TUESDAY'S SCORES
@Bellarmine 18,
Morehead State 8
@Arkansas-Pine Bluff 9,
Eastern Illinois 6
@Little Rock 23, Central Arkansas 9
@UT Martin 12-16, Union University 5-10
Southeast Missouri 11, @Middle Tennessee 7
SIUE 14, @Illinois State 12 (11)
Austin Peay 13,
@Tennessee Tech 3
@Southern Illinois 6,
Western Illinois 3
BELLARMINE 18, MOREHEAD STATE 8
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Bellarmine scored 13 runs in the first three innings and never looked back as the Knights defeated Morehead State 18-8 Tuesday afternoon at Knights Field in Louisville, Ky.
Bellarmine (5-15) scored four runs in both the first and second innings and put up five runs in both the third and sixth innings.
Morehead State (8-11) got on the board with a big inning in the fourth. With one out, the Eagles loaded the bases with two walks and a hit batter. Third baseman Griffin Olson sent a pitch over the wall in right center for a grand slam home run, his second home run of the season.
The Eagles plated three runs in the eighth. JJ Dutton led off with a single and Eli Kirkendoll doubled into the field corner. Chance Edmonds plated Dutton with a liner to center. Andy Cisneros followed with an RBI single through the left side. Olsen then bounced out to third, scoring Edmonds.
Hudson Cornett (1-0) picked up the win for the Knights.
Ethan Davis (1-2) took the loss for MSU.
ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF 9, EASTERN ILLINOIS 6
PINE BLUFF, Ark. - The Eastern Illinois baseball team (6-11, 0-0 OVC) fell 9-6 on Tuesday afternoon in their first of two midweek games against Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2-19, 0-3 SWAC).
The EIU order combined for eight hits on the day with five of their six runs being earned. The offense was led by Chris Worcester, who went 2-5 with a pair of RBIs.
Ethan Rossi also posted a multi-hit outing, going 2-5 with a run scored and an RBI.
Five different Eastern pitchers saw action, with Anthony Solis retiring the first six Pine Bluff batters in a brief two-inning start before giving way to the bullpen.
Bryce Riggs allowed no earned runs with three strikeouts through 2.2 innings of relief. The sophomore is still yet to allow an earned run this season.
After three scoreless innings to start the game, the Panthers struck first with an Eli Hill RBI double that plated Cade Zalewski, who had reached on a two-bagger of his own in the previous at-bat.
After reaching on an error in the bottom of the frame, Gavin Terry scored on a Carlos Rodriguez-Valez triple to tie the game before the Lions took the lead on a Vinny Saumell sacrifice fly.
Pine Bluff tacked on another unearned run in the fifth when Collin McLemore scored on an error to make the score 3-1.
However, the Panthers responded with a four spot in the sixth to surge back ahead. Ethan Rossi got the big inning started with lead-off single before Cade Zalewski was hit by a pitch to quickly put two aboard.
In the next at-bat, a throwing error by the third baseman on a sacrifice bunt attempt allowed Eli Hill to reach base and advance to second while Rossi came around the score.
With runners on second and third, Zalewski beat out a throw to the plate on a Jake Ferguson bunt to tie the game, and later in the inning, Chris Worcester doubled to drive in Hill and Ferguson.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Lions roared back with three runs on a Jesus Riera two RBI single and McLemore RBI base hit to recapture the lead.
Pine Bluff extended the lead in the seventh with a Darrius Brown sacrifice fly before Terry padded the lead in the eighth with a two RBI single.
The Panthers tried to put a two-out rally together in the ninth as a single from Rossi scored Tyler Castro before a Sam Wiese base hit brought the tying run to the plate, but it was ultimately too little, too late as a groundout left both runners stranded.
LITTLE ROCK 23, CENTRAL ARKANSAS 9
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Little Rock head coach Chris Curry has been disappointed with his team's offensive consistency so far this spring. That wasn't a problem Tuesday afternoon at Gary Hogan Field. The Trojans (9-12) pounded out 21 hits in a 23-9 win against Central Arkansas in in seven innings in the Governor's I-40 Showdown presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
The 23 runs was the most scored by Little Rock since 2004 and is the most ever scored in the UCA series surpassing the 19 runs the Trojans ran up on the Bears in 1987.
Ty Rhoades continued to stay hot as he was 4-for-5 with a grand slam and 6 RBI hitting in the cleanup position in the order.
Jayce Blalock, who was 3-for-3, Ryan Geck and Angel Cano all homered. Cade Martin was 3-for-5 with four RBI and Cooper Chaplain was 3-for-4 with an RBI. The wind was blowing out fiercely all day.
Gage Haley came out of the bullpen to pitch 4.2 innings taking the win giving up five hits and striking out five. He only gave up one earned run.
It didn't look good early for the Trojans as UCA (6-12) scored six runs knocking starting pitcher Seth Cooper from the game. However, Little Rock got three of those runs back in the bottom half of the frame. Rhoades notched his first RBI of the day on a base hit and Alex Seguine drove in two of his three runs of the day to make it 6-3.
Little Rock put the game away in the second inning with seven runs. They added 5 runs in the third and 8 in the sixth. Rhoades' grand slam was the big blow in the sixth which invoked the run rule.
UT MARTIN 12-16, UNION UNIVERSITY 5-10
MARTIN, Tenn. - .- The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team used an offensive barrage to sweep Union in a doubleheader at Skyhawk Field with Game 1 going to the Orange and Blue 12-5 and Game 2 heading to the home team by way of a 16-10 final score.
Zach Wager (three innings, one strikeout) started the day on the bump and was followed by the bullpen combination of J. Henry Hobson (1-0, one inning, no runs, no hits), Brock Arender (one strikeout), JP Nunn (1.2 innings, no runs, two strikeouts) and Rett Edwards (one inning, one strikeout).
Wager worked a clean second inning from a flyout, fielder’s choice and a groundout that then lead to the UT Martin (8-12) offense dialing it in during the home half. A game-best six-run second inning gave the Skyhawks the lead off an RBI single by Blaze Bell that gave way to a two-RBI single from Tommy Koch and a towering Cameron Greene three-run homer. UT Martin tacked on three more in the bottom of the third, the double steal with Jonah Katsaboulas scored one, and Jalen Fithian knocked in Koch and JT Popick on a single which brought the score to 9-2.
Hobson fired off a scoreless fourth by getting a ground out to Katsaboulas, flyout to Jordan Hudson and a would-be base stealer nabbed at second by Koch. The Skyhawk bats put the finishing touches on their performance in the fifth inning when Koch scored on a wild pitch that triggered an RBI sacrifice fly off the bat of Hudson and then another run coming off a wild pitch with Fithian crossing home plate.
Nunn and Edwards secured the final six outs for a Game 1 victory. Blaze Bell (one stolen base, one RBI) and Katsaboulas (two runs scored, one double) collected multi-hit games while Koch finished with two RBIs, three runs scored and two walks.
In game two, Brody Capps earned his first career start and pitched two innings with one strikeout. Austin Gast (0.1 innings), Brandon King (1.1 innings, two strikeouts), Kaleb Baskin (1-0, 1.1 innings, no runs, no hits, no walks, two strikeouts), Mason Shropshire (one inning, one strikeout) and Jeb Bartle (one inning, three strikeouts) each shared time on the rubber in the second half of the twin bill.
Capps left two runners on base after he induced three groundouts to hold Union (10-16) scoreless in the first. An Arderrius Townsend single and Blaze Bell sacrifice fly handed UT Martin a 2-0 lead in the bottom part of the inning.
The Bulldogs quickly tied the game in the second, but that knot was quickly broken up by a Greene sacrifice fly to get Hudson back to the dugout after he led off the inning with a triple. The two sides went back-and-forth in a firework filled third inning. Union held the lead by two heading into the bottom part of the frame, before Townsend cracked his fourth long ball of the season to spark a rally that saw Frank Micallef single to score two and Hudson’s first career round trip which brought in three runs to make the score 8-6 after three innings.
In a tie game in the bottom of the fourth, Micallef came through again for the Skyhawks with another base hit to plate two after UT Martin was down to its final out of the frame. Baskin kept the Bulldogs off the board courtesy of a groundout, popout and his 11th whiffed batter of the season.
Another six-run inning was produced by the Skyhawks to put the game out of reach for the visitors. Greene continued his big day with an RBI double down the first base line and a run scored off a wild pitch later in the fifth. Bell scored two from his fourth career triple while Micallef hit a new career-high in RBIs with his fourth of the night coming from another single. Hudson finished his perfect night at the dish by singling to center field and fell just a double shy of the cycle.
Bartle closed things out to help UT Martin get their second doubleheader sweep of the season.
Greene (two RBIs, two doubles), Katsaboulas (run scored, one double), Townsend (three runs scored, two RBIs, one walk), Bell (three RBIs, one walk, three runs scored), Micallef (three hits, run scored) and Hudson (three RBIs, one walk, two runs scored) went home with multi-hit outings.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 11, MIDDLE TENNESSEE 7
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Southeast Missouri Baseball (12-9) added two insurance runs in the ninth inning with home runs from Michael Mugan and Bryce Cannon to down Middle Tennessee (12-8) by a final score of 11-7 on Tuesday evening.
Winning 9-7 heading to the ninth inning, Mugan and Cannon both hit opposite field home runs to extend the Redhawks lead out to four runs. RHP Eddie White recorded his first save of the season to seal the deal at Reese Smith Jr. Field.
The Redhawks offense pounded out 15 hits led by Michael Mugan who finished 4-5 at the plate with two doubles, a home run, two RBIs, and two runs scored.
RHP Caden Kickhaefer (1-0) made his second start on the mound for the Redhawks this season and carried a no hitter into the fifth inning. The righty pitched 5.0 innings, struck out six Blue Raiders, and surrendered just two hits.
The Redhawks jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning, scoring all their runs with two outs. Mugan's two-out double got the inning going as Bryce Cannon walked in the next at-bat.
Right fielder Cole Warehime singled to left field to score Mugan before left fielder Ty Stauss singled to center field to score Cannon. Stauss stole second base with Warehime on third as he scored to make it 3-0.
Second baseman Carson Schrack singled through the right side for the fourth run of the inning as Stauss came into score.
In the second inning, Mugan singled through the left side to score DH Demitri Shakotko to make It 5-0 Redhawks after the second inning.
A leadoff single up the middle from Shakotko in the fourth inning began a Redhawk rally. After a fly out, Brooks Kettering roped a double down the right field line to put Redhawks on second and third. Mugan was then hit-by-a-pitch to bring up Bryce Cannon who roped a single to right field, scoring Kettering and Schrack, to make it 7-0 SEMO.
A big four-run inning for MTSU made it 7-4 after the sixth inning, but the Redhawks would respond with two more runs in the seventh off a home run from catcher Shea McGahan. McGahan's homer marked the first of the season as he crushed it over the left field fence to make it 9-4 SEMO.
Three runs for MTSU in the bottom of the eighth wasn't enough, as the Redhawks added two more with the Mugan and Cannon home runs in the ninth to seal the 11-7 victory.
SIUE 14, ILLINOIS STATE 12 (11)
NORMAL, Ill. - SIUE baseball scored two runs in the top of the 11th to complete another midweek comeback. The Cougar knocked off Illinois State 14-12 after trailing 12-5 after four innings.
SIUE improved to 7-12. Illinois State dropped to 6-12.
Gage Franck got things moving in the 11th when he worked a one-out walk and then went to third when Lane Crowden ripped a double inside the left field line. John Stallcup sent a foul fly to left field deep enough for Franck to come home on the sacrifice. Daniel Gierer then lined a single up the middle to score Crowden with the insurance run.
Alex Rodriguez retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning to secure his first save of the year. Gabriel Nutter and Tyler Davis combined for 5 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, allowing the Cougars the chance to come back. Davis (2-1) struck out four in two innings to earn the win. Nutter fanned two in 3 2/3 scoreless innings.
The Cougars trailed 12-5 after four innings. The Cougars scored three times in the sixth. Crowden led off the inning with his first home run as a Cougar. Chase Bloomer added an RBI double and Ryan Niedzwiedz singled home Bloomer.
SIUE then plated four runs in the eighth inning. Bloomer picked up another RBI with a double. Niedzwiedz added another RBI with a groundout and Joshua Heyder drove in a run with a two-out single.
The Cougars took the initial lead with a three-run first inning. Niedzwiedz, Heyder and Kyle Ratliff each picked up RBIs in the first inning.
The Redbird got a first inning run, before scoring five times in the third inning. ISU got three hits in the inning but were helped out by two walks and a hit batter in the inning.
Stallcup and Mack Mitchell picked up RBIs for the Cougars in the fourth inning to cut the lead to 6-5.
Illinois State answered with two runs of its own on four hits in the bottom of the inning. Shai Robinson launched a grand slam to left center in the fifth for the 12-5 lead.
AUSTIN PEAY 13, TENNESSEE TECH 3
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - It was a tough night on the diamond for the Tennessee Tech baseball team on Tuesday, as the Golden Eagles fell to in-state rival Austin Peay, 13-3, in eight innings at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex.
A close battle early turned into a one-sided affair from the fourth inning on, with the Governors (14-7) scoring nine of their 13 runs over the final five frames. Austin Peay drummed up 16 hits in the contest while holding the purple and gold (15-7) to just five on a windy night.
Both sides traded three batters and three outs in the first inning before the visitors from Clarksville opened the scoring in the top of the second. The Govs used an RBI single to left-center field to take a 1-0 lead, but the Golden Eagles were quick with their response.
In the bottom half, the Cookeville crew rallied with two outs to tie the game, starting with a double off the wall in right field courtesy of center fielder Jackson Green. After a five-pitch walk to left fielder Nicho Jordan, second baseman Aaron Moffitt ripped a game-tying knock up the middle.
Austin Peay was quick to load the bases in the third before Tech got its first out with a strikeout. The Govs emptied the bags even quicker, driving in three with a bases-clearing double.
Tech responded once more in the bottom of the third to cut the deficit to just two, thanks to the bat of Preston Steele. The third baseman clobbered a solo jack down the left-field line, his second round-tripper of the year.
From that point on, it was all Austin Peay the rest of the way, with the Govs scoring four times in the fourth with an RBI double, a two-run homer, and a solo blast. The visitors tacked on another with a run-scoring single in the fifth.
The sixth saw a pair of zeroes light up the scoreboard, with Tech rookie Logan Moller working an efficient, eight-pitch frame with one strikeout. Austin Peay went back to work in the seventh, leading things off with back-to-back jacks to right-center field and left-center field.
Jordan got one of those runs back after the stretch, crushing his own solo bomb down the right-field line for his second dinger of the season. The Govs pushed the lead out to 10 in the eighth, creating some déjà vu with back-to-back long balls to lead off the inning again.
Austin Peay finished things off in the bottom of the eighth, working around a two-out walk to designated hitter Jorsixt Jimenez to complete the run-rule win.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 6, WESTERN ILLINOIS 3
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Western Illinois Baseball couldn't overcome a strong offensive showing from Southern Illinois, falling 6-3 on a windy evening at Itchy Jones Stadium. The Leathernecks (5-12) found their rhythm in the middle innings, but SIU (13-6) built an early lead and never looked back.
Southern Illinois took the lead in the third inning, plating three runs and adding another in the fourth to jump ahead 4-0. Western Illinois struggled to generate offense early, failing to score in the first four frames. WIU finally broke through in the fifth inning when Brock Lummus led off the inning with a walk. Trevor Leon would then double and Lummus would later score on an RBI hit from Liam Bushey. They built momentum in the sixth, cutting the deficit to 4-3 thanks to a two-run home run by Brock Lummus. Lummus finished the night 3-3 at the dish with two RBI and a walk to lead the way offensively.
On the mound, starter Jorge Romero delivered a strong outing, tossing two scoreless innings with four strikeouts. The Leathernecks used nine different pitchers throughout the game, but they couldn't keep SIU's bats quiet. Despite showing fight in the later innings, WIU came up just short.