Life in the Valley

Missouri Valley Conference teams managed just 1 win in 6 games on the first Tuesday of the 2023 college baseball season. Here’s a look at today’s action:

Austin Peay State 14, Southern Illinois 13
In a wild and entertaining game at Clarksville, Tenn., the Salukis raced out to an early 6-0 lead but it didn’t hold up and the Governors escaped with a 1-run win. Down 6-0 in the bottom of the 3rd, the host Governors rallied for 6 runs to tie the game, chasing SIU starter Jordan Bloemer after 50 pitches (31 strikes, 62%) and 8 outs. Two were on when he left, but reliever Sam Replogle walked one to land the bases, then gave up a grand slam homer to 3B Michael Robinson to make it 6-6.

It was 9-8 Salukis going to the bottom of the 5th inning before the Governors added 4 more runs to take control for good, 12-9. SIU scored 2 runs in the 9th to get within a run, but Ryan Rodriguez (3-for-6) flied out to end the game. 1B Matt Schark also went 3-for-5 for the Salukis. RF Nathan Bandy homered twice for SIU, driving in 5 runs.

SIU hurlers threw 166 pitches in the game with just 95 for strikes (57%). Half of Austin Peay’s total batters in the game reached base in some form (24-for-48). Combined, there were only 5 scoreless half-innings in the game.

Indiana State 8, Florida Gulf Coast 7
Mike Sears hit a grand slam home run and added a 5th RBI on a 8th-inning single as Indiana State outlasted FGCU by a run. Sears hit his grand slam in the 6th inning, a 6-run frame that gave the Sycamores a 7-4 lead. But FGCU tied the game up in the 8th, before Sears’ single brought home what would be the game-winning RBI in the 8th. The game was played in Port Charlotte, Fla. Indiana State improved t to 2-1. The Sycamores used 9 pitchers in the win.

UT-Martin 5, Murray State 2
It’s been all Valley opponents so far for UT-Martin and the Skyhawks improved to 3-2 with today’s win over Murray. SS Riley Hawthorne, C Charlie Corum, and LF Cade Sammons all had 2 hits each for the Racers. But Murray State could only manage 2 runs off 10 total hits, leaving 10 men on base. The Racers fell to 1-3 on the season.

Kentucky 6, Evansville 3
The winless Purple Aces fell behind, 6-2, after 4 innings in Lexington but did a solid job of keeping themselves in the game. This included a bases-loaded, 0 out situation for the Wildcats in the 8th inning in which reliever Mike Hardman struck out 3 straight batters to keep the deficit at 3 runs. But UE was unable to mount a rally and fell to 0-4. 1B Eric Roberts went 3-for-4 with a run and RBI for Evansville.

SIU-Edwardsville 6, Illinois State 5 (10)
Brennan Orr scored on an error in the bottom of the 10th inning as SIUE walked off the Redbirds, 6-5. LF Daniel Pacella had 2 hits for Illinois State, including his 1st homer of the season, but he was the only Redbird with more than 1 hit on the afternoon. Illinois State pitchers surrendered 9 walks, hit a batter, and had 2 wild pitches.

Western Kentucky 9, Belmont 7
The Bruins fell to 2-3 on the season with today’s loss at WKU. SS Sam Kirkpatrick (.571) led Belmont with 3 hits, all singles. Eight of Belmont’s 10 hits in the game were singles. The Hilltoppers had 11 hits, including 3 doubles and a homer. The game was tied at 3-3 and 5-5 before Western Kentucky scored a single run in the 7th to take the lead for good.