SIUE, EIU Compete In Weekend Baseball

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay scored six runs in the sixth inning Saturday to erase a 3-0 deficit and went on to a 9-5 win over SIUE in Ohio Valley Conference baseball at Raymond C. Hand Park.

The Cougars dropped to 16-10 in OVC play and 17-26 overall. Austin Peay is now 15-14 in the OVC and 24-24 overall.

The Cougars built a 3-0 lead thanks to Jacob Stewart. Parker Guinn singled to lead off the third inning before Stewart connected on a two-run home run. In the fifth inning Guinn led off with a triple and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Stewart. Stewart was 1 for 3 for the game. The homer was the second in as many games for the Cougar third baseman. Guinn was 2 for 3.

"The bright spot today is that Stewart played well," SIUE Head Coach Tony Stoecklin said. "He has played good defense and taken good at-bats."

Jarrett Bednar started and pitched five scoreless innings before running into trouble in the sixth. Josh Wilson hit a two-run home run off of Bednar and then Alex Robles followed with a single to chase the Cougars right-hander. He worked 5 2/3 innings allowing three runs on six hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out a career-high six hitters.

"Jarret pitched well today," Stoecklin said. "He gave us every opportunity to win that game."

Ryan Agnitsch relieved Bednar and walked the first two hitters he faced. Patrick Massoni then singled to drive in two to put Austin Peay on top 4-3. Clayton Smithson and Ridge Smith then added back-to-back RBI singles to make it 6-3 Austin Peay after six.

Smith and Garrett Copeland each had two hits for APSU.

"It's frustrating," Stoecklin said of allowing the big inning.

The Governors used two hits, including a two-run home run by Dre Gleason, and a passed ball to score three times in the 7th to make it 9-3. Agnitsch allowed six runs on five hits over 2 1/3 innings of relief work. He suffered the loss to drop to 2-3.

Chase Green, Effingham High School graduate, picked up an RBI-double in the eighth inning and then scored later in the inning on a ground ball double play.

Jared Carkuff earned the win for the Governors. He tossed eight innings allowing five, four earned, onsix hits. He struck out four and improved to 5-5.

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – SIUE baseball clinched a spot in the 2015 Ohio Valley Conference tournament Sunday thanks to a 9-8 come-from-behind win over Austin Peay at Raymond C. Hand Park.

The Cougars won two of three from the Governors and improved to 17-10 in the OVC. The 17 wins are the most for the Cougars since joining the conference. SIUE currently is in third place, just a game behind Morehead State for second place and one of two byes in the tournament. The Cougars are 18-26 overall.

Austin Peay fell to 24-25 overall and 15-15 in the OVC. The Governors currently are sixth in the OVC. The top six teams make up the field for the OVC tournament which takes place May 20-24 in Jackson, Tennessee.

The Cougars scored three two-out runs in the top of the ninth inning. SIUE had two hits in the inning and was helped by three Austin Peay errors.

Trailing 8-6 going into the inning, Dustin Woodcock drew a one-out walk. With two outs in the inning, Denton Reed reached on an error by the Govs' shortstop Clayton Smithson. Nick Lombardo followed with a single to center which brought in Woodcock. The ball got by the APSU centerfielder Chase Hamilton and went to the wall allowing Reed to score and Lombardo to get to third base. Smithson bobbled the relay throw from the outfield which allowed Lombardo to score, giving SIUE the 9-8 lead.

"It's a testament to our guys the way they fought and never gave up," SIUE Head Coach Tony Stoecklin said. "We didn't necessarily play our best baseball but we played a hard nine innings."

Lombardo finished the game 2 for 5 with two RBIs and three runs. Reed was 3 for 5 with the run scored.

SIUE got out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Lombardo led off with a single before APSU starter John Sparks walked the next three hitters. Alec Saikal was the third to walk, forcing in a run. Parker Guinn followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0. Skyler Geissinger singled to put the Cougars up 3-0.

Keaton Wright made it 4-0 SIUE with a groundout in the second inning.

Austin Peay scored twice in the second inning and four times in the third inning to take a 6-4 lead and chase SIUE starter Ryan Daniels. Daniels allowed six runs, four earned on six hits. He walked five and struck out four.

Zach Malach and Brett Thomas combined to throw the final six innings. Malach allowed a run in 3 1/3 innings. He allowed four hits, struck out two, and did not walk a batter. Thomas allowed a run over 2 2/3 innings. He allowed two hits and struck out one. Thomas earned the win in relief to improve to 3-2.

"Zach and Brett did a fantastic job when we need it," Stoecklin said.

Both teams scored a run in the fifth inning, making it 7-5 Austin Peay after five innings. Chase Green opened the eighth inning for the Cougars with his third home run of the year to cut the lead to one. Green finished 3 for 5 for the Cougars.

The Govs answered with a run in the bottom of the eighth and led 8-6 after eight.

The Cougars will play a nonconference game at Indiana State Tuesday and then finish OVC play with a home series with Eastern Illinois Thursday-Saturday at Simmons Complex.

EIU, UT Martin Split

Eastern Illinois and UT Martin split the final two games of their weekend Ohio Valley Conference series with Saturday’s game being resumed on Sunday morning following a rain delay in the bottom of the fifth inning. UTM won the first game 4-2 to clinch the series. EIU would come back in the final game on Sunday and win 2-0 to send its eight seniors out with a home win.

EIU is now 12-33 overall, 8-19 in the OVC. The Panthers will play Tuesday at Butler and wrap up the regular season with a three-game series at SIU Edwardsville. UTM is now 17-32, 9-18 in the OVC.

EIU honored its eight seniors prior to Sunday’s game. The 2015 EIU Senior Class includes Adam Casson, John Devito, Andrew Grahn, Caleb Howell, Dane Sauer, Christian Slazinik, Garrison Stenger and Brant Valach.

GAME ONE (carried over from Saturday) UTM 4, EIU 2.

The Skyhawks scored two runs in the first inning with Andrew Castillo hitting a solo home run to open the game. Andrew Massey had an RBI single for the second run of the first inning.

EIU scored two runs in the bottom of the second to tie the game at 2-2. Dane Sauer drove in the first run with a single to left field. Adam Casson then followed with a sacrifice fly.

UTM took the lead in the top of the fifth as Matt Hirsch scored on a wild pitch after reaching on a double to right field.

Carter Smith (4-8) worked 5.2 innings on Saturday and came back to pitch through the seventh for UTM to pick up the win. Alex Martin picked up his first save of the season with two innings of relief.

Matt Wivinis (2-8) pitched five strong innings on Saturday and did not return on Sunday. He left the game trailing 3-2 and was tagged with the loss.

UTM added one run on Sunday as Austin Taylor had a bases loaded walk in the ninth. Castillo, Taylor Douglas, Massey and Isaac Carrel all had two hits for UTM.

Demetre Taylor was 3-for-4 in the opener for EIU while Valach and Joseph Duncan each had two hits.

GAME TWO EIU 2, UTM 0

Andy Fisher (2-3) was sharp through 5.2 innings with Slazinik and Chase Thurston closing out the remainder of the game. Fisher picked up his second seven inning game win this season while Thurston collected his fourth save.

EIU scored in the first with Duncan leading off with a single. He would come around to score on a base hit by Demetre Taylor. EIU finished with seven hits, all by different players.

The Panthers second run was off the bat of Valach as he had an RBI single to center in the third inning.

Alex Martin (3-6) picked up the loss starting game after closing the first game. Castillo and Nico Zych each had two of the Skyhawks six hits.

Howell was 1-for-2 for EIU as he is hitting .402 for the season.