FRIDAY'S SCORES
Eastern Illinois 9, @UT Martin 7
Little Rock 2, @Lindenwood 0
@Morehead State 4, Southern Indiana 3
@Southeast Missouri 10, SIUE 3
Western Illinois 8, @Tennessee Tech 6
EASTERN ILLINOIS 9, UT MARTIN 7
MARTIN, Tenn. - Eastern Illinois tallies six runs in the third inning and avoids a UT Martin comeback to earn a series opening victory. EIU improves to 23-14 (11-5 OVC), while the Skyhawks drop to 20-21 (6-10 OVC). Tyler Conklin earned his 24th career win at Eastern Illinois, breaking the program record for most career wins in a Panthers uniform.
EIU surrendered the first run of the game but quickly rebounded for six runs in the third inning.
In the third inning, Tyler Castro got the offense rolling with a single through the right side of the infield. After Brett Stanley walked, Chris Worcester scored the Panthers' first run with an RBI double to left field, scoring Castro.
Moments later, James Love extended his on-base streak to 41 games with a walk to load the bases. Ethan Rossi cleared the bases with a three-RBI double to right field, extending the lead to 4-1.
The bases were cleared once again as Mike O'Conor hit a deep left-field home run to score the fifth and sixth runs for Eastern Illinois.
The Skyhawks charged their way back into the game with a run in the fourth inning and found life in the sixth inning, scoring three runs. UT Martin's TJ Grines hit a two-run homer to left field, causing an EIU mound visit. The Skyhawks capitalized on the Panthers' defensive miscues, scoring from second base on a throwing error by Worcester to cut the EIU lead to one.
However, Eastern Illinois pushed away in the 9th inning with needed insurance runs to complete the game-one victory. Castro opened the inning with another single through the right side of the infield.
Worcester was intentionally walked, which was a mistake because the next play, Love smashed a double to right center, collecting two RBIs by driving in Castro and Worcester.
O'Conor earned his third RBI of the night with a double to left field, scoring Love for the third run in the inning.
UT Martin had the Panthers on the edge of their seats, scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning. However, James Geshel held on for his 8th save of the season.
On the mound, Tyler Conklin moved to 7-2 on the season, throwing 5.2 innings, allowing five runs on eight hits. With the win, Conklin broke the program record for the most career wins at Eastern Illinois with 24.
Offensively, three Panthers added a multi-hit game to their season total: O'Conor (9), Castro (10), and Rossi (6).
LITTLE ROCK 2, LINDENWOOD 0
ST. CHARLES, Mo. - In a Friday night showdown between two of the Ohio Valley Conference's top arms, Little Rock rode its ace and played near-flawless baseball to secure a 2-0 shutout over Lindenwood at the Lou Brock Sports Complex. The game took just 1 hour, 52 minutes to complete.
The Trojans (26-17, 12-4 OVC) extended their winning streak to six games, continuing their climb atop the conference standings with a complete effort on the mound, at the plate and in the field. The win also snapped Lindenwood's eight-game winning streak.
It started with Brannon Westmoreland, who delivered another dominant outing. The right-hander tossed a complete-game shutout, allowing just six hits while striking out five and walking one.
Westmoreland has elevated his game down the stretch, turning in two shutouts over his last three starts against top competition.
Even after hitting the first batter he faced, Westmoreland quickly settled in and took control.
With runs at a premium against Lindenwood starter Josh Newell, the Trojans capitalized when it mattered.
Little Rock broke through in the fifth inning as Cade Martin launched a solo home run to give the Trojans the lead. Martin continued to impact the game, adding a double later and finishing 2-for-3 while scoring both runs.
The Trojans manufactured an insurance run in the late innings with textbook execution. Martin's double set the table before Cooper Chaplain delivered a key at-bat to move him over. With the infield drawn in, Jerdy Lopez drove in the run with a backside sacrifice fly.
Little Rock totaled nine hits on the night, with Easton Roe adding a 2-for-3 performance, while Lopez, Angel Cano, Nolan Freund and Ty Rhoades each chipped in hits.
Defensively, the Trojans were just as sharp, committing no errors and backing Westmoreland with clean, efficient play.
Lindenwood (22-19, 8-8 OVC) threatened at times but could not solve Westmoreland, who worked efficiently and never allowed the Lions to gain momentum.
MOREHEAD STATE 4, SOUTHERN INDIANA 3
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Ian McCubbin delivered a towering liner over the screen in center field in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Morehead State baseball team to a 4-3 win over Southern Indiana in the series opener Friday night at Allen Field in Prefontaine Park in Morehead.
Southern Indiana (23-20, 6-10 OVC) plated two runs in the top of the eighth to take a 3-2 lead, it's first advantage of the game, setting up the Eagle heroics.
Morehead State (20-21, 6-10 OVC) shortstop Griffin Olson led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a ground-rule double into the right-field corner. McCubbin jumped on the first pitch he saw and drove a liner over the screen in center field that traveled 364 feet and put the Eagles on top 4-3.
Alex Miller (1-0) picked up the win. After getting the final two outs of the eighth inning, he pitched a scoreless ninth, striking out the final two batters of the game. Miller allowed one hit, walked one and notched four strikeouts.
Eagle starter Callum McGill was solid for MSU. He threw five and one-third innings, allowing one earned run on four hits and two walks. He notched on strikeout.
Morehead State got on the scoreboard in the first inning. Left fielder Davis Germann led off and was hit by the first pitch of the game by USI starter Ryan Weller. He scored when McCubbin delivered a two-out single sharply hit up the middle to give the Eagles an early 1-0 lead.
MSU added another run in the third inning. Olson drilled a liner high off the screen down the right field line for a two-out triple. He scored on Aubrey Kearns' single up the middle and the Eagles led 2 0.
Southern Indiana hit the scoring column in the sixth on a one-out walk followed by a double down the left-field line by USI shortstop Clayton Slack, to chase McGill. MSU reliever Devin Costa enticed a fly ball to left center that was caught by Germann who threw to third base to cut down Slack attempting to advance to end the threat.
USI got two runs in the eighth to take the lead. A pair of one-out singles and a wild pitch put runners on second and third. A single by Slack and a safety squeeze bunt by USI left fielder Noah Foster put USI ahead 3-2, setting up McCubbin's heroics.
Southern Indiana reliever Andres Gonzalez (1-1) took the loss, giving up McCubbin's homer in the eighth.
USI starter Weller was effective, throwing seven innings, allowing two earned runs while scattering five hits and walking three. He notched seven strikeouts.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 10, SIUE 3
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri Baseball (30-12, 11-5 OVC) secured a decisive 10-3 victory over SIUE (22-20, 11-5 OVC) on Friday night at Capaha Field. The Redhawks recorded three home runs and a complete game gem from RHP Nathan Mertens (4-2), allowing just four hits.
In the fourth inning, SEMO took the lead when Joe Hall homered to right center. Ryan Lopetegui reached on an error, and Dakota Joggerst followed with a double, placing runners in scoring position. Carson Schrack grounded out, allowing Lopetegui to score, making it 2-1 in favor of the Redhawks.
The momentum continued in the fifth inning as Tank Sims homered to extend the lead. Brooks Kettering singled, and Caleb Klein was hit by a pitch. After a single from Cal Sullivan, Joe Hall delivered a grand slam, furthering the lead to 7-1.
In the seventh, Hall doubled and was brought home by Lopetegui's double the very next batter. Joggerst walked, setting up Schrack for a bases-loaded walk to score another run. Sims' sacrifice fly brought in Lopetegui, increasing the lead to 9-1.
The eighth inning saw Klein scoring after being hit by a pitch, advancing on a wild pitch, and scoring on Joggerst's single, making it 10-1.
SIUE managed to add two runs in the ninth with a two-run homer by Niedzwiedz, but the Redhawks secured a 10-3 victory.
WESTERN ILLINOIS 8, TENNESSEE TECH 6
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Recap coming soon.