Life in the Valley

Racers Improve to 3-0; Salukis Take Series from Tennessee Tech

I got to say it was a good day.

Nothing icy about Monday’s Missouri Valley Conference baseball results, as the league’s teams swept the 2-game slate, with Southern Illinois downing Tennessee Tech, 10-4, while Murray State scored the tying run in the bottom of the 9th inning, then won the game in the 12th, defeating visiting Western Kentucky, 2-1.

The Racers improved to 3-0 with the win. SIU is now back to .500 at 3-3 after taking 2 of 3 at Tennessee Tech, which was undefeated at the start of the weekend. TTU and Western Kentucky have combined records of 11-3.

At Cookeville, Tenn., SIU found itself embroiled in a tight game through 7 innings, with the Salukis clinging to a 5-4 lead. But SIU broke it open with 2 big swings in the late going. In the 8th, RF Kaleb Hall lashed a 2-run triple, scoring Gabe Petrucelli and Cecil Lofton. Hall had 3 hits and 3 RBIs in the win. Lofton slugged in the 9th, hitting a 3-run homer that also scored Jordan Bach and Jaxon Holder to complete the scoring. Holder and Bach each had 2 hits.

Bach lead the Salukis in hitting at .407, collecting 11 hits in 6 games. Lofton has 3 doubles and 2 homers in the first 6 games, a .654 slugging percentage, and a 1.011 OPS to go with a .308 average. He leads the team in runs scored with 8.

Meade Johnson gave SIU a decent midweek start, giving up 2 runs on just 2 hits in 4 innings, with 2 walks and 3 strikeouts. Dylan Petrey and Sam Frizzi combined to throw the final 4 scoreless innings, shutting down any thoughts of a Tennessee Tech comeback.

Petrey, a redshirt junior from Pingree Grove, Ill., who previously attended McHenry County Community College, hasn’t allowed a run yet in 6 1/3 innings over 2 appearances, striking out 6 and carrying an 0.95 WHIP. Frizzi is also unscored upon in 3 appearances spanning 3 innings. As a team, Southern Illinois is sporting a fantastic 2.82 ERA with a 1.20 team WHIP. The Salukis have also only allowed 2 homers so far this season.

SIU looks to move above the .500 mark today at Arkansas State (3 p.m., ESPN+).

Murray State 2, Western Kentucky 1 (12 innings): Dan Tauken singled home the winning run in the bottom of the 12th inning to lead Murray State past Western Kentucky, 2-1. Taken singled home Carson Garner with the winner. Murray (3-0) trailed 1-0 for much of the game, but tied it up in the 9th when Dustin Mercer reached on a fielder’s choice and Luke Mistone scored.

Each team collected just 6 hits on the day. Garner and Jonathan Hogart doubled for Murray State. Conner Cunningham had a painful outing for the Racers, getting hit by WKU pitchers twice. Hilltoppers pitchers fanned 13 Racers. But the Racers only waked 2, while 5 Murray batters reached base with free passes.

Murray is still averaging 9.3 runs per game offensively, with 31 hits through 3 games. Will Vierling leads in the power department with 3 homers, while Hogart’s .444 batting averages tops the lineup. Murray State’s team ERA through 3 games is a paltry 0.96.

The Racers host Tennessee-Martin today at 2 p.m. No video is scheduled.

Tuesday’s Menu: All games weather permitting and all times Central. Video streaming information is the best I can round up at the time of writing.

Illinois State at Ball State, 1 p.m. (Ball State Streaming)
Tennessee-Martin at Murray State, 2 p.m. (none)
Southern Illinois at Arkansas State, 3, ESPN+
Belmont at Lipscomb, 3 p.m., ESPN+
Evansville at Kentucky, 3 p.m., SECN+
Missouri State at Oral Roberts, 3 p.m., Summit League Network ($$)
Point Park at UIC, 4 p.m. (none)
Indiana State at Bethune-Cookman, 7 p.m., Cateye Network on YouTube

Ed Morgans is the founder of MVCBaseball.com. An Evansville graduate, Ed has written about and broadcast college baseball, while following the sport for 40 years.