FRIDAY'S SCORES
@Eastern Illinois 10, Western Illinois 2
Tennessee Tech 27, @Morehead State 11
SIUE 18, @UT Martin 10
@Southeast Missouri 10, Little Rock 4
Southern Indiana 7, @Lindenwood 5
EASTERN ILLINOIS 10, WESTERN ILLINOIS 2
CHARLESTON, Ill. - The Eastern Illinois baseball team (28-20, 16-7 OVC) cruised to a key 10-2 win over Western Illinois (18-31, 9-17 OVC) on Tuesday afternoon at Coaches Stadium. Some early offense and strong pitching carried the Panthers to the series clinching victory.
Tyler Conklin was outstanding on the mound, moving his record to 4-1 after allowing just one run on three hits with a pair of strikeouts through five innings. Christian Carew had a solid outing in relief, giving up one run on three hits with a trio of strikeouts.
Offensively, the Panthers were paced by Mike O'Conor with a 4-5 performance. Brett Stanley also recorded multiple hits, going 3-4 with an RBI. Meanwhile, James Love posted a team-leading three RBIs.
Eastern wasted no time getting on the board, bringing five runs across in the opening frame. Tyler Castro reached on an error to lead off the inning before a Brett Stanley infield single put two on with no outs.
In the subsequent at-bat, Zak Goodwin reached on a bunt single that forced an errant throw from the Western pitcher, allowing Castro to score. Mike O'Conor followed that up with another bunt single that loaded the bases before James Love was walked to bring in the second run.
With the bases still juiced, Ethan Rossi doubled down the right field line to score O'Conor and Goodwin. Chris Worcester capped off the big inning with an RBI single that plated Love.
The Panthers tacked on another run in the second with a James Love two-out double to left field that allowed O'Conor to score all the way from first, extending the lead to 6-0.
After Tyler Conklin retired the first seven Western batters of the game, a single by Kyree Alexander and double by Wandel Campana put a pair of Leathernecks in scoring position with just one out. However, Conklin was able to escape the jam with just one run scored on a Bushey sacrifice fly.
In the bottom of the fourth, a pair of walks and a Mike O'Conor base hit loaded the bases with one out for EIU. All three would come around to score, with James Love extending the lead back out to six with a sacrifice fly before a towering Ethan Rossi fly ball down the right field line gave the WIU outfielder trouble, allowing two more runs to come across.
Eastern cruised through the next three innings while stretching the lead to 10-1 on a Brett Stanley RBI double in the bottom of the seventh.
The Leathernecks loaded the bases with one away in the top of the eighth, but were only able to score one run on a Paul Osting RBI walk before Christian Carew wiggled out of danger with a strikeout and groundout.
Nate Marshall was brought in for the top of the ninth and retired the WIU side in order to seal the victory for Eastern Illinois.
TENNESSEE TECH 27, MOREHEAD STATE 11
MOREHEAD, Ky. - It was a historic day at the ballpark for the Tennessee Tech baseball team on Friday, as the Golden Eagles erupted for a 27-11 blowout victory over longtime Ohio Valley Conference rival Morehead State at Prefontaine Park in Morehead, Ky.
Backed by a season-high 21 hits, the purple and gold (36-19, 17-9) set a new program record for runs scored in an OVC contest with 27 at Allen Field. Tech's 16-run margin of victory over the Eagles (14-38, 4-22) marked the most over a league opponent since the Golden Eagles dropped Murray State 23-7 in a road tilt back on Apr. 15, 2018.
The Cookeville crew's 27 runs represented the most for the program since Apr. 16, 2019 when the Golden Eagles dropped a 28-8 performance over Alabama A&M.
Tech got started right out of the gate, loading the bases with one out for right fielder Jackson Green. The senior kicked off a career day by clearing the bags with a three-run double to left-center field. It was just a small preview of what was to come from the veteran.
Morehead plated one in the bottom half, but Tech doubled down in the third with two more runs courtesy of Green. The Nicholasville, Ky. native, just a 90-minute drive down the road from Morehead, smashed his fourth home run of the season to left-center field, making it a 5-1 lead.
Catcher Mack Whitcomb tacked on another marker in the fourth, ripping a single to left field for an RBI. The Eagles cracked back in the bottom half of the inning, scoring five times on the power of a home run, a three-run triple, and an RBI single.
In the sixth, the Cookeville crew powered back out front, taking advantage of two Morehead errors to score four runs in the frame, with a familiar ace on display yet again. Tech took the lead behind an RBI fielder's choice to shortstop off the bat of designated hitter Jorsixt Jimenez.
The visitors added another on the play, as center fielder Nicho Jordan scored on a throwing error by the Eagles. With an 8-6 advantage in the tank, Green flashed his power stroke again, crushing a two-run blast to left field for his fifth round-tripper of the year.
The Eagles chipped back with a lead-off bomb in the sixth, but the Golden Eagles provided their own response in the top of the seventh. Shortstop Preston Steele led off the frame with a triple to left-center field, and third baseman Jackson Rooker plated him with a bunt single to first base.
Another run by Morehead in the bottom of the seventh only seemed to agitate the Tech offense, as the purple and gold prepare to unleash a mammoth showing. The Golden Eagles dropped 10 runs with 16 batters taking to the box in the inning, the most runs in one frame by the squad since scoring 11 in the eighth of a 12-8 win over Bradley on Mar. 26, 2022.
Second baseman Eddie Garza got the fun started with an RBI double to right-center field. Steele followed with a two-run double to right-center field, before first baseman Carter Vrabel singled up the middle for another RBI.
A pitching change did little to tame the beast that was the Tech bats, with newly inserted shortstop Owen Lee greeting the new arm by hammering a two-run jack to center field, his eighth long ball of the season. A base hit by left fielder Landon Smelser and a walk to Jordan forced another change on the mound, and the new hurler was promptly greeted by a throwing error on an RBI grounder by Whitcomb.
For the second time in the contest, Jordan scored on another throwing miscue by the Eagles, setting up Garza for more fun. He added to his great inning with a two-run single through the left side, bringing a merciful end to the scoring in the frame.
After Morehead smacked a three-run dinger in the bottom of the eighth, Tech retaliated one more time in the ninth, spattering six more markers across the scoreboard. Despite two quick outs in the inning, the purple and gold scurried up a two-out rally, with Whitcomb and pinch-hitter Riley Black drawing back-to-back walks.
Green came through one last time, firing an RBI single through the right side before Garza drew a walk to load the bases. Steele watched four of five offerings miss their mark with the bags juiced, earning an RBI of his own. Vrabel turned in the big blast of the day, clearing the high wall in right field for a grand slam and his fifth trot of the year.
Producing one of the single greatest days at the plate in program history, Green became just the ninth known Golden Eagle to go 5-for-5 or better (Kevin Strohschein finished a program-best 6-for-6 in a win at Alabama A&M on Apr. 5, 2016) in a ball game. The senior became just the seventh member of the program to drive in at least eight runs (only Strohschein and Ryan Flick drove in more with nine each), and the first since Nick Osborne plated eight at Murray State on Apr. 15, 2018.
His 13 total bases tied for the fourth-most in a single game in school history. Both Green and Jimenez scored five runs in the tilt, tying for the third-most in program history.
Smelser piled up three more hits while Whitcomb, Garza, Steele, Vrabel, and Owen Lee each tallied two. All 11 Golden Eagles to see the diamond reached base, with 10 drawing at least one walk and 10 recording at least one hit. Eight different players drove in at least one run for the purple and gold.
Vrabel plated five while Garza and Steele each drove in three. Smelser, Jordan, and Steele each dented the dish three times as well. In addition to the team's 21 hits, the squad also drew 14 walks in the affair, led by Steele's three and Green's and Jordan's pair. Logan Moller (3-1) picked up his third win of the season after tossing 3.0 innings out of the bullpen.
SIUE 18, UT MARTIN 10
MARTIN, Tenn. - SIUE blasted seven home runs Friday on its way to an 18-10 win over UT Martin in the second game of a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series at Skyhawk Field.
SIUE improved to 18-8 in OVC play and is guaranteed of at least a No. 2 seed (and double bye) in the OVC Tournament which begins next week in Marion, Illinois. The Cougars have the most wins in the OVC with 18, but trail Eastern Illinois by percentage points for first place.
The Cougars have now won seven of nine OVC series this season.
SIUE is 26-26 overall. UT Martin dropped to 11-14 in the league and 20-33 overall.
The seven home runs is one shy of the SIUE single-game record in Division I. The 18 runs match a season high. Five different players homered Friday for the Cougars including Chase Bloomer and Daniel Gierer, who each homered twice. Mack Mitchell hit his 19th home run of the year, which ties for second on SIUE's single-season list. Ryan Niedzwiedz and Kyle Ratliff also homered for the Cougars.
SIUE got out to a 5-0 lead and never looked back. The Cougars led 10-3 after six innings. SIUE made it 13-3 in the seventh, but UTM scored four times in the bottom of the inning to cut it back to 13-7. The Cougars then added three runs in the eighth and two more in the ninth inning.
Mitchell, Bloomer and Niedzwiedz all finished with three hits for SIUE. Mitchell, Gierer and Ratliff each had three RBIs. Ethan Willoughby had two hits and two RBIs.
Joseph Martin (4-0) tossed 1 1/3 innings in relief to score the win. Spencer Stearns started and threw 4 2/3 innings. He allowed just two earned runs and struck out seven.
Zach Wager (5-8) started for the Skyhawks and allowed seven runs, four earned, in four innings in the loss.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 10, LITTLE ROCK 4
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri Baseball (29-24, 15-11 OVC) picked up its second-straight victory over Little Rock (19-31, 8-15 OVC) with a 10-4 victory on Friday afternoon at Capaha Field.
LHP Haden Dow (5-4) picked up his fifth victory of the season in his final start as a Redhawk at Capaha Field. Dow pitched 5.0 innings allowing just three earned runs on four hits. He struck out three Trojans over 67 pitches.
The Redhawks continued their offensive output again on Friday, scoring 10 runs on 10 hits led by first baseman Bryce Cannon. Cannon finished 3-5 at the plate with his team-leading 19th double of the season and a pair of RBIs.
Right fielder Cole Warehime crushed his 12th home run of the season to help power the offense. Warehime finished 1-2 at the plate with three RBIs and a pair of walks.
The Redhawks jumped out of the gate with three runs off LR's Jackson Wells (2-6). Wells hit the first two batters he faced in Brooks Kettering and Michael Mugan to begin the inning.
Cannon's first RBI of the afternoon was a bullet single to left field to score Brooks Kettering from second base, as Mugan went first to third on the hit which allowed Cannon to advance to second on the throw.
With two outs in the inning, third baseman Andrew Ramirez executed a perfect bunt for a hit to score Mugan. Cannon would come across to score after LR's catcher recorded a throwing error as the Redhawks led 3-0 after the first inning.
Warehime's two-run home run gave the Redhawks a 5-0 lead after the third inning as Gunnar Doyle came across to score after a leadoff walk in the frame.
The Trojans made things interesting in the middle of the game with a run in the top of the fourth, two more in the top of the fifth, and another run in the top of the sixth to trim the SEMO lead to 5-4.
Catcher Liam Forsyth provided a huge RBI single to right field in the bottom of the sixth inning to score Caleb Champion from third base after he stole the third base bag.
After a walk to Carson Schrack, Brooks Kettering came to the plate with a pair of Redhawks on the base. Kettering singled up the middle to score Forsyth from second base to make it 7-4 Redhawks after the sixth inning.
RHP Gavin Johnston and LHP Jackson Kranawetter shut the door on the Trojans offense pitching the final 4.0 innings combined. The duo allowed just one hit and struck out seven combined Trojans.
SOUTHERN INDIANA 7, LINDENWOOD 5
ST. CHARLES, Mo. - University of Southern Indiana Baseball bounced back behind a strong pitching performance by junior right-hander Andres Gonzalez to defeat Lindenwood University, 7-5, Friday evening in St. Charles, Missouri. USI is 26-28 overall and 14-12 in the OVC, while Lindenwood goes to 27-27, 14-11 OVC.
With the win, USI is tied for fifth with Lindenwood in the OVC standings and a game behind fourth-place Southeast Missouri State University. SEMO kept control of fourth by defeating the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 10-4, this afternoon.
To earn a first-day bye in the OVC Championship next week, USI needs a win and a SEMO loss on Saturday to earn the fourth seed in the upcoming tournament. A SEMO win on Saturday means USI will be the fifth or sixth seed depending on the outcome of the USI-Lindenwood game tomorrow.
Gonzalez (2-4) picked up his second win of the year in his longest start of the season. He went a season-high six-plus innings, allowing four runs on six hits and one walk, while striking out three.
The Eagles turned the tables on the Lions and took the early lead with a tally in the opening inning and a run in the third for a 2-0 lead. USI sophomore second baseman Anthony Umbach got the scoring started with an RBI single in the opening inning, while sophomore rightfielder Cameron Boyd extended the margin to 2-0 with a sacrifice fly in the third.
The Lions roared back in the third with a pair of tallies to tie the game, 2-2. USI would respond by exploding for four runs in the top of the fourth to regain the lead, 6-2.
Boyd put USI back in front, 3-2, with the first of three RBI singles through the right side of the infield in the fourth inning. The single extended Boyd's hitting streak to a USI season-best 19 games. The overall hitting streak record is 26 games, which is held by Kyle Kempf (last 12 games of 2015 and the first 14 of 2016), while the single-season record is 21 games, which is held by Logan Brown (2018).
Junior designated hitter Kannon Coakley extended the margin to 4-2 with a looping RBI single to the right side, scoring junior first baseman Cole Kitchens. The margin continued to grow when sophomore third baseman Parker Martin produced the third RBI single to the right side for a 5-2 score.
USI junior catcher Micajah Wall finished the scoring in the fourth on an RBI liner to left for the 6-2 advantage.
After USI increased the lead to 7-2 with a tally in the top of the seventh, Lindenwood made a run at the Eagles with three runs in the bottom half of the frame to close the gap to 7-5. USI senior right-hander Ian Anderson and sophomore right-hander Abdriel Figueroa closed the door on the Lions in the final three innings to preserve the win.
Figueroa earned his second save of the season, permitting a hit and a walk in two innings. He also struck out two.
Coakley had a team-best three hits in the game, while Boyd recorded a team-best two RBIs.