FRIDAY'S SCORES
Eastern Illinois 11, Bellarmine 4 (Marion, Ill.)
@VMI 8-10,
Western Illinois 7-7
@Butler 20-6,
Morehead State 5-16
@Southeast Missouri 8, Milwaukee 2
@Kansas State 14,
SIUE 5
@Southern Indiana 5, Youngstown State 2
@Iowa 11,
Lindenwood 6
@UT Martin 12-8, Mississippi Valley State 1-7
Tennessee Tech 5, @Georgia Southern 2
@Central Arkansas 7-2,
Little Rock 1-8
EASTERN ILLINOIS 11, BELLARMINE 4
MARION, Ill. - EIU used their high-powered offense to fuel an 11-4 victory, scoring five runs in the third inning. The Panthers improved to 5-6, while the Knights dropped to 2-10.
Eastern Illinois kicked off their offensive power in the 2nd inning with a wild pitch driving n Chris Worcester for their first run of the game. Worcester went 3-3 with an RBI.
Bellarmine remained out early on, facing no trouble from Tyler Conklin, who got the starting nod for the Panthers.
Trailing 4-1, EIU exploded in the bottom of the third inning, scoring five runs on four hits. The Panthers earned the first two runs on the base paths, advancing on the Knights' mistakes. Ethan Rossi broke the deficit, smashing a home run to left field, scoring Worcester, Peyton Wilson, and James Love.
Shortly after, EIU put the game away in the next inning, scoring three runs on two hits. Kyree Alexander hit two home runs and recorded four RBIs, including a 3-run home run in the 4th, scoring Brett Stanley and Quade Peters.
Mac Zawistoski threw 2.1 scoreless innings of relief, allowing one hit to seal the victory.
VMI 8-10, WESTERN ILLINOIS 7-7
LEXINGTON, Va. - Recap coming soon.
BUTLER 20-6, MOREHEAD STATE 5-16
INDIANAPOLIS - Morehead State bounced right back with a 16-6 defeat of Butler Friday afternoon into evening in the nightcap of a doubleheader that saw the Eagles absorb a 20-5 loss in the opener at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana.
In a day full of offensive fireworks, Alex Kean provided the biggest bang. The junior had a big day at the plate; he went a combined 5-7 with two walks, two doubles, a home run, five runs batted in and 10 total bases.
Butler limbered the bats early, scoring 13 runs in the first three innings on the way to a 20-5 win in seven innings in the series opener. The Bulldogs hammered out 19 hits in the game.
Morehead State dented the score board in the fifth. Designated hitter Alex Kean led off with a double and was put out at third base on second baseman Jaden Correa's fielder's choice. Shortstop Nick Griffith singled to right to put runners on the corners to set the table. MSU third baseman Griffin Olson tagged a 2-1 pitch over the fence in right for a three-run home run.
Morehead State got two more runs in the sixth on Kean's two-run home run, he second clout of the season. Kean went 3-3 in the game with two runs batted in. Griffith went 2-3 with a run scored.
MSU starter Landon Waugh (0-3) took the loss.
Butler' Max Winders went the distance for the Bulldogs. He allowed five runs on nine hits, walked none and struck out seven Eagle batters.
It was Morehead State's turn to rattle the bats in the nightcap Friday. The Eagles plated two runs in the third inning to start the scoring. Center fielder Austyn Peak led off with a bunt single and scored on a double to right field by Kyle Krupp. Krupp later scored on a two-out single to center by Davis Germann.
The Eagles ran out 12 batters to the plate in a six-run fifth inning. Aubrey Kearns led off with a single center, and advanced on a two-base error by the Butler right fielder on Germann's drive. Kean delivered with an RBI single on the ninth pitch of the at bat to score Kearns.
After Griffith walked, Correa belted a two-run single to left to drive in Germann and Kean. Olson walked to load the bases again, and Griffith scored from third on a wild pitch. Peak hit a comebacker to the pitcher to reach on a fielder's choice as Correa was retired at the plate.
Krupp delivered an RBI single to right field to score Olson and move Peak to third base. Caden Sheridan scored Peak with a sacrifice fly to center.
Butler responded in the bottom of the inning with a three-run home run by shortstop Logan Crock to cut the MSU lead to 8-3.
The Eagles got one of those runs back without recording a hit in the sixth. Correa reached on a fielder's choice and Olson was hit by a pitch with two outs to put runners on first and second. Morehead State put on a double steal and Correa scored on an error by the Butler second baseman.
Butler scored a run in the bottom of the sixth but left three runners on base when Devin Costa came out of the bullpen to put out the fire.
Morehead State broke the game wide open in the seventh inning with five more runs. Krupp led off with a triple in the gap in left center. Sheridan drove him home with a sacrifice flu to left. After Kearns walked and Germann reached on an infield hit, Kean delivered a two-run double to center. Griffith followed Kean with his first home run of the season and stretch the lead out 14-4.
Butler got two runs in the bottom of the seventh on two doubles and a sacrifice fly. The Eagles got both of those run back in the eighth on a two-out throwing error by Butler.
MSU starter Kamden Hawks (1-1) picked up the win with a solid start. He threw five innings, allowing four runs on three hits. He walked four Butler batters and struck out eight. Josh Furtado closed out the game throwing two shutout innings allowing one hit and one walk while posting three strikeouts.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 8, MILWAUKEE 2
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri (8-7) secured an 8-2 victory over Milwaukee (2-11) on Friday night at Capaha Field. The Redhawks' offense was highlighted by a four-run sixth inning, contributing to its total of 11 hits in the game.
Milwaukee took an early lead in the first inning when Schmidt scored on a sacrifice fly by Marion, making it 1-0 through the first inning. The Redhawks remained scoreless.
In the third inning, Milwaukee extended its lead to 2-0 as Schmidt scored again, this time on an RBI single by Kibler.
Southeast Missouri got on the board in the fifth inning. Tank Sims scored on a bases-loaded walk drawn by Cal Sullivan, reducing the deficit to 2-1.
The sixth inning saw Southeast Missouri's offense come alive. Ryan Lopetegui walked, followed by a single from Carson Schrack. Sims then hit an RBI single to tie the game. Caleb Klein delivered a two-RBI single to put the Redhawks ahead, and Joe Hall's single, coupled with an error, brought Klein home, giving Southeast Missouri a 5-2 lead by the end of the inning.
In the seventh inning, the Redhawks capitalized on Milwaukee's defensive errors. Lopetegui scored from third on a throwing error, and Schrack scored on a sacrifice bunt by Brooks Kettering, extending the lead to 7-2.
Klein homered to left center in the eighth inning, adding another run for Southeast Missouri, making it 8-2.
Milwaukee was unable to score in the final innings, and the Redhawks secured the victory with a final score of 8-2. LHP Jackson Kranawetter picked up his second save of the season as he pitched the final 2.2 innings of the game.
KANSAS STATE 14, SIUE 5
MANHATTAN, Kan. - Terrick Thompson-Allen homered twice for SIUE and the two teams combined for seven home runs as Kansas State slugged past the Cougars 14-5 in the opener of a three-game series at Tointon Family Stadium.
The Wildcats loaded the bases with nobody out in the first. A.J. Evasco then homered to right to put Kansas State up 4-0.
Terrick Thompson-Allen responded for the Cougars in the second inning, with a two-run home run to the opposite field to cut the lead to 4-2.
K State sent nine to the plate in the second inning and scored four more times. Ty Smolinski and Bear Madilak hit back-to-back home runs to start the inning.
SIUE starter Jase Phillips (1-2) allowed eight runs over just 1.2 innings. He walked one and struck out one.
Joshua Heyder connected for his first home run of the year, a two-run home run, in the top of the third to cut the lead back to four (8-4).
A single run in the third and two in the fourth made it 11-4 Wildcats.
Thompson-Allen hit his second home run of the game in the sixth inning to cut the lead to 11-5. He was the only SIUE player to finish with more than a single hit.
Madilak hit his second home run of the game, a three-run shot, in the seventh for the final.
Madilak and Evasco each finished with two hits for Kansas State.
SOUTHERN INDIANA 5, YOUNGSTOWN STATE 2
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - University of Southern Indiana Baseball broke up a pitchers' duel with three runs in the seventh and two in the eighth to defeat Youngstown State, 5-2, Friday evening during the first game of the Holiday Inn Showcase at the USI Baseball Field. USI is 10-4 this season, while YSU goes to 1-11.
USI junior right-hander Abdriel Figueroa and YSU's senior left-hander Braden Gebhardt went toe-to-toe for the first six innings in a old fashion pitcher's duel. Figuerora blanked YSU on two hits and two walks, while striking out five. Gebhardt allowed three hits and two walks in addition to strikingout four.
USI would break up the scoreless deadlock in the bottom of the seventh. USI junior second baseman Zion Stephens pushed the first two runs across with a two-run single before scoring the third run of the game on an attempted double-steal with junior leftfielder Dan DeWees for the 3-0 lead. Stephens and DeWees were the only two Screaming Eagles to post a pair of hits in the series opener.
The Screaming Eagles increased the lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the eighth when junior rightfielder Ethan Rothschild scored on an error and senior first baseman Patrick McLellan scored on a sacrifice fly. The Penguins would close the gap in the top of the ninth before graduate right-hander Nathan Anderson closed the door for his third save of the season.
The USI winning pitcher in the game was junior right-hander Levin East in relief. East (1-1) threw one inning, allowing a hit and striking out two to earn the victory.
IOWA 11, LINDENWOOD 5
IOWA CITY, Iowa - The Lindenwood baseball team (5-8, 0-0 OVC) dropped their series opener at Iowa (8-4, 0-0 Big Ten) by a score of 11-6 on Friday afternoon. The Hawkeyes scored eight runs in their final three at-bats to pull away for the win.
The Lindenwood bats combined for ten hits in the contest, led by Tyler Ellis with three hits including a pair of doubles. Charlie Isom-McCall also posted multiple hits with a 2-5, two-RBI outing.
Starting pitcher Josh Newell was tagged with his first loss of the season after allowing three earned runs on seven hits with four strikeouts.
The Hawkeyes opened the scoring with a three-hit, two-run bottom of the second. A leadoff single followed by a Max Burt double put a pair of runners in scoring position before a wild pitch allowed Mitch Wood to score the first run. Burt would come across shortly after on an RBI groundout down the third base line to put the Hawkeyes ahead 2-0.
Iowa would add another run in the bottom of the fifth with a Kooper Schulte solo homer before extending the lead to five with two more runs in the bottom of the sixth. as Jaylen Ziegler made the score 4-0 with an RBI triple before scoring on the throw down to second on a stolen base attempt.
Lindenwood responded in the top of the seventh with Tyler Ellis doubling to plate Ethan Cantareira, who had reached on a single to begin the inning. The Lions would cut the lead to just a pair later in the inning with a two-RBI base hit by Charlie Isom-McCall.
However, the Hawkeyes answered with a four-spot in the bottom of the frame that included a three-run homer off the bat of Mitch Wood before tacking on two more in the bottom of the eighth to extend the lead to 11-3.
Lindenwood would try to make a push in the bottom of the ninth with a two-RBI double from Kam Edwards followed by a Jake Radosevich solo home run to make the score 11-6, but the Lions were unable to sting together any more runs in the loss.
UT MARTIN 12-8, MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE 1-7
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team swept Mississippi Valley State with a 12-1 win in seven innings in Game 1 and an 8-7 victory in Game 2. The Skyhawks tallied 21 hits in both games combined. Saturday’s contest will be played at 3 p.m. and Sunday’s series finale is set for 12 p.m.
Game 1: UTM 12, MVSU 1 (7)
The Skyhawks (5-7) were led in hits by TJ Grines (three) who also tallied a home run, three RBIs and two doubles. Andrew Davis (RBI, two runs scored), Garner Anderson (double, two stolen bases, 2 RBIs), JT Popick (home run, three RBIs, stolen base) and Cameron Greene (run scored) notched multi-hit contests. Colten Payton (home run, two RBIs), TJ Dunsford (two runs scored), Cullen Box (walk) and Bo Strickland (run scored, walk) also contributed offensively to UT Martin’s third game with 10 or more runs this season.
Jacob Sitton (2-0) equaled his career-best in strikeouts (eight) and innings pitched (seven) for the second consecutive outing while also earning his first career complete game.
After Sitton worked a clean first frame, the Skyhawks started their offensive barrage. Grines led off the game with his first long ball of the season. Then it was Payton’s turn to go yard with a two-run shot. Popick added on to his season RBI total from a single to left center and Garner Anderson scored on a throwing error for a five-run first inning.
Sitton recorded back-to-back hitless innings which led to another five-run frame from UT Martin. Davis brought home Grines on a single through the left side to make it 6-0. Anderson doubled home two more runs and Popick smacked a homer to center field for a 10-0 advantage after two.
It was a perfect third and fourth frame for Sitton and more runs came across for the Orange and Blue in the home half of the fourth off a Grines two RBI double. The Delta Devils (2-8) would get their first hit of the contest in the fifth but were halted any further on a double play and strikeout looking.
Another double play by the Skyhawk defense ended the sixth and Sitton put the finishing touches on another quality start when the final batter of the inning popped out to the pitcher himself.
In game two, TJ Dunsford (double, home run, two runs scored) smacked three hits to lead the Skyhawks and drove in four runs while Colten Payton (RBI, two runs scored, double, stolen base) and Amari Conley (two doubles, run scored) captured multi-hit performances. Andrew Davis (double, two stolen bases) and Bo Strickland were able to swipe bags for the Skyhawks (6-7).
Will Turner (1-0, 3.1 innings pitched, one strikeout) got his first victory at UT Martin while Cason Sharp (one inning), Dean McCalla (1.2 innings, two strikeouts), Silas Jones (one inning) and Mason Little (save, two innings, one strikeout) pitched in relief.
Turner hung a zero on the board and after a Payton double and Dunsford two-run shot, the Skyhawks were up 3-0 at the end of the first. Mississippi Valley State (2-9) tacked on a run in the top of the third, but that was quickly answered by a Dunsford two-RBI single up the middle to make it 5-1 after three.
Leading by two runs in the home half of the fourth, Conley scored on a fielding error and Grines plated Strickland on a sacrifice fly to centerfield that gave the Skyhawks a 7-3 lead. McCalla faced a bases loaded jam in the top of the fifth and escaped after back-to-back strikeouts. In the bottom part of the frame, Dunsford scored on a wild pitch for an 8-4 advantage for the home team.
The Delta Devils were shut down in the ninth by Little who earned his second save of the season by finishing the game off on a foul out, punchout and flyout.
TENNESSEE TECH 5, GEORGIA SOUTHERN 2
STATESBORO, Ga. - Tennessee Tech used a four-run second inning and a strong outing on the mound from Garrett Holpuch to claim a 5-2 victory over Georgia Southern on Friday evening at J.I. Clements Stadium.
The Golden Eagles (7-6) scored five runs over the first two innings and held the Eagles at bay the rest of the way to secure the opener of the weekend series. Georgia Southern falls to 2-11 with the three-run loss.
Tech struck first in the top of the first inning when Jorsixt Jimenez doubled to left field, driving home Jackson Rooker, who had walked and stolen second earlier in the frame. Georgia Southern answered in the bottom half with an RBI double by Sean White to even the score at 1-1.
The Golden Eagles broke the game open in the second inning with four runs on four hits. Connor Crowson opened the rally with a walk before Manny Garza doubled to deep center to put two runners in scoring position. Aaron Moffitt followed with an RBI single to center, and Rooker added another RBI single to extend the lead. Later in the inning, Jimenez delivered again, tripling to right field to plate two more runs and give Tech a 5-1 advantage.
That early cushion was enough for Holpuch (2-0), who delivered 6.2 innings of work. The right-hander allowed two runs on eight hits while striking out three and walking none.
Georgia Southern trimmed the deficit to 5-2 in the seventh inning on an RBI single by Mason Gazaway, but starter turned reliever Jaxson Pease entered and shut the door. Pease tossed the final 2.1 innings without allowing a hit and struck out three to record his first save of the season.
Jimenez led the Golden Eagles at the plate, finishing 2-for-5 with three RBIs, including a double and a triple. Rooker reached base three times with a hit and two walks, scored twice, and drove in a run, while Moffitt added an RBI single.
Georgia Southern starter Carter DeGondea (0-1) took the loss after surrendering five runs in 1.2 innings.
CENTRAL ARKANSAS 7-2, LITTLE ROCK 1-8
CONWAY, Ark. - Little Rock faced Central Arkansas in a doubleheader Friday at Bear Stadium, splitting the first two games of the Governor's I-40 Showdown. The Trojans dropped the opener 7-1 before bouncing back for an 8-2 victory in the nightcap.
In the second game, Little Rock (7-7) capitalized on three Central Arkansas errors to secure the win over the Bears (9-6).
Brannon Westmoreland delivered a standout performance for the Trojans, tossing six scoreless innings while striking out eight. The right-hander scattered four hits and issued three walks to earn the win.
Nolan Freund led the Little Rock offense with three RBIs, finishing with two hits, including a double. Ty Rhoades scored three runs and collected two hits with a double, while Angel Cano crossed the plate twice and added a hit and a walk.
In the first game, Little Rock's lone run came in the opening inning. Kade Smith walked and moved to second on a single by Cade Martin. Cano then doubled to left-center, bringing Smith home to give the Trojans an early 1-0 lead.
Brigden Parker started on the mound for Little Rock and pitched four innings, allowing three runs on three hits while striking out two and walking two. Malcolm Brown followed with two innings, surrendering three runs on four hits with two strikeouts and no walks. Blake Van Cleve closed the game with two innings, allowing one run on two hits while recording two strikeouts and two walks.
Cano finished with two hits, including a double, and drove in the Trojans' only run of the opener. Jerdy Lopez added four defensive assists.