FRIDAY'S SCORES
@Western Illinois 12, Southeast Missouri 2
@Eastern Illinois 16, Morehead State 9
@UT Martin 7, Lindenwood 2
Southern Indiana 8, @Little Rock 5
@SIUE 6, Tennessee Tech 1
WESTERN ILLINOIS 12, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 2
MACOMB, Ill. - Western Illinois had a great performance on Thursday afternoon as they beat Southeast Missouri State 12-2, ending the Redhawks 13-game winning streak.
The Leathernecks are now 7-18 overall, 2-2 conference.
Western Illinois came out swinging early in the game as Liam Bushey hit a two-run home run in the first inning to get Western Illinois ahead early.
The momentum for Western Illinois continued into the second as the team scored four runs to make the lead 6-0 over Southeast Missouri State. Western Illinois' offense was consistent throughout the day as the team put pressure on Southeast Missouri State with good at-bat skills.
On the mound for Western Illinois, Max Tripure had one of the best performances of the season as he kept Southeast Missouri State in check and gave Western Illinois a good presence on the mound in the later innings.
At the plate for Western Illinois, the team recorded 14 hits as several players contributed to the win. Bushey led the team as he recorded three RBIs on the day. Isaiah Monge also recorded two RBIs for Western Illinois.
In the eighth, Western Illinois added some distance to its lead as the team scored five runs to make the lead 12-2 over Southeast Missouri State. Western Illinois controlled the game from the beginning to the end as the team won 12-2.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 16, MOREHEAD STATE 9
CHARLESTON, Ill. - The Panthers' offense explodes in the 6th and 7th innings using six home runs to score 16 runs in a 16-9 win. With today's win, EIU improved to 14-9, while the Eagles fell to 11-15.
Game one of the weekend series was highlighted by the 6th and 7th inning offensive explosions by the Panthers. EIU scored 13 runs combined in the two innings. Chris Worcester and Mike O'Conor each crushed two home runs, while James Love and Joey Hagen each added a home run for a total of six shots over the outfield fence.
While trailing 6-2 in the bottom of the 6th inning, EIU took control, scoring seven runs on six hits. The Panthers hit three home runs in the inning, starting with O'Conor's three-run home run to left field, scoring Zak Goodwin and Ethan Rossi. Tyler Castro and Brett Stanley each singled before Worcester cleared the bases with another three-run home run.
Hagen continued the nightmare inning for the Eagles, hitting a solo shot to left center, cushioning the home team's lead to 9-6.
Morehead State's offense was on fire as well, scoring nine runs on seven hits. The Eagles threatened one last comeback, scoring two runs in the 7th inning, but were shut down after another EIU offensive outburst.
O'Conor collected his second home run to left center, followed by Hagen recording two more RBIs with a base hit to center field, scoring Love and Worcester.
Morehead State surrendered two more runs before heading back to the dugout. Goodwin singled to left center, scoring Hagen and Wilson. Shortly after, O'Conor earned his sixth RBI of the game, doubling to left, scoring Rossi.
The Panthers added an insurance run in the 8th but it was unneeded as Geshel held the Eagles at bay.
On the mound for EIU, Tyler Conklin earned the win, throwing 6.2 innings and collecting four strikeouts while allowing five hits and six earned runs. Geshel threw 2.1 innings of relief, striking out four batters and allowing only two runs.
For the Eagles, Kamden Hawks ended his start after 5.0 innings, allowing four runs and four hits. Cole Wells was given the loss after throwing 1.0 innings, allowing five earned runs and five hits. Ethan Davis and Carter Owens each allowed three runs in relief.
UT MARTIN 7, LINDENWOOD 2
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team was clicking on all cylinders in its first Ohio Valley Conference win of the season in a 7-2 triumph over Lindenwood at Skyhawk Field.
UT Martin (12-13, 1-3 OVC) served up 12 base knocks behind multi-hit games from Andrew Lawrence (team-best three hits, home run, two RBIs), TJ Grines (two hits, three stolen bases, double) and TJ Dunsford (two hits). Amari Conley (two RBIs, stolen base) and Cameron Greene doubled while Andrew Davis (stolen base), Colten Payton (RBI) and JT Popick also collected base hits.
Jacob Sitton (3-1) earned his fourth quality start of the year by going six innings, fanning five and allowing just one run. Gabe Bryant (0.1 innings), Will Turner (0.2 innings, no hits, no runs), Mason Little (one inning) and Silas Jones (one inning, no hits, no runs) made relief appearances.
Sitton dodged trouble in the first by stranding two runners in scoring position and made quick work of Lindenwood (11-14, 0-4 OVC) in the second with a 1-2-3 frame. The Skyhawks struck first from a two-out two-run double by Conley and then the junior scored on an error for a 3-0 lead.
Sitton recorded his second straight perfect inning and pitched a no-hit fourth to keep UT Martin in front. The Lions cut their deficit down to two in the sixth, but the Skyhawks had a response prepared. With two outs and a 3-2 count, Lawrence blasted a two-run homer (first home run of the season) that upped the UT Martin lead to four, 5-1.
Lindenwood brought the tying run to the plate with bases loaded in the top of the seventh and Turner fended off the scoring threat by inducing a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning. Grines came around to score in the home half and Payton plated Davis off a sacrifice fly to center field for a 7-1 advantage. Jones pitched a clean ninth inning and the Skyhawks captured their first conference win of the season.
SOUTHERN INDIANA 8, LITTLE ROCK 5
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - University of Southern Indiana Baseball started its Ohio Valley Conference series at Little Rock off to a good start with an 8-5 victory Friday evening at Gary Hogan Field in Little Rock, Arkansas. USI is 17-9 this season and 3-1 in the OVC, while Little Rock falls to 15-11, 3-1 OVC.
USI started the game on a good note with a 1-0 lead when senior first baseman Patrick McLellan scored on a wild pitch. The lead did not last long as the Trojans scored three in the second and one in the third to lead, 4-1.
The Screaming Eagles bounce back to re-take the lead, 6-4, with a five-run fourth inning. McLellan led the rally with a two-run triple for the 5-4 lead before scoring on a wild pitch to push the margin to 6-4.
Little Rock cut the deficit to one, 6-5, with a tally in the bottom of the fourth. USI held onto the one-run lead until the eighth when graduate centerfielder Khi Holiday singled in a pair of runs for the 8-5 advantage. The Screaming Eagles made that lead stand up the rest of the way and closed out the victory.
USI junior right-hander Levin East picked up his team-best fourth win of the year in relief. East threw three innings and blanked the Trojans on two hits, while striking out four.
USI senior right-hander Andres Gonzalez finished the game for the Screaming Eagles, throwing two innings to get his first save of the year. Gonzalez allowed two hits and struck out one to earn the save.
USI started the game with junior right-hander Abriel Figueroa, who received a no-decision. Figueroa allowed five runs on eight hits and three walks, while striking out three in four innings of work.
SIUE 6, TENNESSEE TECH 1
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Tim Teixiera won his third consecutive start, leading SIUE to a 6-1 win over Tennessee Tech in the opener of a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series at Roy E. Lee Field.
SIUE improved to 4-0 in OVC play and 12-14 overall. Tennessee Tech fell to 0-3 in the league and 9-17 overall.
Teixeira (3-3) tied his career high with seven innings pitched, while allowing a single unearned run on four hits. He walked three and struck out a season-high nine hitters.
The Cougars took a lead in the first inning on an RBI-hit from Ethan Willoughby. He drove home Mack Mitchell who tripled with two outs in the inning.
Tennessee Tech tied the score with an unearned run in the fifth inning before Teixeira retired the final seven batters he faced.
The Cougars scored three times in the sixth inning to knock out TTU starter Jaxson Pease. Sean Kang, Daniel Gierer and Chase Bloomer each had RBI singles in the inning for a 4-1 SIUE lead.
Willoughby scored on a wild pitch and Kang added his second RBI with a groundout as SIUE pushed its lead to 6-1 in the eighth inning.
Porter Conn pitched the final two innings, striking out three, to earn his second save of the season.
Willoughby, Kang and Gierer each finished with two hits and SIUE outhit Tennessee Tech 9-5 for the game.