SUNDAY'S SCORES
@Northern Kentucky 20,
Eastern Illinois 15
Northern Illinois 14,
@Lindenwood 8
@ULM 11,
Western Illinois 7
@Southeast Missouri 4, Miami (Ohio) 2
@SIUE 4, Eastern Michigan 3
@North Alabama 7,
Southern Indiana 3
Bradley 11,
@UT Martin 8
Notre Dame 11,
@Tennessee Tech 0
Morehead State 8, @Southern 7
NORTHERN KENTUCKY 20, EASTERN ILLINOIS 15
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Eastern Illinois falls in the final game of the weekend series against Northern Kentucky, 20-15. EIU drops to 4-6 on the season, while NKU improves to 7-4. The Panthers attempted a heroic comeback, trailing eight runs heading into the eighth inning. EIU was able to score seven runs but fell short in completing the rally.
After losing back-to-back games to start the weekend, EIU jumped out of the gate early, scoring three quick runs. Chris Worcester hit a sacrifice fly to open the scoring with Brett Stanley touching home plate. Moments later, Peyton Wilson used another sac fly, scoring Tyler Castro.
Leading 5-1 in the 4th inning, NKU's offense exploded for six runs off the Panthers' starter, Anthony Solis. Solis pitched 4.2 innings of work, allowing eight earned runs with four hits, striking out four batters.
The octane offense continued with 35 total runs scored in a four-hour ballgame. NKU added three runs in three straight innings, building their lead to eight.
Trailing by eight in the later stages of the game, Eastern Illinois attempted a heroic comeback. The Panthers scored seven runs in the 8th inning, causing NKU to use nine different pitchers.
Wilson began the inning with a homer to left field, followed by multiple Panthers advancing on the base paths from drawn walks. EIU scored the next two runs on wild pitches, cutting the deficit to five. James Love and Worcester hit back-to-back base hits, scoring Ethan Rossi and Castro. With the bases loaded, Kyree Alexander was hit by the pitch, bringing home Love with the deficit cut to one run.
With bases loaded and two outs, Mike O'Conor lined out to left field, stranding the Panthers' base runners.
Northern Kentucky added four runs in the bottom half of the 8th inning to seal the victory, 20-15.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS 14, LINDENWOOD 8
ST. CHARLES, Mo. - The Lindenwood baseball team (5-7, 0-0 OVC) dropped their series finale against Northern Illinois (7-4, 0-0 MAC) by a score of 14-8 on Sunday afternoon. Lindenwood led by three runs entering the fifth inning before the Huskies scored nine unanswered to finish the game.
The Lindenwood offense managed eight hits in the contest, led by Will Geary and Filip Sarota with two hits apiece. Geary also recorded a season-high four RBIs.
The Lions cycled through five different pitchers, with Luke Wright getting tagged with the loss. Starter Ethan Smith allowed four earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts through 3.2 innings pitched to start the game.
Aaron Jungers put in a solid 3.1 innings of relief work, allowing just one run on three hits with three punch outs.
Lindenwood took their first lead on the game in the bottom of the first with a Will Geary base hit that drove in Charlie Isom-McCall and Kam Edwards, who had both drawn walks to reach base before executing a double steal to move into scoring position.
Following a scoreless second inning, NIU plated four runs in the top of the third to surge ahead before the Lions responded with two more runs in the bottom half, with Will Geary collecting his third RBI of the game with a double that scored Jake Radosevich before later stealing third and scoring on a William Zareh sacrifice fly.
Charlie Parcell scored on a wild pitch to retake the lead for NIU in the top of the fourth, but Lindenwood took advantage of a trio of critical mistakes by the Huskies in their half of the inning – including a wild pitch with a runner on third and a pair of errors – to take an 8-5 lead.
After Northern got two runs back in the top of the fifth, the Lions found themselves clinging to a one-run lead entering the eighth after failing to record a hit through the previous three innings.
The slim advantage would evaporate in the top of the eighth as Cooper Cohn was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to tie the game before Marcus Romero scored the go ahead run on a fielder's choice after LU was unable to turn two on a ground ball to escape the inning.
After Lindenwood batters were retired in order in the bottom of the eighth, NIU broke the game wide open with five runs in the top of the ninth, three of which came on a Caden Robertson home run to right field that bounced off the top of the fence and out of play.
Filip Sarota would record his second hit of the game with a double off the left field wall in the bottom of the ninth, but the Lions were unable to generate any further offense in frame.
ULM 11, WESTERN ILLINOIS 7
MONROE, La. - Western Illinois came out strong in the series finale, jumping to a 4-0 lead through three innings.
Monge launched a two-run homer in the first, while Connolly and Paul Osting each drove in runs to extend the advantage. ULM responded with a seven-run fifth inning to swing momentum, and despite a 12-hit effort from the Leathernecks — including multi-hit games from Monge, Connolly, Gage Hoover, and Wandel Campana — WIU fell 11–7.
The Leathernecks added a run in the sixth and two more in the ninth, but the late rally came up short.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 4, MIAMI (OHIO) 2
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri (6-7) secured a 4-2 victory over Miami University (8-4) on Sunday at Capaha Field. The game was highlighted by the Redhawks' two-run eighth inning, which ultimately sealed the win.
The game began with a series of defensive highlights. Southeast Missouri's Caleb Klein singled to right center in the first inning, but Miami's defense held, leaving the score tied at 0-0 after one inning. The RedHawks also had a promising start in the second inning, but their efforts were thwarted by a double play, keeping the game scoreless.
The scoring opened in the fourth inning when Hayden Christiansen from Miami (OH) homered to left center. SEMO responded in their half of the inning when Ryan Lopetegui hit a two-run homer to left field, giving the Redhawks a 2-1 lead through four innings. For Lopetegui, his blast was his first of the season.
SEMO maintained its lead through the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings, with Miami (OH) unable to capitalize on any scoring opportunities.
In the eighth, Miami (OH) managed to tie the game briefly when Marcus Dierks scored on a double by Tommy Harrison. However, SEMO quickly regained the lead. Cal Sullivan doubled to right field, followed by Joe Hall's single. Logan Yule, pinch running for Sullivan, scored on a single by Lopetegui. Tank Sims further extended the lead with a sacrifice bunt that allowed Hall to score, making it 4-2 in favor of the Redhawks after eight innings.
Southeast Missouri's defense shut down Miami (OH) in the ninth inning, securing a 4-2 victory for the Redhawks.
SIUE 4, EASTERN MICHIGAN 3
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - SIUE baseball earned a split in its four-game series with Eastern Michigan after a 4-3 Sunday win at Roy E. Lee Field.
SIUE improved to 5-7 with the win. EMU dropped to 4-8.
The Cougars never trailed, taking a first inning lead against EMU starter Tommy Rose.
Ryan Niedzwiedz and Chase Bloomer singled with one out. Ethan Willoughby singled in the Cougars' first run and Terrick Thompson Allen drove home another with a sacrifice fly to left. SIUE made it 3-0 in the third when Willoughby hit a sacrifice fly to score Niedzwiedz.
Rose (0-1) pitched into the fourth allowing two runs on five hits in the loss.
Keegan Knupp hit a two-run home run off SIUE reliever Gabriel Nutter (1-0) in the fifth before SIUE answered in the bottom of the inning. Bloomer singled with one out and advanced to second on a wild pitch. He went to third on a Joshua Heyder base hit before scoring on another wild pitch to put the Cougars up 4-2.
Nutter worked two innings, striking out two to earn the win. Brady Coon started and pitched three hitless innings. He walked four and struck out five.
EMU used back-to-back two-out hits in the eighth to plate a run against Easton Harris but never pulled even in the game.
Harris pitched the final two innings, striking out three, for his third save of the year.
Willoughby finished 1-2 with the pair of RBIs. Niedzwiedz, Bloomer and Heyder each had two hits for the Cougars.
NORTH ALABAMA 7, SOUTHERN INDIANA 3
FLORENCE, Ala. - University of Southern Indiana Baseball fell short of a series sweep in losing a 7-3 decision to North Alabama Sunday afternoon in Florence, Alabama. USI is 8-4 this season, while UNA goes to 7-5.
UNA turned the tables on USI in the series finale, building a 5-0 lead after five innings. USI attempted to come back by scoring twice in the top of the seventh to cut the deficit to 5-2. Senior shortstop Clayton Slack pushed the first run across with a sacrifice fly before senior first baseman Patrick McLellan drove in the second with a double.
The Lions responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh to re-extend the lead to five, 7-2. McLellan finished the scoring with a RBI-single in the ninth to cut the deficit to 7-3 before UNA closed out the contest.
Junior right-hander Ryan Skwarek started for USI on the mound and took the loss. Skwarek (1-1) allowed one run on two hits and two walks, while striking out two.
BRADLEY 11, UT MARTIN 8
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team fell in the series finale against Missouri Valley Conference foe Bradley 11-8 at Skyhawk Field.
Cameron Greene (two doubles, two RBIs, two runs scored, walk) and Colten Payton recorded three hits while TJ Grines (two runs scored, RBI, stolen base) and JT Popick (two runs scored, walk, RBI) also had multi-hit games. Cullen Box hit his second homer of the season and Garner Anderson tallied a double to notch extra-base hits for the Skyhawks (4-7).
Maxwell Schumacher (four innings, four strikeouts) started the game for UT Martin while Cason Sharp (0-2, one inning, two strikeouts), Gabe Bryant (one inning), Gehrig Wright (one inning, no runs allowed), Mason Little (one inning, one strikeout) and Trevor Busyn (one inning, two strikeouts) made appearances out of the bullpen.
Schumacher threw a hitless first inning, and his offense got to work with a run in the home half on a wild pitch. After Bradley (3-7) grabbed the advantage in the second, the Skyhawks knotted the game up at two when Dunsford scored Grines in the third.
Schumacher stranded two Braves in the top of the fourth inning, and in the bottom part of the frame UT Martin snatched the lead back. Greene went to the opposite field for an RBI double then Box followed with a two-run shot over the left field wall to make it 5-2.
Bradley forced another lead change and despite Skyhawk runs in the seventh and eighth, UT Martin’s comeback attempt fell short.
NOTRE DAME 11, TENNESSEE TECH 0
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee Tech baseball held Notre Dame scoreless through four innings Sunday afternoon, but a pair of late outbursts proved decisive as the Irish pulled away for an 11-0, eight-inning run-rule victory at Bush Stadium at the Averitt Baseball Complex.
The Golden Eagles (6-6) were limited to two hits on the day and did not advance a runner past second base, finishing 0-for-1 with runners in scoring position. Notre Dame (6-3) improved to 6-3, while Tech moved to 6-6.
Logan Moller gave Tech a strong start, tossing four scoreless innings. The right-hander allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out five, including back-to-back strikeouts in the third inning as part of a 1-2-3 frame.
Tech threatened in the third when Landon Smelser singled to center and moved to second on a wild pitch, but the Irish stranded him there. In the fourth, Jorsixt Jimenez lined a single to right-center before Connor Crowson grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Notre Dame broke through in the fifth after a pitching change. Jayce Lee and Parker Brzustewciz opened the inning with back-to-back singles, and Jamie Zee followed with an RBI single up the middle to plate the game’s first run. Carter Casabella (L, 0-1) limited the damage by retiring the next two hitters, keeping the deficit at 1-0.
The Irish added pressure in the sixth with three hits but came away empty after Coy was caught stealing and Tech worked out of the jam.
The game turned in the seventh. After a leadoff single and sacrifice bunt, a walk set up an RBI single by Coy to make it 2-0. Mark Quatrani added a sacrifice fly before Bino Watters delivered the decisive blow — a three-run homer to left field to cap a five-run inning and push the lead to 6-0.
Notre Dame struck again in the eighth. With two on and two out, Quatrani launched a grand slam to deep left field, extending the margin to 10-0. Watters followed with his second homer of the game, a 407-foot shot, as the Irish scored five runs for the second straight inning.
Quatrani finished 3-for-4 with five RBIs, while Watters drove in four. Lee added four hits as Notre Dame collected 16 total hits, going 5-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
Ty Uber (W, 2-0) earned the win for the Irish, allowing two hits over five shutout innings with two walks and two strikeouts. Notre Dame’s bullpen combined for three hitless frames to close the contest.
MOREHEAD STATE 8, SOUTHERN 7
BATON ROUGE, La. - Morehead State rallied with four runs in the last three innings to earn an 8-7 victory over Southern in Lee-Hines Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
With the Eagles down 7-4 in the top of the seventh inning, Eagle left fielder shot a one-out single through the left side to reach first base. Eagle second baseman Aubrey Kearns shot a double into the right center gap to score Germann.
In the eighth, Eagle center fielder Austyn Peak hit a one-out triple to left. Luke Hayes, who entered the game in the bottom of the seventh to pitch, walked. Jack Taylor scored peak on a ground out. Caden Sheridan then ripped a single through the left side to plate Hayes and tie the game at 7-7.
Morehead State (4-7) continued the rally in the ninth. Nick Griffith drew a two-out walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. He scored when Peak shot a single up the middle for the game-winner for Morehead State.
Hayes (2-2) got the win for Morehead State, pitching the final three innings allowing just one walk while recording three strikeouts.
Southern reliever Myles Dismute (1-1) took the loss.
Morehead State got on the board in the top of the second inning, after giving up two in the first, when Griffith drilled a two-out double down the left field line and scored on Peaks singled through the right side.
After the Eagles gave up another two runs in the second inning, Morehead cut into the Jaguar lead in the fourth inning. Kearns led off with a single up the middle and scored on Ian McCubbin's triple in left field. MSU catcher Will Bomersbach lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to get Morehead State to within one at 4-3.
After giving up a run in the fifth, Morehead State threatened in the sixth. McCubbin drew a one-out walk and Griffth singled through the right side. Peak walked to load the bases and Bomersbach scored McCubbin on a ground out, and the Eagles couldn't push another run across.
Southern answered with two runs of its own in the bottom of the sixth. MSU reliever Josh Furtado got the final out of the inning with two Jaguars aboard.