SIUE Wins Three, EIU Falls Twice

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- SIUE baseball scored seven runs over the first two innings Saturday and went on to a 7-2 win over Tennessee Tech in game two of a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series at Bush Stadium.

Tennessee Tech is now 10-10 overall and 4-4 in the OVC.

"It took the pressure off us early to come out and score those runs quickly," SIUE Head Coach Tony Stoecklin said.

The Cougars scored four times on five hits in the first inning. Parker Guinn, Skyler Geissinger, and Austin Verschoore each had RBI hits in the inning. Alec Saikal added a sacrifice fly as well. SIUE then tacked on three runs on a hit in the second inning. The Cougars were helped out by a pair of Tennessee Tech errors. Dustin Woodcock singled to drive in two in the second while Saikal added his second sacrifice fly of the game.

Effingham's Chase Green scored two runs for the winners.

SIUE scored seven unanswered runs Sunday to earn a 7-3 come-from-behind win over Tennessee Tech at Bush Stadium. The Cougars won the series and have won three consecutive Ohio Valley Conference series.

SIUE is now 8-1 in the OVC and 8-10 overall. Tennessee Tech dropped to 10-11 overall and 4-5 in the OVC.

"We showed a lot of toughness, a lot of character, and a lot of will to find a way to get it done," SIUE Head Coach Tony Stoecklin said. "Even without our starter giving us a quality start, we still found a way to get the job done and that's what winners do and that's the way we're playing."

Tennessee Tech first baseman hit a two-run home run in the first inning and Jake Farr picked up an RBI single in the second inning to put the Golden Eagles up 3-0. SIUE starter Mike Miller lasted just 1 2/3 innings. The three runs came on just two hits. He walked one and struck out one.

SIUE got its first run of the game in the top of the third. Mario Tursi singled to lead off the inning and advanced to third on a fielder's choice and an error. Collin Book drove in Tursi with a single to cut the advantage to two runs.

EIU Drops Pair Saturday

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. -- Eastern Illinois was edged in a pair of Ohio Valley Conference games on Saturday afternoon as Jacksonville State swept the weekend series winning a doubleheader 5-4 and 4-2.  

EIU fell to 0-17 overall, 0-6 in the OVC.  EIU will play its home opener on Tuesday against Southern Illinois with the Panthers scheduled to play six straight home games at Coaches Stadium.  JSU improved to 12-8 overall, 5-4 in the OVC.

GAME ONE

Jacksonville State made an early lead stand up in game one as the Gamecocks held on for a 5-4 win.  EIU rallied in the ninth scoring two runs on a Demetre Taylor single up the middle.  Travis Stout was able to work out of the jam to pick up his fourth save this season.

The Gamecocks took a 2-0 lead in the first inning against EIU starter Garrison Stenger (0-5).  Ryan Serba had the big hit with a two-run double. Serba was 2-for-4 in the game.

EIU freshman Cale Hennemann cut the lead in half in the fourth with an RBI double.  JSU extended the margin back to two runs in the bottom half of the fourth.

Josh Bobo gave JSU a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth as he scored on a double steal.  Bobo would hit a solo home run in the eighth going 2-for-2 for JSU.

The Panthers scored an unearned run in the seventh and threatened in the ninth on Taylor’s two run single with no outs.  Taylor was 2-for-4 for EIU.  Stout would get three straight outs after Taylor’s hit.
Tony Urban (3-2) picked up the win for JSU.

GAME TWO

EIU starter Jake Johansmeier worked deep into the game for the second straight start but allowed a leadoff triple in the bottom of the eighth that proved to be the winning run in the 4-2 loss.

Johansmeier (0-2) allowed three runs and scattered seven hits in seven plus innings on the mound.  Serba led off the eighth with a triple and came around to score against the EIU bullpen as Elliot McCummings had an RBI double.  Hayden White added a RBI single to give the Gamecocks some breathing room.

Graham Officer (2-0) worked two innings in relief for the win while Stout picked up his third save of the weekend and fifth of the season.

EIU took the lead in the first at Taylor tripled to score Brant Valach.  Taylor continued to swing a hot bat for the Panthers during the weekend hitting .700 at the plate as he was 2-for-3 in the night cap.

JSU tied the game in the bottom of the first on a Tyler Gamble RBI single up the middle.

EIU once again took the lead in the sixth as Jason Scholl singled to right scoring Valach for the second time in the game. JSU answered in the bottom of the inning with a Serba solo home run.