SUNDAY'S SCORES
SIUE 7, @Lindenwood 6
Little Rock 10, @Morehead State 7 (10)
Western Illinois 14, @UT Martin 9
@Tennessee Tech 13, Southern Indiana 3
@Southeast Missouri 7, Eastern Illinois 6 (11)
SIUE 7, LINDENWOOD 6
ST. CHARLES, Mo. - SIUE baseball built a 7-1 lead then withstood a five-run ninth inning by Lindenwood to hold on for a 7-6 win Sunday at the Lou Brock Sports Complex.
The Cougars won two of three to win the series. SIUE has now won three of four Ohio Valley Conference series this year and improved to 8-4 in OVC play and 15-19 overall. The Cougars are tied for second in the league and just a game out of first place.
Lindenwood fell to 6-5 in the league and 16-17 overall.
The Cougars got a strong start from right-hander Spencer Stearns (3-3) who worked six scoreless innings and struck out nine Lions. He allowed just five hits.
SIUE scored single runs in the fourth and fifth innings on RBI hits from Kyle Ratliff and Chase Bloomer. John Stallcup doubled to drive home two runs in the sixth inning for a 4-0 lead. Joshua Heyder drove in a run with a squeeze bunt in the seventh to push the lead to 5-0.
After Lindenwood got a run back in the eighth, Heyder drove a ball to right field to score two more runs in the ninth for a 7-1 advantage.
Lindenwood plated five runs on three hits in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Alex Rodriguez allowed two runs, one earned, in the ninth but stranded the tying run on base to earn his second save of the year.
Stallcup and Daniel Gierer each finished with two hits for the Cougars. The Lions outhit SIUE 10-9 for the game.
LITTLE ROCK 10, MOREHEAD STATE 7 (10)
MOREHEAD, Ky. - A three-run tenth inning gave Little Rock a 10-7 win at Morehead State Sunday afternoon. The victory is the Trojans' fifth straight, overall, and fourth consecutive Ohio Valley Conference win.
Morehead State tied the game at seven in the bottom of the ninth on a solo home run by Alex Kean.
However, the Trojans took control of the game in extras as Ty Rhoades and Cooper Chaplain banged out back-to-back singles with one out. Then, Cade Martin delivered an RBI single. Angel Cano drove in Chaplain with another single. Alex Seguine scored the final run of the game on a ground out.
In the bottom of the 10th, Trojans pitcher Brody Bunting got two outs, but the Eagles loaded the bases.
Josh Beezley came on to get the final out, a ground out, and notched the save.
Seguine was 3-for-6 with 3 RBI. Chaplain and Martin, who both homered, were both 3-for-5 with 2 RBI. Sammy Harris also homered.
Little Rock used five pitchers, including starter Malcolm Brown. Bunting got the win with 3.1 innings pitched giving up 3 hits, walking 2 and striking out 1.
WESTERN ILLINOIS 14, UT MARTIN 9
MARTIN, Tenn. - Western Illinois baseball would end their three game series at UT Martin with a win on Sunday afternoon, defeating the Skyhawks by a final score of 14-9. The Leathernecks would collect 18 hits in the win, with three players each recording three hits en route to their first OVC series win of the season.
Similar to yesterday, WIU would immediately load the bases in the top of the first inning thanks to a lead-off single from Liam Bushey and a Krayton Morse double to put runners on second and third with nobody out. After a Paul Osting walk, Tyler Large would get hit by a pitch to bring in the games first run followed by a Matt Olive RBI single to the shortstop to give the Leathernecks a quick 2-0 lead. With the bases still loaded, WIU would add four more runs on a Kenneth Perez grand slam to center field to make it a 6-0 game in the top of the first inning with nobody out. In the following inning, the damage would not stop there as the Leathernecks would once again load the bases before Matt Olive would hit a grand slam of his own to blow the game open at 10-1 through 1.5 innings played.
In the top of the third, Justin Bogard would lead off with a single and would come around to score on a Krayton Morse RBI single to left field making it 11-1 in favor of the Leathernecks. The offense would then go cold for the next three innings, with UT Martin starting to heat up. In the bottom of the sixth, the Skyhawks would put up five runs making the game a little more interesting at 11-6. However, in the top of the seventh, WIU would add on to their lead. Justin Bogard would once again get things started for the Leathernecks in the seventh on a lead-off single to the pitcher and would come around to score on a one-out double from Liam Bushey to extend the Leathernecks lead at 12-6. The offense would not be done as Tyler Large would get an RBI SAC fly later in the inning to put WIU up 13-6 heading into the bottom of the seventh. UT Martin would add one run in the seventh and two runs in the eighth to continue their come back efforts, but would not score in the ninth giving the Leathernecks the series win. Bushey, Morse, and Perez would each collect three hits in the win with Olive leading the way for the Leathernecks, collecting four hits in six at bats, with 5 RBI and a grand slam.
WIU would use six different pitchers this afternoon, with the win going to Jackson Rodgers, his first of the season. Rodgers threw three innings without allowing a run and giving up only one hit to limit the Skyhawk offense. Jorge Romero would pick up his second straight save in as many days, pitching the final four innings of the game. He allowed eight hits, giving up three runs and striking out three.
TENNESSEE TECH 13, SOUTHERN INDIANA 3
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Great play from all three facets of the game led the Tennessee Tech baseball team to not only a dominant, 13-3 win over Southern Indiana in seven innings on Sunday, but also a three-game series sweep over their Ohio Valley Conference rivals.
Taking care of business for the third consecutive day at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex, the Golden Eagles (24-13, 9-3) maintained sole possession of the first place in the league behind a stellar showing from their bats, pitching staff, and defense.
Tech starter Lawson Stricklin set the tone early for the purple and gold, tossing shutout frames in the first and second. The Screaming Eagles (16-19, 7-5) finally got to the Golden Eagle hurler in the third, using a base knock and two-run home run to right-center field to take an early 2-0 lead.
Following another base knock, Tech head coach Matt Bragga went to the bullpen, calling on Lucas Vega to come in and silence the visitors from Evansville. Another base knock eventually played to the favor of the Cookeville crew, as Vega induced a ground ball to the next batter, and third baseman Preston Steele rewarded him by touching third and making a great throw to first for the inning-ending double play.
The offense immediately got after it in the bottom of the third, with left fielder Jackson Green setting the tone with a lead-off double off the wall in right-center field. Two batters later, shortstop Owen Lee singled to center field to plate the first run of the game for the good guys and cut the deficit in half.
Lee stole second base for his third swipe of the year, setting up right fielder Jorsixt Jimenez for the game-tying knock. The junior slugger came through, ripping an RBI double down the third-base line to tie the game at 2-2.
In the fourth, the purple and gold loaded the bases with one out, setting up designated hitter Ryan Lee for the go-ahead RBI. The senior delivered with a sacrifice fly ball to the wall in deep, right-center field.
USI answered and applied immense pressure in the top of the fifth, putting runners on the corners with just one out before a wild pitch brought the tying run home. Another base knock from the Screaming Eagles seemed to bode well for the visitor's hopes, but the Tech defense quickly soured those feelings thanks to a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.
The Golden Eagles replied to the newly squared ball game by putting it completely out of reach with one monster frame in the bottom of the fifth. Tech plated a half dozen markers to completely erase all momentum built up by Southern Indiana, starting with the first batter at the plate.
Catcher Mack Whitcomb hammered the second pitch he saw to deep center field for a lead-off blast, moving Tech in front 4-3 with his team-leading ninth long ball of the season. After a one-out base hit from center fielder Nicho Jordan, USI went to the bullpen to try stymie the Golden Eagle attack.
The plan seemed to be working with a quick second out, but the Cookeville crew didn't change its approach. Carter Vrabel plated Jordan with a single to left-center field, and second baseman Eddie Garza followed by pulverizing a 1-1 offering to left-center field for a two-run jack.
Far from done, Green drew a four-pitch walk to force another trip to the bullpen for the Screaming Eagles and welcomed the new arm by promptly stealing second base. The move paid off right away as Ryan Lee poked an RBI single up the middle. Owen Lee followed with a base knock to right field, and Whitcomb drove in the sixth Golden Eagle of the inning with another single to center field.
The purple and gold continued to pour it on in the sixth, greeting another new Screaming Eagle arm with a six-pitch walk by Jordan. He swiped his second base of the game and moved to third on an errant throw by the catcher, setting up Steele for a sac fly down the left-field line.
Vrabel poked another base hit to right field to keep the pressure on, bringing the scorching-hot Garza to the dish for more damage. The junior continued to show off, blasting his second two-run nuke in as many innings to left field for a 12-3 Tech lead.
After entering in the bottom of the sixth for the third and final out, southpaw Jared Herzog worked a quick, 1-2-3 frame in the seventh, inducing a pair of ground balls and a routine fly out to center field. With a chance to end the ball game in the bottom half with the league's run rule of 10 after seven innings, the Golden Eagles applied the pressure yet again.
Whitcomb walked on five pitches to lead things off, advancing to second on a wild pitch before Southern Indiana picked up its second out of the inning. After fighting off a couple of foul balls, Steele provided the game-winning knock for the purple and gold, lacing a flare to center field to drive in Whitcomb for the walk-off victory.
Vega moved to 5-1 on the season after completing 3.1 innings out of the bullpen, scattering seven hits and allowing just one run. Stricklin punched out a team-high three batters while tossing the first 2.1 innings, while Herzog retired all four batters he faced.
Garza led the Golden Eagles with an impressive 3-for-4 showing and four RBI, while Green, Owen Lee, Whitcomb, Jimenez, and Vrabel each turned in multi-hit efforts. All nine Tech batters tallied at least one hit in the ball game. The purple and gold also stole a season-high five bases on the day, with Jordan and Green racking up two apiece.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 7, EASTERN ILLINOIS 6 (11)
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri Baseball (21-15, 8-4 OVC) wins Game three 7-6 against Eastern Illinois (15-17, 6-5 OVC) by a Bryce Cannon walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th inning.
With the score tied 6-6 in the 11th, Bryce Cannon stepped up to the plate with two outs. Cannon waited on the first two pitches, then with the count 2-0 Cannon delivered a bomb to right field to walk it off for SEMO. Along with the home run, Cannon had two hits and one RBI.
The bats were hot out at Capaha Field today with six home runs and 22 hits. Southeast Missouri had 14 of those hits with Ty Stauss leading the way with three hits. Five Redhawks had two hits, those being Brooks Kettering, Micheal Mugan, Bryce Cannon, Shea McGahan, and Caleb Corbin.
The home runs were split with SEMO and EIU both hitting three. Micheal Mugan hit the other two homers for the Redhawks along with three RBIs and two runs scored.
Gavin Johnston recorded the win today. Johnston came to the mound in the 11th and is now 2-0 on the season. Haden Dow started for SEMO, pitching five innings with three strikeouts, four hits, and an ERA of 3.88. Bryce Riggs got credited with the loss (0-4).
The Panthers got on the board first hitting a home run in the first inning. The Redhawks countered and scored two runs in the bottom of the first off of Micheal Mugan's first home run of the day.
Nobody would score for the next two innings before SEMO would score another run in the fourth. Caleb Corbin singled to right center with two outs to drive in Ty Stauss.
The Panthers and the Redhawks would score one apiece in the fifth inning to make the score 5-2. Eastern Illinois would break it open in the sixth inning scoring four, with a home run and two singles. Shea McGahan would single a 1-1 pitch to drive Stauss in.
Both teams wouldn't do too much until the Redhawks needed at least one run in the bottom of the ninth to send it to extras. On a full count Micheal Mugan stepped up to the plate and delivered a shot out over the center field fence to tie the game 6-6.
After nothing in the 10th inning and some great defense by the Redhawks in the top of the 11th, Bryce Cannon then won it with his homer.