EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- Southern Indiana sophomore second baseman Kyle Niemeier drove in the game-winning run with a walk in the bottom of the ninth to lead the Screaming Eagles to a 2-1 victory against sixth-ranked Grand Valley State Friday evening at the USI Baseball Field. USI rises to .500 mark with a 2-2 mark, while GVSU starts the 2014 campaign 0-1.
The Eagles took the early 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when junior shortstop Matt Charvaria drove in senior designated hitter Jonathon Wandling with an RBI-single to left field. The one run would stand up until the ninth inning when the Lakers evened the score with a two-out single and set the stage for Niemeier in the ninth.
USI sophomore first baseman Andrew Cope doubled to start the bottom of the ninth and advanced to third after Wandling was given an intentional pass and Chavarria walked to load the bases. Niemeier gave USI the win after picking up the RBI with a 3-1 walk that drove in Cope.
On the mound, senior right-hander Brandon Shaw picked up the win after pitching one inning. Shaw (1-0) allowed a walk and the game-tying hit in the ninth.
USI junior right-hander Ben Wright was masterful through eight-plus inning, but earned a no-decision. Wright allowed four hits, one run, and one walk through his second outing of the year.
No. 1 Tampa 9, Albany State 4
TAMPA, Fla. -- Tampa off on Friday afternoon against the Albany State Golden Rams. UT came out with the win in decisive fashion with a score of 9-4.
The Spartans improve to 9-1 on the season while the Golden Rams drop to 5-10 on the year.
Senior slugger Tyler Ding finished the first game with a perfect 5-for-5 outing including two runs and four RBI. Second baseman Orlando Rivera and outfielder Michael Danner also smacked two hits; Rivera crossed the plate three times, while Danner added four RBIs.
The Spartans started off the match up scoring two runs in the first and never looked back. Tampa’s offense exploded in the fourth and fifth innings, scoring a combined seven runs in the two innings.
Right fielder Zach Gawrych began the Spartans scoring spree in the fourth with a single to right field. Rivera and Ding followed up with two singles of their own to put Tampa up 4-0. The scoring spurt continued as Danner crushed the ball to deep left center, scoring Ding and Rivera to increase the lead to 6-0.
The fifth inning was much of the same for Tampa as Tillotson began with a lead-off single. Rivera, Ding, and Danner then followed with singles of their own to extend the score to 9-0.
The Golden Rams made an attempt at a comeback in the sixth scoring three runs and added another in the seventh. Left fielder Jacob Campbell went 3-for-5 in the game, while Sable Gilliard went 2-for-3 including two RBI.
Sophomore transfer Trey Oest (4-0) earned his fourth win of 2014, tossing five scoreless innings of three-hit ball. He struck out six batters en route to the victory. Reliever Jake Mielock picked up the save, throwing the final four innings, allowing four runs and striking out eight batters.
Albany State starting pitcher Ryan Latner was tabbed with the loss, throwing three and a third innings, allowing six runs on seven hits. Reliever Cullen Coulter, pitched four and two thirds, including four strike outs.
Due to weather the second game of the series will continue on Saturday at the UT Baseball Field. The score is tied at 1-1, in the bottom of the third inning. After the conclusion of the game, the two teams will face off again to complete the series.
No. 5 Southern Arkansas 3, Northwestern Oklahoma 1
No. 5 Southern Arkansas 7, Northwestern Oklahoma 6
MAGNOLIA, Ark. -- Southern Arkansas baseball team showed a tremendous amount of resilience on Friday as they picked up a doubleheader sweep of Northwestern Oklahoma in Great American Conference play inside Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field.
In the opener, the Muleriders (11-2, 4-1 GAC) came out on top of a great pitcher's duel by a score of 3-1 and in the nightcap, SAU overcame a 5-0 deficit to claim a 7-6 win.
No. 7 St. Cloud State 3, Quincy 2 (12 innings)
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. -- St. Cloud State (1-0, 0-0 NSIC) opened its 2014 season with a thrilling 3-2 victory in 12 innings against Quincy (0-2) on Friday. The game was played on the home field of Arkansas Tech, which is hosting SCSU and Quincy this weekend in a series of games.
The Huskies won the game in the bottom of the 12th inning. Brandon Arnold got the inning rolling for the Huskies with a double down the rightfield line. Pitcher Reese Gregory then won the game for himself with a single to right center that brough home the winning run.
In the second inning, SCSU broke a scoreless game with a pair of runs to make it 2-0. Zach Hoffmann opened the inning with a double and then Travis Enger singles to put runners at first and third. Zak Hoffman then doubled to bring home Hoffmann and Enger.
Quincy added solo runs in the fifth and sixth innings to tie the game before SCSU's 12th inning offense won the game.
Gregory was the winning pitcher with one hit allowed and three strikeouts in the final four innings of the game. Corey Fitzgerald charted five strikeouts and allowed three hits and two runs in the first 5.2 innings of play, while Chris Kubitz notched three strikeouts in 2.1 innings of middle relief work for the Huskies.
In the game, SCSU outhit Quincy 10-7. Mike Jurgella, Enger and Arnold all had two hits apiece for the Huskies in the game.
No. 8 Florida Tech 4, Palm Beach Atlantic 2
MELBOURNE, Fla. -- Florida Tech began a three-game series on Friday night when it hosted the Sailfish of Palm Beach Atlantic. After the start of the game was delayed for lightning, The Panthers used a big fourth inning to defeat the Sailfish 4-2. The win extended the Panther’s winning streak to six.
The Panthers (10-1) wasted little time in getting on the scoreboard. Sophomore Austin Allen put the Panthers on the board when he sent the ball to visit the palm trees beyond the wall in right center. The home run was the first of the season for Allen, and put the Panthers up 1-0.
Leading by a run, the Panthers added to their advantage in the fourth inning. Allen added another big hit when he brought home senior Jorge Chavarria with a double to left-center. Freshman Grant McKown then brought home Allen with a base hit to left field. Later in the inning senior Jimmie Koch brought home junior Kevin Wortman with a single to right. The runs gave the Panthers a 4-0 lead.
The Sailfish (4-5-1) got back into the game with two runs in the fifth inning. Ryan Gerber was able to score off an error, and Joel Buchko scored off a base hit from Ryan Drew. The 4-2 score was as close as Palm Beach Atlantic would get, as the Panthers kept them scoreless the next four innings, and earned the win.
Junior Ashton Fronsoe (2-0) picked up the win for the Panthers. Fronsoe pitched five innings, allowed seven hits, two unearned runs, walked one, and struck out four. Junior Jerrod Leinhauser pitched the final 2.1 innings for the Panthers, and earned his first save of the season.
Kennie Silvestri (2-1) suffered the loss for PBA. Silvestri pitched 5.2 innings, gave up four earned runs, and struck out three.
No. 10 St. Edwards 5, Oklahoma Christian 2
Oklahoma Christian 13, No. 10 St. Edward's 8
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- St. Edward's opened Heartland Conference play splitting a doubleheader with Oklahoma Christian on Friday afternoon at Dobson Field. Wes Koenig drove in all five runs to lead the Hilltoppers to a 5-2 victory in game one, but lost a 7-1 lead in game two falling 13-8.
In the first game, St. Edward's (8-5, 1-1 HC) opened the scoring in the first inning with a run. Koenig, who came in with at least one hit in every game this season, wasted little time as he drove in the game's first run with a single.
The Hilltoppers would add three more runs in the second inning on a three-run blast by Koenig. Kevin Mayo and Cutter Runte scored on the homer by getting on with a single and walk respectively.
Oklahoma Christian (4-2, 1-1 HC) would get two runs back with single runs in both the second and third innings. They would homer in the second inning and get an unearned run in the third inning.
St. Edward's answered in the top of the fourth inning when Koenig struck again. The designated hitter laced a two-out single to right field to score GABLE WHITACRE and make the score 5-2.
That is how the game would end as Hilltopper starting pitcher Brannon Easterling (2-2) picked up his second consecutive victory. He allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits, while walking one and striking out seven in his fourth consecutive complete game.
In game two, St. Edward's started out hot once again. The Hilltoppers got RBI-singles from Dylan Watts and Myles Wright to take a 2-0 lead.
The Eagles would cut the lead in half with a single run in the bottom of the first inning on a sacrifice fly.
The Hilltoppers would add to the lead with two runs in the third inning and three in the fourth to make it 7-1. Watts had an RBI in both innings, while Runte and Ransom LaLonde each picked up an RBI.
Oklahoma Christian fought back, pushing across four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Eagles would tally five hits during the inning and get back into the game, 7-5.
Both teams were held scoreless for the fifth and sixth innings. In the seventh inning, Whitacre would make it 8-5 with a two-out RBI-single. The Eagles also tallied a run in the bottom of the seventh to cut the lead to 8-6.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Eagles took over the game, registering seven runs on seven hits while the Hilltoppers used three pitchers.
St. Edward's could not get anything going in the ninth as it split the twinbill with the Eagles.
For the doubleheader, Koenig led the offense, going 6-for-8 with five RBI and four runs scored. Whitacre also had a strong day, going 4-for-8 with three runs scored, and also throwing out two baserunners.
