TUESDAY'S SCORES
Little Rock 7, @#11 Ole Miss 3
@Northern Kentucky 7,
Southern Indiana 6
@Western Illinois 18, Saint Ambrose 8
@Eastern Illinois 13, Saint Xavier (Ill.) 3
@Saint Louis 14,
Lindenwood 5
@Murray State 4,
Southeast Missouri 3
Morehead State 10, @Austin Peay 5
@Illinois 17,
SIUE 6
LITTLE ROCK 7, #11 OLE MISS 3
OXFORD, Miss. - Cooper Chaplain enjoyed a special homecoming Tuesday afternoon at Ole Miss. The Trojans second baseman, and Jackson, Miss., native led the charge as Little Rock upset No. 11 Ole Miss at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field. Chaplain was 3-for-5 with 3 RBI in the 7-3 win. His RBI single in the 8th inning broke a 3-3 tie and his 2-RBI single in the ninth inning padded the advantage putting the game out of reach.
The Trojans (16-19) have won six straight games, including four in Ohio Valley Conference play. They have overcome a slow start as they dealt with a rash of injuries.
The last time Little Rock beat a ranked team was an 11-4 win over No. 5 Arkansas in April of 2023. The victory snaps a 10-game losing streak to the Rebels. Little Rock won at Ole Miss 9-6 in 2010.
Little Rock trailed 1-0 in the third when Ryan Geck came up big. With one out, Jayce Blalock was hit by a pitch and Reed Willbanks walked. Alex Seguine singled and Geck, the burly junior college transfer from California, smoked a line-drive double off the wall to score all three runs and give the Trojans a 3-1 lead.
Ole Miss (27-10) got a run back in the fourth and tied the game with a single run in the seventh.
In the eighth inning, Little Rock took the lead for good. Sammy Harris was hit by a pitch and Geck singled. After Ty Rhoades popped out in foul ground, Chaplain singled scoring Harris. Cade Martin struck out for the second out, but Angel Cano drove Geck home with a bloop single to right field giving the Trojans a 5-3 advantage.
In the ninth, Chaplain struck again. With two runners on, Ole Miss elected to intentionally walk Geck. After getting Rhoades to strike out, Chaplain punched a ground ball through the right side again scoring two and giving the Trojans more insurance than they needed.
Blake Van Cleve picked up the win pitching 3.1 innings of relief. He gave up one hit, one run and an earned run while striking out 5 and walking 2. Starter Zach Busick went three innings and scattered four hits with an earned run with two walks and three strikeouts.
The Rebels are No. 8 in the nation in home runs but didn't hit one Tuesday. Their lone extra-base hit was a triple by Isaac Humphrey. Luke Hill had three of Ole Miss's seven hits.
Ole Miss used six pitchers. Alex Caney took the loss giving up three hits and two earned runs.
NORTHERN KENTUCKY 7, SOUTHERN INDIANA 6
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - University of Southern Indiana Baseball rallied with three runs in the ninth inning, but fell short at Northern Kentucky University, 7-6, Tuesday afternoon in Highland Heights, Kentucky. USI is 16-20 overall, while NKU goes to 19-16.
USI had a pair of early leads to start the contest. Sophomore second baseman Parker Martin got the Screaming Eagles going in the first when he scored on an error for the 1-0 lead. The Norse responded with a tally in the bottom half of the frame to knot the game, 1-1.
The Eagles answered by taking a 2-1 advantage in the top of the second when junior catcher Charlie Marisca scored on a ground out by junior leftfielder Hunter Miller. NKU, however, exploded for four runs in the bottom of the second to grab a 5-2 advantage.
USI narrowed the gap to 5-3 in the third when junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens scored on a single by Marica to left center. The Eagles would leave the tying run on base before ending the frame.
NKU increased the lead to 7-3 with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. The 7-3 score would remain until the ninth when Kitchens hit a three-run blast over the left center wall with two outs for the eventual 7-6 final. NKU would close out the game by getting junior third baseman Patrick McLellan to ground out and finish the game.
Marisa and Martin led the USI bats for the game with two hits each, while Kitchens had a team-high three RBIs on his team-leading nine home runs.
On the mound, graduate left-hander Camden Dimidjian started and took the loss for the Eagles. Dimidjian allowed five runs on seven hits, while striking out two.
WESTERN ILLINOIS 18, SAINT AMBROSE 8
MACOMB, Ill. - Western Illinois extended their winning streak to three games on Tuesday afternoon, defeating St. Ambrose in seven innings by a score of 18-8. Harrison Dubois picked up his first win of the season as he would throw four innings, allowing three hits, no runs, and striking out four. Dubois would tie his season high in innings pitched and would set a new season high for strikeouts. Alex Esker would finish off the game for the Leathernecks, pitching the final 1.1 innings. Esker would allow no runs as well, giving up three hits and striking out two. The offense picked up right where they left off from over the weekend, collecting 14 hits and scoring 18 runs. Their 18 runs is the most runs scored in a game this season.
WIU would score in every inning but the first en route to a mercy rule win. In the bottom of the second, Liam Bushey would hit a hard ground ball to the first baseman that would ricochet towards the second baseman to pick up an RBI single. The second baseman would commit a throwing error that would allow for another run to be scored as the Leathernecks would jump ahead 2-0 after two innings of play. In the bottom of the third, WIU would tack on three more runs as Justin Bogard would connect on his first home run of the season, clearing the right field fence to put Western Illinois up by five. WIU would add two more runs in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a Paul Osting SAC fly and a Tyler Large double.
St.Ambrose would respond in a big way in the top of the fifth as they would connect on a grand slam to make it a 7-5 game through 4.5 innings. However, the Leathernecks would score seven runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth to blow the game wide open. WIU would load the bases twice in the fifth, and the offense would come through both times. Kenneth Perez and Brock Lummus would each have two-run singles with the bases loaded to help put the Leathernecks up 14-5 after five innings. SAU would add three runs in the top of the sixth, but just like in the previous inning, Western Illinois would respond. Tyler Large would pick up an RBI on a SAC fly to centerfield, followed by a Matt Olive two-run double down the left field line making it a 17-8 game. In the bottom of the seventh, Brock Lummus would lead off the inning with a double to right center and would come around to score the next at bat as Wandel Campana would double down the right field line to score Lummus, ending the game by a final score of 18-8.
Krayton Morse and Brock Lummus would lead the way offensively, as they both had three hits on the afternoon. Morse went 3-5 with one RBI and three runs scored, while Lummus went 3-4 with two RBI. As a team, the Leathernecks walked 11 times, with Liam Bushey having three walks on the afternoon.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 13, SAINT XAVIER 3
CHARLESTON, Ill. - The Eastern Illinois baseball team (16-17, 6-5 OVC) picked up a convincing midweek win with a 13-3 run-rule victory over Saint Xavier (22-19, 15-9 CCAC) at Coaches Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
The win boosted EIU's all-time record against SXU to 3-1 and stands as their largest margin of victory against the Cougars to date.
Twelve of the Panthers' 13 runs were earned as they racked up 14 hits on the day. Chris Worcester led the charge with three hits in six at-bats while driving in a team-high three runs.
Brett Stanley and Colin Horneman also posted multi-hit, multi-RBI performances with two hits and two RBIs apiece. Meanwhile Mike O'Conor joined the multi-hit club going 2-4 with an RBI.
Five EIU pitchers saw action in the game, with starter Christian Carew getting his fourth win of the season after allowing no earned runs on two hits with four strikeouts through two innings.
However, Saint Xavier did score an unearned run against Carew in the top of the first, with Sean Moore stealing second and advancing to third on an error before scoring on a Justin Massingale groundout to give SXU an early lead.
The Panthers responded with a crooked number in the bottom of the second, beginning with an Ethan Rossi leadoff home run to tie to game. It was Rossi's fifth long ball of the season, tying him for the team lead.
With two outs, Chris Worcester pushed Eastern in front with an RBI single that plated Pierce Bauerle, who had doubled earlier in the inning. Brett Stanley followed that up with his own double that allowed Worcester to score all the way from first to extend the lead.
Mike O'Conor kept the two-out rally going with an RBI base hit before moving into scoring position after James Love was hit by a pitch. Jake Ferguson then finished the job with another RBI base hit to make the score 5-1.
Saint Xavier got one back in the top of the third with Sean Moore scoring on another Justin Massingale RBI groundout, but an inning later EIU widened the gap with three more runs.
The first run of the inning was scored by Mike O'Conor, who advanced from first to home after a fielding error by the SXU shortstop trickled into no-man's land in centerfield. Meanwhile, James Love advanced to second and moved to third on a wild throw from the outfield.
Jake Ferguson was hit by a pitch in the next at-bat before James Love completed his journey around the basepath on a wild pitch. After the next two Eastern batters were also plunked, Ferguson scored on a groundout to extend the lead to 8-1.
Following a scoreless fifth, a Michael Flier RBI double trimmed one run off the lead the Saint Xavier, but the Panthers countered with another three-run frame in the bottom of the sixth to tighten their grip on the contest.
All three runs were scored with two outs, with Chris Worcester singling to drive in Quade Peters and Joey Hagen before scoring on a Brett Stanley RBI double to left center.
Lukas Touma and Slater Wilcox held the Cougars scoreless in the seventh and eighth before a Colin Horneman solo homer in the bottom of the eighth brought the Panthers within one run a finishing the game off an inning early.
Then, after Quade Peters walked and advanced to third on a Chris Worcester double, a wild pitch allowed Peters to take the final 90 feet and walk it off for EIU.
SAINT LOUIS 14, LINDENWOOD 5
ST. LOUIS - The Lindenwood baseball team (17-19) fell in a midweek game with Saint Louis (20-16) by a score of 14-5 on Tuesday night in St. Louis, Mo.
SLU opened the scoring with two runs in the second. Lindenwood answered right back with a pair of homers in the third. Evan Funkhouser went over the wall in left, bringing home Brody Barker, tying the score 2-2. One batter later, Charlie Isom-McCall left the yard, giving Lindenwood a 3-2 lead.
The Billikens tied the game with a homer of their own in the bottom half. The back-and-forth game continued in the fourth as Brodie Short slugged a two-out home run to put the Lions back on top 4-3. SLU broke the game open with five runs in the bottom half of the inning, going up 8-4. In the fifth, Isom-McCall scampered home on a wild pitch, cutting the deficit to 8-5.
SLU tacked on another run in the bottom half with a home run and added three more in the sixth to go up 12-5. The Billikens scored two more runs late in the game and earn the 14-5 win.
MURRAY STATE 4, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 3
MURRAY, Ky. - Southeast Missouri Baseball (21-16) fell on Tuesday evening to Murray State (24-9) by a final score of 4-3 from Johnny Reagan Field.
The Redhawks jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning after a one-out single from Cole Warehime put Redhawks on first and second.
An RBI single to right field by left fielder Ty Stauss scored Mugan from second base to make it 1-0 SEMO. A sacrifice fly by third baseman Caleb Corbin drove in the second run of the inning as Warehime came into score.
The Racers would respond and take the lead in the bottom of the inning as an RBI single and a two-RBI double would make it 3-2 Murray State after the fourth inning.
First baseman Bryce Cannon roped his team-leading 12th double of the season to lead off the sixth inning, leading to the third run of the game for the Redhawks.
After a fly out to right field advanced Cannon to third, Stauss recorded his second RBI of the day with a sacrifice fly to left field. Cannon would come into score to tie the game at three heading to the bottom of the sixth inning.
Good pitching from LHPs Cade Perkins and Ethan Osborne kept the Racers off the board in the sixth and seventh inning(s) as the game would stay tied going to the eighth.
MSU would score the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth inning with an RBI double to win the game, 4-3, on Tuesday night.
MOREHEAD STATE 10, AUSTIN PEAY 5
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Morehead State got three big innings, scoring four runs in the second and three runs in both the seventh and eighth and upset Austin Peay 10-5 Tuesday night at Raymond C. Hand Park in Clarksville, Tenn.
JJ Dutton powered the Eagle attack going 5-5 at the plate with three singles, a double and a triple with one run batted in. He extended his hitting streak to 13 games. He has hit safely in 24 of the last 26 games.
Morehead State (11-23/ 1-11 OVC) leading 4-2, got three runs in the seventh inning. Second baseman Austin Kearns led off with a double, and catcher Caden Sheridan beat out a bunt to put runners on the corners. Hunter Thomas walked to load the bases and left fielder Davis Germann was hit by a pitch to push a runner across the plate. JJ Dutton bounced an infield single to second to drive in a run and third baseman Griffin Olson coaxed an eight-pitch walk to force another run home to put the Eagles up 7-2.
The Eagle offense geared up for a two-out rally in the eighth. After two strikeouts to start the inning, MSU got two walks and Dutton's fifth hit of the night, an infield single, to load the bases. Right fielder Alex Kean then drove a pitch to deep right center for a two-RBI double to put the Eagles ahead 10-2.
MSU pitchers were solid in a staff effort. Opener A.J. Hacker (1-0) got the win for Morehead State allowing a run on a solo shot in the first inning. In all, Eagle pitching scattered eight hits, allowing five runs. They walked seven Governor batters and struck out 11.
After giving up a run on a solo home run by APSU center fielder John Bay in the first inning, Morehead State came back with four runs in the second inning. Center fielder JJ Dutton led off with a triple on the first pitch of the inning. Right fielder Alex Kean then lined a single to right to score Dutton.
Shortstop Andy Cisneros slapped an infield single to put runners on first and second. Third baseman Griffin Olson reached on an error by Austin Peay starter Aaron Lewis on his bunt, scoring Kean and moving Cisneros to third base.
First baseman Kadin Ray drove in Cisneros on a sacrifice fly to left. Cather Caden Sheridan drilled a two-out single up the middle to score Cisneros and put the Eagles ahead 4-1.
Austin Peay (27-10/ 12-3 ASUN) got a run in the fourth on a solo home run by designated hitter Cole Johnson to center field to cut the Eagle lead to 4-2. The Governors rallied for three in the ninth inning to close the margin to 10-5.
Aaron Lewis (0-2) took the loss for Austin Peay. Lewis pitched three innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits while striking out three Eagle batters.
ILLINOIS 17, SIUE 6
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - SIUE and Illinois combined for eight home runs Tuesday night and in the end, the Illini overpowered the Cougars 17-6 in seven innings at Illinois Field.
The Cougars fell to 15-20 overall. Illinois improved to 21-13.
Mack Mitchell gave the Cougars an early lead, hitting his team-leading 11th home run of the year to lead off the game.
The Illini then scored six times on four hits against SIUE starter Gabriel Nutter (0-2) in the bottom of the inning. Illinois catcher Will Johannes dealt the biggest blow, with a two-out grand slam.
Nutter worked just 1 1/3 innings allowing eight runs on five hits.
Cougar catcher Sean Kang blasted a three-run shot in the second inning to cut the lead back to 6-4, but Illinois got a three-run shot of their own from Collin Jennings in the bottom of the inning to extend the lead out to 9-4.
Illinois homered three more times over the next four innings.
Freshman Trace Harrington launched his first career home run for the Cougars in the sixth inning.
Ethan Willougby and Brenden Fry had the only other hits for SIUE, which finished with five hits total.