FRIDAY'S SCORES
@Lindenwood 6, Tennessee Tech 5 (10)
@Morehead State 10, Western Illinois 8
Little Rock 15, @UT Martin 4
@Southeast Missouri 7, Southern Indiana 5
SIUE 3, @Eastern Illinois 2
LINDENWOOD 6, TENNESSEE TECH 5 (10)
ST. CHARLES, Mo. - It was the second walk-off in as many weeks – and the second home run in as many games – for Will Geary on Friday afternoon, as the freshman homered in the bottom of the tenth to give Lindenwood (27-22, 11-11 OVC) a 6-5 win in their series opener against Tennessee Tech (17-33, 5-17 OVC).
Geary recorded two hits in the game to register his fourth consecutive multi-hit outing. The Lions recorded a total of nine hits in the contest, with Jake Radosevich also posting a pair of knocks to match Geary for the team lead.
Aaron Jungers (6-0) picked up the win for Lindenwood after giving up no runs on just two hits with three strikeouts through the game's final 3.2 innings. Starting pitcher Josh Newell gave up three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts through 5.1 innings before exiting the game in the sixth.
It was a shaky start for Newell in the first, with Tennessee Tech taking control early with three runs on five hits in their first at-bat. The first three TTU batters recorded base hits, including an Owen Lee RBI single that plated the game's first run.
After a sacrifice bunt moved runners to second and third with one out, Manny Garza singled through the left side to tack on two more runs for the Golden Eagles.
However, Newell settled in and only allowed two hits through the next four and a third innings before being relieved by Ethan Smith, and in the bottom of the sixth, the Lindenwood bats put a two-out rally together to surge ahead.
After Owen Ralph was walked with one out, a Will Geary two-out single put runners on the corners for Jake Radosevich, who delivered a two-RBI base hit to left field to get LU on the board. Tanner Simpson then reached on an error to extend the inning before Sam Driscoll cleared the bases with a triple to right center that gave the Lions a 4-3 advantage.
Tennessee Tech would counter in the top of the seventh with two runs to retake the lead. Landon Smelser was hit by a pitch before coming around to score following back-to-back singles by Jorsixt Jiminez and Owen Lee, and after a second hit batter loaded the bases, a Manny Garza sacrifice fly to center field plated the go-ahead run for TTU.
The Lions would respond in the home half of the inning, with William Zareh doubling to lead off the frame before eventually coming home to score the tying run on a two-out fielding error in the Tech infield.
Lindenwood had an opportunity to end the game in the bottom of the ninth with Matt Graf on third with two outs but were unable to drive in the winning run as the contest was sent to extra innings.
However, following a three up, three down top of the tenth for Aaron Jungers , Will Geary took matters into his own hands with a towering leadoff home run to right field in the bottom of the tenth to walk off the game for the Lions.
MOREHEAD STATE 10, WESTERN ILLINOIS 8
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Recap coming soon.
LITTLE ROCK 15, UT MARTIN 4
MARTIN, Tenn. - Little Rock turned frustration into fireworks Friday night.
Fueled by a focused response after Tuesday's loss, the Trojans erupted for 17 hits and a season-high nine home runs in a dominant 15-4 victory over UT Martin at Skyhawk Baseball Field to open a pivotal Ohio Valley Conference road series.
Little Rock blasted a season-high nine home runs Friday night and overwhelmed UT Martin 15-4 in eight innings, pounding out 17 hits in a statement road victory to open the critical weekend series.
The Trojans improved to 29-21 overall and 15-7 in OVC play, staying firmly in the hunt near the top of the conference race while delivering one of their most explosive offensive performances of the season. Little Rock is now tied with Eastern Illinois for second in the OVC standings with SIUE a game ahead in first. SIUE beat EIU 3-2 Friday.
Little Rock wasted no time setting the tone. Angel Cano slammed a first-inning home run, and the Trojans never looked back.
After UT Martin answered with single runs in the first and second innings, Little Rock erupted for six runs in the third to seize complete control. Cano launched a two-run homer, Nolan Freund crushed a three-run shot and the Trojans suddenly owned a 7-2 advantage.
Curry said Cano's early swing helped ignite the entire lineup.
The power surge only intensified from there.
Cano finished with two home runs and three RBI, continuing his torrid stretch at the plate. Freund also homered twice and drove in four runs. Blake Simpson turned in a huge night in the middle of the lineup, going 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBI. Ty Rhoades went 3-for-4 with a home run, while Nico Baumbach added another blast as nearly the entire lineup joined the hit parade.
In all, seven different Trojans recorded multiple hits.
The Trojans broke the game open again in the sixth inning when Freund and Simpson delivered back-to-back home runs during a four-run frame that pushed the lead to 11-3. Little Rock added another run in the seventh before Chaplain's second homer of the night highlighted a three-run eighth inning.
While the offense stole the spotlight, the Trojans also got key work on the mound.
Brannon Westmoreland struck out seven over 4.2 innings before Josh Beezley provided valuable relief, allowing just one run over the final 3.1 innings while striking out four to earn the win.
UT Martin collected 12 hits but never mounted a serious comeback as Little Rock repeatedly answered every threat with another offensive explosion.
The Trojans finished with 15 runs on 17 hits while striking nine home runs — one of the most dominant offensive displays of the season.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 7, SOUTHERN INDIANA 5
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri Baseball (33-16, 13-9 OVC) secured a 7–5 victory over Southern Indiana (25-24, 8-14 OVC) on Friday night at Capaha Field. SEMO capitalized on a seven-run fourth inning to overcome Southern Indiana, which managed to score five runs on 12 hits.
The Redhawks secured a victory against Southern Indiana with a decisive fourth inning that propelled it to a 7–5 win. Southern Indiana opened the scoring in the top of the fourth inning when Drue Saenz homered to right field, bringing in two runs. Southeast Missouri responded forcefully in its half of the inning. Dakota Joggerst walked and scored on a double to left center by Carson Schrack. Tank Sims reached on a fielder's choice, allowing Schrack to score. Brooks Kettering doubled down the right-field line, and Caleb Klein's single to right field added two more runs. Ryan Lopetegui tripled to center, bringing home two runs, and later scored on Joggerst's single to center, capping a seven-run inning. This put Southeast Missouri ahead 7–2 after four innings.
Southern Indiana managed to add a run in the eighth inning when Gavin Boyle singled to right field, scoring Saenz. In the ninth inning, Southern Indiana continued to press. Caleb Slack scored on a double by Hayden Miller, and Miller crossed the plate on Saenz's RBI single.
SIUE 3, EASTERN ILLINOIS 2
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Chase Bloomer homered and drove in a pair of runs as SIUE baseball knocked off Eastern Illinois 3-2 to regain sole possession of first place in the Ohio Valley Conference.
SIUE improved to 16-6 in the OVC and 28-21 overall. The 28 wins match a program single season high at the Division I level.
Eastern Illinois is now 15-7 in the OVC and 28-16 overall. The loss is only the third this year at home for the Panthers.
The Panthers got on the board in the second inning, scoring an unearned run on a sacrifice fly by Quade Peters. Mike O'Conor homered in the fourth to extend the EIU lead to 2-0.
They were the only two runs allowed by SIUE starter Spencer Stearns who worked six innings. He walked one and struck out three.
Eastern Illinois starter Ty Conklin held the Cougars hitless through the first 5.1 innings, but the Cougars got to him with three hits in the sixth inning.
Cooper Eggert picked up SIUE's first hit with one out in the inning. Chase Bloomer drove home Eggert with a two-out single for SIUE's first run of the game. Mack Mitchell hit his 13th home run of the season in the seventh inning to even the score at 2-2.
Conklin allowed both two runs over seven innings. He did not walk a batter and struck out five.
Bloomer blasted his eighth home run of the year with two outs in the eighth to put SIUE in front 3-2. The homer came off EIU reliever James Geshel (3-3).
Joseph Martin (4-0) worked an inning and a third striking out three to earn the win. Easton Harris pitched the final inning and two-thirds to collect his league-leading 11th save of the year.
Both teams finished with five hits. Bloomer finished 2-4 and was the only player on either side with more than a single hit.