SATURDAY'S SCORES
Eastern Illinois 9, @Western Carolina 5
@Illinois State 11-10,
Western Illinois 4-0
@Missouri State 13,
SIUE 3
Tennessee Tech 9, @Mercer 7
@Southern Illinois 14,
Morehead State 4
Lindenwood 5, @Memphis 3
@UT Arlington 12,
Little Rock 7
EASTERN ILLINOIS 9, WESTERN CAROLINA 5
CULLOWHEE, N.C. - The Eastern Illinois baseball team (6-10, 0-0 OVC) picked up a big bounce back win in their series finale at Western Carolina (9-11, 0-0 SoCon) on Saturday afternoon.
After struggling to produce much on Friday, the EIU offense scored nine runs, all earned, on nine hits and one error. Seven different Panthers recorded hits in the contest, led by Chris Worcester with a three hit, two RBI performance.
Tyler Kapraun picked up his first win of the season after allowing just one earned run on six hits with five strikeouts in a 6.1 inning outing that included 100 pitches.
Meanwhile, Nate Marshall was awarded the save after allowing no runs and no hits with a strikeout through the game's final two and a third innings.
Chris Worcester got the bats rolling early with a lead off double in the first inning before scoring the game's opening run on a Tyler Castro RBI single.
Following a Pierce Bauerle walk and a Zak Goodwin sacrifice bunt, Castro scored from third on an Ethan Rossi RBI groundout to put EIU up 2-0.
Eastern plated two more runs in the second inning with James Love scoring on a wild pitch before a Worcester RBI single scored Jake Ferguson to make the score 4-0.
The Catamounts loaded the bases with no outs in the third, but Tyler Kapraun worked out of the jam while only allowing a single run on a sacrifice fly.
With the bases loaded and one away in the top of the fifth, a wild throw on a pickoff attempt allowed Pierce Bauerle to score before a Joey Hagan single plated Zak Goodwin.
In the next at-bat, Jake Ferguson doubled down the left field line to bring in two more and stretch the Panther lead to 8-1.
After neither team managed to reach base in the sixth inning, a throwing error led to four unearned runs for WCU in the seventh after a Friese two-out grand slam, which cut the lead to just three.
However, the Catamounts would come no closer, with the Panthers tacking on an insurance run in the eighth with another Chris Worcester RBI single, while Nate Marshall locked things down on the mound to secure the 9-5 win.
ILLINOIS STATE 11-10, WESTERN ILLINOIS 4-0
NORMAL, Ill. - WIU baseball struggled in both games of their doubleheader against Illinois State on Saturday afternoon, falling 11-4 in game one and getting shut out 10-0 in game two at Duffy Bass Field.
The Leathernecks (5-11) jumped ahead in game one with a three-run third inning, thanks to a Liam Bushey three-run homer to left field. Tyler Large added an RBI single in the fifth, but that was all the offense WIU had in the opener.
On the mound, Jason Buhl got the start but ran into trouble, allowing six runs (five earned) over three innings. The bullpen came in for relief in the fourth inning, but the Redbirds kept adding on, eventually piling up 15 hits against WIU pitching in game one.
In game two WIU managed just three hits in a 10-0 loss. Bushey continued to be a bright spot with a double in the top of the sixth inning, but the Leathernecks struggled to generate scoring chances, leaving six runners on base. Bushey would go 2-3 in game two to lead the Leatherneck offense.
On the mound, Frederick Romano got the start but lasted just 3.1 innings, giving up five runs. ISU tacked on runs in the later innings to put the game out of reach.
MISSOURI STATE 13, SIUE 3
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Missouri State scored in nearly every inning Saturday as the Bears defeated SIUE baseball 13-3 in eight innings in the second game of a three-game series at Hamons Field.
The Cougars dropped to 6-11 with the loss. Missouri State also is 6-11.
Missouri State built a 7-0 lead through the first four innings.
The Cougars scored twice in the fifth inning, thanks to a two-run home run by Daniel Gierer. John Stallcup made it 7-3 with an RBI single in the sixth inning.
The Bears scored twice in each of the last three innings to win by 10 in eight innings.
Stallcup and Chase Bloomer each had two hits. The Cougars finished with eight.
Spencer Stearns (1-3) gave up six runs in two innings on seven hits. Joseph Martin allowed three runs in 3 1/3 innings. Andrew Ressler allowed two in an inning of work. Kyle Rossy finished out the seventh, working 2/3 of an inning scoreless. Brennen Grams allowed two runs in the eighth.
Max Knight was 2-5 with five RBIs to lead Missouri State. He also pitched the final two innings.
Jackson Holmes (2-3) started and worked the first six innings. He stuck out nine.
TENNESSEE TECH 9, MERCER 7
MACON, Ga. - Tenacity and grittiness were on full display by the Tennessee Tech baseball team in Macon, Ga. Saturday afternoon, as the Golden Eagles rallied for a 9-7 victory over Mercer at OrthoGeorgia Park to square the weekend series between the two squads at one game apiece.
It was smooth sailing for both sides through the opening two frames, but after the Bears (13-&) worked a third straight scoreless inning in the top half, their offense came out with a vengeance in the bottom half. Taking advantage of an error by the purple and gold (15-5) to lead things off, Mercer poured it on with three straight extra-base hits.
A two-run double put the home squad on top before the real damage appeared in the frame. Two pitches later, the Bears cleared the wall for a two-run home run to double the lead before a solo blast on the very next offering turned it into a 5-0 Mercer advantage.
The bats came alive for the Tech squad after that point, taking the first step towards the comeback in the top of the fourth. With two outs and runners on second and third, third baseman Preston Steele put the purple and gold on the scoreboard with an RBI knock to the Mercer pitcher.
The Cookeville crew continued to work on the deficit in the fifth, with second baseman Eddie Garza leading things off with a single to center field. Shortstop Owen Lee continued his monster week by belting the next pitch clear over the wall in right-center field for a two-run round-tripper. It marked the redshirt freshman's fourth long ball of the week and team-leading fifth of the year.
Now trailing just 5-3, the Golden Eagles completed the comeback in the seventh with a familiar face playing the first of two heroes in the frame. It didn't take long to even the score at 5-5, with Lee drawing a four-pitch walk and designated hitter Mack Whitcomb following with a double to right-center field.
Jimenez came to the plate and provided another clutch at-bat, ripping a two-run, game-tying single to left field. After center field Nicho Jordan worked a five-pitch free pass to put runners on first and second with one out, Mercer went to the bullpen to try and escape further damage.
A quick out seemed to tilt things in the home team's favor, that was until first baseman Riley Black came to the dish. He watched the first offering miss before muscling up and smashing a three-run blast to right-center field. Black's second dinger of the year made it an 8-5 Tech lead in an instant.
The Bears refused to go down quietly, attempting to rally in the bottom half of the seventh with a lead-off walk. Tech head coach Matt Bragga called Juan Vargas from the bullpen, but things got a little shakey at first.
Mercer welcomed the righty with a two-run homer to right field, cutting the lead to just 8-7. The Golden Eagle sophomore reliever struck out the next batter before issuing a pair of tough, full-count walks. Vargas battled back, however, inducing back-to-back fly balls to center field to get out of the frame without further damage.
He made quick work of the Bears in the eighth, sitting them down in order with a punch-out sandwiched by a pair of pop-ups to Lee at short. Steele plated an insurance run in the top of the ninth to provide Vargas with a bit of breathing room before the hurler took back over for the bottom half.
The home squad worked another walk on a full count and followed with an infield single to bring the winning run to the plate, but Vargas and the Golden Eagle defense had other plans in mind. The righty induced a very timely, 6-4-3 double play to put a big dent in Mercer's rally hopes.
Vargas finished off his third save of the season in style, picking up his third strikeout of the day and even the series at 1-1. Jack Brafa earned his team-best fourth win of the season after covering the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, scattering one run, one hit, and three walks.
Unsurprisingly, it was Jimenez leading the offense with a 3-for-5 day, two RBI, and two runs scored. Owen Lee tacked on a pair of ribbies, two runs, and a hit while catcher Ryan Lee delivered a pair of knocks. Black padded the purple and gold with three RBI while Steele tacked on a pair of his own with a 2-for-3 showing at the plate.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 14, MOREHEAD STATE 4
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Morehead State spotted Southern Illinois a four-run lead and battled back, but a nine-run eighth inning for Southern Illinois ended the game 14-4 Saturday night at Itchy Jones Stadium in Carbondale, Ill.
Southern Illinois (12-5) went to the eighth inning up 5-4, and sent 11 batters to the plate, scoring nine runs to end the game 14-4 via the ten-run rule. The Salukis got four hits in the inning, drew four walks and had one batter hit by a pitch. They also had a triple and the walk-off, two-run home run by center fielder Caleb Hall.
SIU's Jackson Payne (1-0) picked up the win. The Eagles' Ethan Davis (1-1) got the loss.
Morehead State (7-10) gave up two runs in both the third and fourth innings to spot the Salukis a 4-0 lead, before beginning to fight back. First baseman Alex Kean lead off the top of the fifth inning with his third home run of the season to get the Eagles started.
The Eagles got another run in the sixth when designated hitter Hunter Thomas' single to right drove home Griffin Olson.
Morehead State took the lead in the seventh on shortstop Andy Cisneros' two-run double, scoring Aubrey Kearns and JJ Dutton making it 5-4 MSU.
SIU scored in the bottom of the inning to even the score when leadoff hitter Jordan Bach walked, advanced to third on a single and then scored on a wild pitch by Davis.
SIU starter Alec Nigut had a strong outing, pitching 5.1 innings, scattering four hits, allowing one run and recording seven strikeouts.
LINDENWOOD 5, MEMPHIS 3
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Lindenwood baseball team (9-11) picked up a 5-3 win over Memphis (10-8) on Saturday night in Memphis, Tenn.
After a pair of hits in the first inning from Tyler Thompson and Jake Radoseveich, Lindenwood got on the board when Radosevich eventually scored on a wild pitch, putting the Lions ahead 1-0. Memphis tied the game with a solo shot in the bottom half and took the lead, 2-1 with another in the third.
Eli Brown settled down on the mound as the game entered the sixth still 2-1. With one out, Radosevich doubled and one batter later Sam Grunberg launched a go-ahead two-run homer to left to put Lindenwood up 3-2. The Tigers tied the game at 3 with a run in the seventh, but it didn't last for long as Grunberg gave the Lions the lead once again with another two-run shot, putting Lindenwood ahead 5-3.
The bullpen was terrific in this one with Bennett Stice tossing two and two thirds, giving up just one run. Easton Rakers finished off a clean ninth, picking up his second save and earning the win for the Lions, 5-3.
UT ARLINGTON 12, LITTLE ROCK 7
ARLINGTON, Texas - Little Rock held a 5-4 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning but couldn't hang on as the Mavericks took a 12-7 win Saturday at Clay Gould Ball Park.
Little Rock trailed 4-3 after six innings, but took a took a 5-4 lead on a two-RBI single by Ryan Geck.
In the bottom half of that frame, the Mavs scored eight runs to take control of the game.
Geck was 2-for-4 with three RBI. Reed Willbanks and Alex Seguine were both 2-for-4 with an RBI, respectively.
Starting pitcher Brody Bunting completed four innings with three runs (one earned), 4 hits, 4 strikeouts and 4 walks. Malcolm Brown takes the loss going 2.1 innings giving up four earned runs.
Cade Martin gave the Trojans a 1-0 lead in the second inning. UTA tied the game in the bottom half of the frame. Seguine took the lead back for Little Rock in the fourth with an RBI single, but the Mavs took the lead with two runs in the bottom half of the frame.
Geck tied the game with an RBI base hit in the fifth, but UTA took the lead back again in the bottom of the fifth the Mavs' lead stood up until the seventh when the red-hot Geck drove home the pair of runs to give the Trojans a 5-4 advantage.
After UTA took a 12-5 after seven innings, the Trojans tried to rally in the eighth when Zach Henry and Willbanks both drove in a run each with groundouts.