FRIDAY'S SCORES
UMass Lowell 7,
Morehead State 4 (Winchester, Ky.)
Lindenwood 6-6, @Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1-8
Eastern Illinois 13, @Florida A&M 4
@Little Rock 6, Eastern Michigan 1
Illinois State 12-7,
@Southeast Missouri 1-6
@North Alabama 3-8,
SIUE 1-1
Butler 10-8,
@UT Martin 7-9
@San Francisco 2,
Western Illinois 0
@#25 Texas A&M 15,
Tennessee Tech 6
@Cal State Bakersfield 8,
Southern Indiana 7
UMASS LOWELL 7, MOREHEAD STATE 4
WINCHESTER, Ky. - Morehead State rallies in the eighth and ninth-innings came up short as a pair of late three-run innings propelled UMass Lowell over the Eagles 7-4 in the 2026 baseball season opener at George Rogers Clark High School in Winchester Friday.
Down 7-1 in the bottom of the eighth inning, sophomore Aubrey Kearns led off with a single to right. Center fielder Kyle Krupp reached on a fielder's choice. Catcher Caden Sheridan walked and with two outs designated hitter Ian McCubbin drove a home run over the fence in left center to plate three runs and cut the UMass Lowell lead to 7-4.
In the ninth inning, freshmen Brayton Coomer and Nick Griffith led off the inning, but the rally fizzled.
With the score tied in the top of the seventh inning, UML scored three runs on two hits, also getting runners aboard with a walk and a hit batsman. The River Hawks' shortstop Zachary Scott plated two runs on a single through the left side.
UML's first baseman Sean O'Leary led off the bottom of the eighth with a home run over the right field fence. Three batters later, second baseman Jorge Burgos hit a two-run homer off the batter's eye in center field.
UMass Lowell scored in the top of the first inning. Leadoff hitter Joshua Lopez reached on an error and scored on a ground out to second by O'Leary.
Morehead State got on the board when third baseman Griffin Olsen drove a home run to lead off the fifth inning.
MSU starter Landon Waugh was strong for the Eagles, pitching five innings, allowing one hit. He notched seven strikeouts and walked one batter.
Senior Ethan Davis (0-1) took the loss for the Eagles, throwing an inning, allowing two earned runs.
Alfred Mucciarone (1-0) picked up the win for UML. He threw 5.2 innings, allowing one earned run and scattering five hits. He struck out five Eagle batters and walked two.
LINDENWOOD 6-6, ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF 1-8
PINE BLUFF, Ark. - The Lindenwood baseball team (1-1, 0-0 OVC) split their Opening Day doubleheader at Arkansas Pine Bluff (1-0, 0-0 OVC) on Friday, taking game one by a score of 6-1 before falling 8-6 in game two.
Opportunistic offense and lights out pitching led Lindenwood to a 6-1 win in the season opener. Half of LU's six runs went in as unearned as the Lions were able to take advantage of six UAPB errors.
The Lindenwood order combined for 10 hits in the game. Jake Radosevich led the way, going 3-5 with a double and one RBI. Kam Edwards and Will Geary also posted multi-hit outings, with Edward recording a pair of doubles while Geary went 2-5 with an RBI in his collegiate debut. Charlie Isom-McCall led Lindenwood in runs batted in with two.
Aaron Jungers got the save after entering the game in the seventh and allowing zero hits with five strikeouts through three scoreless innings. Josh Newell picked up his first win of the season, allowing zero earned runs on just four hits through the game's first six frames.
After Lindenwood's first three batters of the game reached base with a Will Geary single sandwiched between walks from Kam Edwards and Charlie Isom-McCall, Jake Radosevich drove in the Lions' first run of the year with an RBI base hit to left field that scored Edwards. William Zareh followed that up with a sacrifice fly to plate another before back-to-back strikeouts left Lindenwood with two stranded and a 2-0 lead.
The game settled into a pitcher's duel for the next four innings, with neither team pushing another run across until Pine Bluff scored on a two-out error in the bottom of the fifth to cut their deficit in half. Lindenwood immediately responded in the top of the sixth, as a Will Geary single to right field plated Sam Discoll, who had reached base on an error before moving into scoring position on a well-place sacrifice bunt by Mathew Graf.
Following a scoreless seventh, LU extended their lead in the eighth with a Charlie Isom-McCall double down the left field line that scored Kam Edwards and Spencer Pederson to push the lead out to four runs. Isom-McCall would come around to score on an error the following at-bat to add another insurance run, making the score 6-1.
Pine Bluff threatened with the bases loaded and one away in the bottom of the eighth, but Lindenwood was able to escape the jam with a strikeout followed by a diving play by Charlie Isom-McCall on a shallow pop up for the third out. LU failed to generate any more runs in the top of the ninth, but the five-run cushion was more than enough as Aaron Jungers retired the UAPB side in order in the bottom of the ninth, including back-to-back strikeouts to finish the game.
In game two, Lindenwood came up short in game two, falling 8-6 in a contest that featured four lead changes and over 20 combined hits. After a four-run fifth inning gave LU a two-run advantage, they were unable to manufacture any more runs as UAPB scored four unanswered through the final four frames.
Will Geary led the Lindenwood offense with three hits in four at-bats, adding a run scored and two stolen bases to his outing. Filip Sarota and Charlie Isom-McCall also recorded multi-hit performances with two knocks apiece, with Sarota also driving in a run. Tyler Ellis led the Lions in runs batted in with a 1-3, two RBI performance.
Four Lindenwood arms saw action in the contest, with Luke Walsh being handed the loss after allowing the go-ahead run in the seventh inning. Ethan Smith got the start, giving up four runs on six hits with three strikeouts through 4.2 innings of work.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 13, FLORIDA A&M 4
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Eastern Illinois Panthers dominate in their opening contest of the four-game weekend series against Florida A&M, 13-4. EIU earns their first win of their season, while the Rattlers fall to 0-1.
EIU wasted no time to start their 2026 season, scoring four runs in the first inning, followed by a three-run second inning. Kyree Alexander earned the Panthers first hit of the season with a base hit. EIU struck first when James Love doubled to right field, scoring Alexander.
Shortly after, with three runners on, a FAMU wild pitch scored Brett Stanley. With two outs, another wild pitch gave the Panthers' their third run of the first inning. Peyton Wilson scored the fourth run during an Ethan Rossi rundown to end the inning. First time on the mound, Tyler Conklin made quick work of the Rattlers' offense, striking out two batters.
EIU opened the top half of the second inning with Quade Peters reaching first on an error. Tyler Castro, who went 3-5 on the day, hit a line drive to third base to score Peters on a throwing error. The high-powered offense continued when Zac Goodwin singled to right field, earning two RBIs, scoring Wilson and Love.
Florida A&M found the scoreboard for the first time when the Panthers committed three straight errors, leading to Ryals scoring an unearned run.
The next two innings were smooth sailing for both pitchers until Ethan Rossi doubled to center field to start the top of the 5th inning. Castro brought home Rossi with a base hit to center field. The Rattlers made a pitching change, but EIU was unfazed, scoring two more runs led by a Stanley base hit and Love sacrifice fly. The Panthers headed into the second half of the game with a 10-1 lead.
The Rattlers found life after the seventh-inning stretch, scoring two runs off of Mac Zawistoski. Crews and Brown each had an RBI base hit to cut the deficit to six.
Eastern Illinois finalized the game in the eighth inning with three final runs. A Rossi base hit led to another FAMU error, allowing Goodwin to score from second. With two outs, Peters took advantage of the Rattlers' 5th error of the game, reaching first and bringing home Rossi and O'Conor.
In the 9th inning, Florida A&M had runners in scoring position, looking to extend the game, but A.J. Hiestand avoided any potential trouble, retiring the side on a fly out to Peters.
LITTLE ROCK 6, EASTERN MICHIGAN 1
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Brannon Westmoreland and Gage Haley combined on a two-hitter, Ryan Geck delivered a bases-clearing triple, and Angel Cano capped the day with a towering home run as the Little Rock Trojans opened the 2026 season with a 6-1 victory over Eastern Michigan University on Friday at Gary Hogan Field.
Westmoreland (1-0) surrendered a walk and a run-scoring double to the first two batters he faced in his first Division I start, but quickly found his rhythm. The right-hander retired 18 consecutive Eagles at one point, finishing with three strikeouts and just one walk over six strong innings.
Haley closed the door to earn the save, striking out six of the 10 batters he faced while allowing just one hit across three scoreless frames.
The Trojans responded immediately after falling behind, plating four runs in the bottom of the first. Geck's three-run triple highlighted the rally, and Ty Rhoades followed with an RBI single to give Little Rock a lead it would not relinquish. The Trojans pounded out 13 hits on the afternoon while striking out just five times.
With the lead secure, Cano added insurance in the seventh with a solo blast to left field. He struck again in the eighth with a ground ball through the middle that scored Jerdy Lopez, stretching the advantage to five.
Haley entered in the seventh and immediately struck out the side. He worked around a baserunner in the eighth and fanned two more in the ninth to seal the win.
Five Trojans recorded multiple hits, including Cano and Rhoades. Michael O'Brien doubled twice, while Cade Martin had two hits, and Nico Baumbach added a double with a single. Martin, Baumbach, and Lopez also showed patience at the plate, working walks after falling behind 0-2 in their at-bats.
ILLINOIS STATE 12-7, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 1-6
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri (0-2) fell to Illinois State (2-0) in a doubleheader on Friday at Capaha Field, losing the first game 12-1 and the second game 7-6. Illinois State's offense dominated in the first matchup, powered by five home runs and a total of 13 hits, while Southeast Missouri managed four hits but struggled to keep pace.
In game one, Illinois State secured a decisive 12-1 victory. The scoring began early, with Southeast Missouri's Joe Hall being hit by a pitch in the second inning, eventually scoring on a sacrifice fly by Ryan Lopetegui, narrowing the gap to 3-1. However, Illinois State quickly extended its lead with home runs from Graham Mastros and Luke Stulga in the fourth inning, pushing the score to 6-1. Mastros would later hit another home run in the seventh, contributing to the Redbirds' 12-run total.
In game two, Southeast Missouri put up a strong fight but fell short in a tightly contested 7-6 loss. Illinois State took an early lead in the first inning with a triple by Luke Stulga, followed by an RBI single from Brayd Bakes. Southeast Missouri responded in the second inning when Joe Hall doubled down the left field line and was brought home by a single from Dakota Joggerst, cutting the deficit to 3-1 after Illinois State added two more runs.
The Redhawks continued to chip away at Illinois State's lead, scoring in the fifth inning thanks to a single by Brett Kettering and a hit-by-pitch to Logan Yule, setting up Cal Sullivan's RBI single to make it 5-3. They managed to keep the game within reach with a run in the eighth, as Hall singled and later scored on a bunt single by Demitri Shakotko, narrowing the score to 7-4.
In a dramatic ninth inning, Sullivan delivered a two-run homer to left center, bringing the Redhawks within a run. Hall singled and advanced to third on a passed ball, but the rally was halted, sealing the 7-6 win for Illinois State.
NORTH ALABAMA 3-8, SIUE 1-1
FLORENCE, Ala. - North Alabama swept both games of a doubleheader Friday in the first series of the 2026 season for both teams. The Cougars fell 3-1 in the opener before dropping an 8-1 contest later.
North Alabama got on the board in the first inning of game one after loading the bases on a hit batter and two walks by SIUE starter Jase Phillips. Tyler LePage sent a one-out fly to right scoring Tait Nunnally from third.
The Cougars tied the game in the third inning. Gage Franck singled to open the inning. An infield hit from Sean Kang gave SIUE runners at first and third. Franck scored on throwing error when Daniel Gierer laid down a squeeze bunt for the RBI.
The Lions added a run in the when Dylan Coleman hit an RBI-triple off the right field wall, 2-1. Coleman scored on groundout in the sixth inning to make it 3-1.
Kang finished 2-3.
Phillips (0-1) worked four innings in his SIUE debut. He gave up two runs on a single hit. He walked two and did not strike out a batter. Porter Conn worked a scoreless inning, allowing a hit. Noah Johnson allowed a run over three innings in relief. He struck out one.
Game two was scoreless until the bottom of the fifth when UNA first baseman Petey Craska connected on a three-run home run to right off SIUE starter Spencer Stearns (0-1).
Stearns worked five innings allowing the three runs on seven hits. He struck out four.
Helped by two walks and two hit batters, the Lions scored five times in the bottom of the seventh inning against Cougar relievers Trent Koehler and Brady Coon. Koehler allowed four runs in an inning of work. He struck out two. Brady Coon gave up a run and struck out two in two innings.
SIUE's lone run came in the ninth inning. Cooper Eggert walked and went to second on a wild pitch before Chase Bloomer singled to center to drive him in.
Bloomer finished 2-4.
BUTLER 10-8, UT MARTIN 7-9
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team captured its first victory in the 2026 season in a doubleheader against Butler. The Bulldogs were able to win in extra innings in the first contest, 10-7, but it was the Skyhawks who came through with clutch hitting in the second game to win 9-8.
TJ Grines (two doubles, one RBI) started his senior season by leading UT Martin (1-1) in hits with three while TJ Dunsford (two doubles, one RBI), JT Popick (double) and Cameron Greene all tallied multi-hit games.
Jacob Sitton made the start and struck out four batters over 3.1 innings of work. Newcomer Will Turner entered from the bullpen and delivered 5.1 innings to pair with six punchouts while Gehrig Wright (0-1) threw 1.1 innings and struck out one.
Sitton made it a 1-2-3 first inning with two strikeouts before his offense brought home the season’s first run on a Dunsford ground out to score Grines. The Bulldogs (1-1) took their first lead of the game in the second then the aggressive Skyhawk offense brought home three runs in the second to claim the advantage.
Butler plated the leading run in the top of the third but was held scoreless for the next five innings by Turner. UT Martin added a run in the sixth and seventh to carry the edge into the ninth however a late Bulldog rally helped the road team prevail in Game 1.
In the first win of the season, four Skyhawks delivered multi-hit performances (Grines, Davis, Popick and Bo Strickland). Popick brought in three runs (team-best) while Grines plated two runners and tied the UT Martin single-game record for stolen bases (four).
Maxwell Schumacher started his first game for the Skyhawks and went six strong innings by fanning six batters and only surrendering one run. Jake Devalk (one inning), Connor McCaslin, Brandon King (0.2 innings, one strikeout) and Mason Little (1-0, 1.1 innings) helped complete the win out of the bullpen.
After Butler gained the early lead in the first, UT Martin went to work with three runs in the home half courtesy of a Dunsford single, Colten Payton groundout and JT Popick groundout. Schumacher posted a scoreless second and stranded one runner which gave way to a Grines two-run single in the bottom part of the frame to make it 5-1.
After a clean inning of work by the righty Schumacher, the Skyhawks attacked off a Koch groundout and Strickland single that upped the advantage to 7-1. Schumacher was able to strand another runner this time in the fourth by forcing two flyouts to end the frame. Popick continued his big day with an RBI double to center field and it became 8-1 in favor of the home team in the fourth.
The Bulldogs tied the game in the top of the eighth to put pressure on UT Martin going into the home half. Popick scored Payton on an RBI single and the Skyhawks were able to hold the lead for the first win of the year.
SAN FRANCISCO 2, WESTERN ILLINOIS 0
SAN FRANCISCO - Western Illinois Baseball opened the 2026 season on Friday.
WIU dropped a 2-0 decision in Friday's season opener. The Leathernecks were limited to four hits, with Paul Osting leading the offense with a 2-for-4 performance that included a double. Joe Connolly and Cordell Coburn added the other WIU hits. San Francisco scored both runs in the second inning, but WIU's pitching staff kept the game within reach the rest of the way. Max Tripure struck out six over three innings, while Karsten Stotlar, Jackson Rodgers, Cade Sonoqui, and Eric Rawlings combined for five innings of two-hit relief. WIU played error-free defense but could not capitalize offensively.
#25 TEXAS A&M 15, TENNESSEE TECH 6
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - - Owen Lee launched a three-run homer and kept it close early, but Tennessee Tech dropped its season opener 15-6 to No. 25 Texas A&M on Friday night at Blue Bell Park in the first-ever meeting between the programs.
The Golden Eagles (0-1) showed early fight, erasing an initial deficit with a three-run third inning. Lee highlighted the frame with a three-run homer, putting Tech in front 3-1 after Texas A&M (1-0) had scored in the bottom of the first.
The Aggies responded with three runs in the second and added another in the third to reclaim the lead at 5-3. Tech pulled within a run in the fifth when Jorsixt Jimenez delivered an RBI hit to make it 5-4.
Jimenez finished with two hits and two RBIs, while Eddie Garza went 3 for 4 with a double and two runs scored to pace the Golden Eagles' nine-hit effort.
After staying within striking distance through five innings, Tech was unable to contain Texas A&M's offense late. The Aggies scored two runs in the sixth, broke the game open with five in the seventh, and added three more in the eighth. Caden Sorrell homered twice and drove in five runs for Texas A&M, which totaled 18 hits.
Jaxson Pease (0-1) took the loss for Tennessee Tech, allowing four runs in 1 2/3 innings. Garrett Holpuch worked 3 1/3 innings in relief and struck out five of the eight total strikeouts for the Golden Eagles' pitching staff.
Tech added two runs in the eighth, on a two-run homer from Jimenez, but could not overcome the Aggies' nine walks and extra-base power. Tennessee Tech committed one error, while Texas A&M played error-free.
Shane Sdao (1-0) earned the win for Texas A&M after allowing four runs over 5 1/3 innings. Texas A&M scored 15 runs on 18 hits, including three homers.
CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD 8, SOUTHERN INDIANA 7
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - University of Southern Indiana Baseball came up short in the top of the ninth and dropped the 2026 season opener at Cal State Bakersfield, 8-7, Friday evening in Bakersfield, California. USI is 0-1 to start the season, while CSUB is 1-0 to begin its season.
After spotting the Roadrunners a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the second, USI senior leftfielder Hunter Miller scored the first run of the year when senior first baseman Patrick McLellan singled through the left side. Graduate centerfielder Khi Holiday crossed the plate with the Screaming Eagles' second run on a ground out by graduate rightfielder Jesse Velders for a 4-2 deficit after two-and-a-half frames.
Bakersfield pushed its lead to 7-2 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. USI missed a chance to shrink the deficit once again, loading the bases with two outs, but left the bags jammed.
After the Roadrunners added another tally in the sixth to increase the margin to 8-2, USI closed the gap in the top of the eighth when Holiday knocked in the Screaming Eagles' third tally of the game with an RBI single to right field, scoring junior leftfielder Dane DeWees for an 8-3 score. DeWees started the mini rally with a two-out double down the left field line in his first at-bat as a Screaming Eagle.
USI had one more rally left in the ninth before Bakersfield could close out the game. Velders started the rally with a one-out home run to make the score, 8-4, before senior catcher Micajah Wall singled in graduate pinch hitter Noah Foster with a RBI infield single.
Foster had singled and advanced to third on a two-out single by junior second baseman Skylar Graham. Graham would follow Foster across the plate on a two-out double to right field by senior pinch hitter Gavyn Boyle to make the score 8-6.
USI had one last shot with runners at second and third and Holiday at the plate. Holiday sent a liner back up the middle that was snagged by the shortstop, scoring junior pinch runner Zion Stephens, but Boyle was thrown out at the plate to end the 8-7 game.
Holiday finished the opening game with a USI team-high five hits and two RBIs. He had a hit in each of his first three at-bats.
On the mound tonight, USI junior right-handed starter Abdriel Figueroa took the loss in the opening game of 2026. Figueroa allowed five runs, four earned, in 2.1 innings of work, while striking out four and walking three.