Macon Smith

NCAA roundup: EKU wins; WKU beats Murray State

College Baseball

Recaps and highlights from Wednesday Kentucky college baseball action:

  • You can read the recap of Western Kentucky University‘s 3-2 win over Murray State University here.
  • Two different Colonel batters tallied four hits to lead Eastern Kentucky University to a 5-4 win over Ohio. Senior first baseman A. J. Jamison was 4-5 with two RBI, one run scored, one walk and two stolen bases, and freshman third baseman Bryan Soloman was 4-5 with one double and one RBI. Senior right-handed pitcher Macon Smith was credited with the win after surrendering one run on two hits in one and two-third innings, and senior right-handed pitcher Ryne Purcell pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his third save. (Box Score)

Hitter of the day: 1B A. J. Jamison (EKU)

  • Stats: 4-5, 1 BB, 2 RBI, 1 R, 2 SBs
  • Honorable Mention: Matt Rice (WKU), Kes Carter (WKU), Ty Stetson (Murray St.), Jacob Rhodes (Murray St.), Bryan Soloman (EKU)

Pitcher of the day: RHP Rye Davis (WKU)

  • Stats: ND, 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO
  • Honorable Mention: Luke Shuemaker (Murray St.), Paul Duncan (EKU)

EKU, Murray St. struggle to score runs in Wednesday losses

College Baseball

Recaps and highlights from Wednesday Kentucky college baseball action:

  • Eastern Kentucky University junior right-handed pitcher Matt Fyffe surrendered two runs in four innings in his first start since 2009, but his effort wasn’t enough to prevent a 5-0 loss to Western Carolina. Fyffe surrendered six hits in four innings and struck out four while walking one. At the plate the Colonels tallied just two hits, a double by junior shortstop Richie Rodriguez and a triple by senior center fielder Ryan Faidley. Senior right-handed pitchers Macon Smith and Jim Clancy each pitched two scoreless innings out of the EKU bullpen. (Box Score)
  • In his first start for Murray State University junior left-handed pitcher Bryan Babin surrendered just one unearned run in seven innings, but Arkansas St. scored four runs in the ninth inning to send the Breds to a 5-1 loss. Babin surrendered four hits in seven innings and struck out five batters while walking three. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Will Handlin took the loss after surrendering two runs in one inning of work. Redshirt freshman right fielder Brandon Eggenschwiler and senior center fielder Elliot Frey both tallied two hits in the game. Senior first baseman Drew Pixley scored Murray St.’s only run. (Read more)

Pitcher of the day: LHP Bryan Babin (Murray St.)

  • Stats: 0-0, 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO
  • Honorable Mention: Jim Clancy (EKU), Matt Fyffe (EKU)

Hitter of the day: CF Elliot Frey (Murray St.)

  • Stats: 2-2, 1 2B
  • Honorable Mention: Brandon Eggenschwiler (Murray St.)

College Opening Day recap and awards

College Baseball

BluGrass Baseball graphic

During most of the regular-season weekends we will publish a summary post of each day’s Kentucky baseball action instead of recapping each individual game. Since Friday was Opening Day I posted a recap of each game but still owe you a pitcher and player of the day. Check out some of the state’s top Opening Day performances below:

Player of the Day: OF Ryan Hutchinson (WKU)

  • Stats: 2-4, 1 3B, 3 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB
  • Honorable Mention: Jared Andreoli (WKU), Matt Rice (WKU), Bryan Soloman (EKU), Brandon Elliott (Murray St.), Zach Noonan (Murray St.), Drew Haynes (UofL), Braden Kapteyn (UK)

Pitcher of the Day: LHP Tanner Perkins (WKU)

  • Stats: 1-0, 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 SO
  • Honorable Mention: Matt Koch (UofL), Derek Self (UofL), Trey Smith (Morehead St.), Macon Smith (EKU), Phil Wetherell (WKU)

Box Scores

BluGrass Baseball Week 10 Midweek Schedule

College Baseball

The week 10 midweek action is headlined by three intrastate matchups, including two for WKU against the state’s two other NCAA at-large contenders. Murray State is the only school not playing a Kentucky rival this week, though Morehead is off until the weekend. Check out the schedule below with links to gamecasts and probable pitcher when available:

Tuesday

Wednesday

  • WKU @ University of Louisville (13) — 6 p.m. — TBA vs. TBA — Gametracker
  • Murray State University @ Southern Illinois — 3 p.m. (CT) —Live Stats

Midweek schedule: Week Nine (April 13)

College Baseball

Week nine’s midweek schedule is headlined by a showdown between the state’s two ranked teams with No. 13 University of Louisville traveling to Bowling Green to take on No. 19 Western Kentucky University. Our neighbors to the west Marshall University of Huntington, W. V., face off against two in-state teams this week, and remember the University of Kentucky has the week off in preparation for its weekend showdown with No. 7 Florida.

Tuesday

  • Murray State University vs. Evansville — 3 p.m. (CT)
  • Morehead State University vs. Marshall — 3 p.m. (CT) — Live Stats — RHP Quentin Morgan (2-1, 10.24)
  • Eastern Kentucky University @ West Virginia — 6 p.m. — RHP Macon Smith — RHP Macon Smith (0-0, 10.35) — Live Stats
  • WKU (19) @ Austin Peay — 6 p.m. (CT) — RHP Andrew Zimmerman (0-0, 4.50) — Live Stats

Wednesday

  • UofL @ WKU — 7 p.m. —
  • Murray St. @ Evansville — 6 p.m. (CT)
  • EKU @ Marshall — 3 p.m. — RHP Anthony Bazzani (1-3, 8.67)

EKU bullpen leads Colonels to 4-1 win over NC A&T

College Baseball

The Eastern Kentucky University bullpen allowed just one run in six and two-third innings Wednesday to lead the Colonels to a 4-1 victory over North Carolina A&T. Sophomore shortstop Richie Rodriguez, junior third baseman Jayson Langfels, junior center fielder Ryan Faidley and freshman second baseman Matt Phipps each tallied two hits and one RBI in the game for EKU.

Junior right-handed reliever Macon Smith earned the victory with three scoreless innings, and junior right-handed closer Ryne Purcell pitched a scoreless ninth for the save. Faidley scored twice in the game, Rodriguez and sophomore designated hitter Jacob Daniel scored once each. EKU improved to 6-3 on the season. (Box Score)

BluGrass Baseball POG: Macon Smith — Starting pitcher Paul Duncan only lasted two and one-third innings for the Colonels, so EKU was in desperate need of a strong bullpen performance. Smith’s three scoreless innings of middle relief held NC A&T at bay long enough for the short relievers to take over.