers back in the scoring column and cut the deficit to four.
However, Eastern was unable to come any closer as three of the next four batters were retired to close the game.
Friday's second contest was a story of missed opportunities for the Panthers, as they stranded a total of 13 base runners in a 8-1 setback.
Following a scoreless opening frame, a Garcia sacrifice fly in the bottom of the second plated the first run of the ballgame for ULM.
EIU loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the third, but were held scoreless before ULM added another run in the bottom of the inning to take an early 2-0 lead.
The Warhawks had two outs and nobody on in the bottom of the fourth before their next six batters reached base as ULM pushed four more runs across to put the Panthers in a steep seven-run hole.
A trio of walks loaded up the bases again for EIU in the fifth, but they were again unable to take advantage, bringing their left on base total to eight stranded through five innings.
After ULM added another run in the bottom of the sixth, Eastern scored their first run on a Sam Wiese sacrifice fly that plated Peyton Wilson in the seventh.
The game's final two innings were scoreless, with Eli Green striking out the ULM side in the eighth before Eastern left two more runners on base in the top of the ninth.
SOUTH ALABAMA 5, SIUE 2
MOBILE, Ala. - Home runs accounted for all the scoring Friday as South Alabama defeated visiting SIUE 5-2 on opening night of the 2025 college baseball season.
Mack Mitchell gave the Cougars a lead in the second inning. With Daniel Gierer on at second, Mitchell launched a long home run to straight left for the 2-0 advantage.
South Alabama cut the lead in half in the fourth when shortstop Hector Mangual led off the inning with a home run off SIUE starter Spencer Stearns. Kyle Morrison connected on a two-out, two-run homer in the fifth to put the Jags on top 3-2.
Stearns (0-1) allowed three earned runs on seven South Alabama hits. He struck out seven and did not walk a batter.
Cole Ketzner hit the third Jaguars home run in the sixth, tagging Cougar reliever Kyle Athmer for a two-run shot to for the final 5-2 margin. They were the only runs that Athmer surrendered in three innings of relief. He gave up two hits, walked three and struck out three.
SIUE managed just five hits against three South Alabama pitchers. Kyle Ratliff finished with two hits while Chase Bloomer and Ryan Niedzwiedz.
Jaguars reliever Mitchell Heer (1-0) threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings to earn the win. He allowed three hits and struck out one. Morrison and Ketzner each had two hits for South Alabama.