Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
Game One PDF Box | Game Two PDF Box
 
RICHMOND, Ky. – The Southeast Missouri baseball team extended its winning streak to seven games and remain unbeaten in Ohio Valley Conference play in 2014 with a three-game series sweep of Eastern Kentucky (7-12,1-5 OVC). The Redhawks won both ends of a doubleheader Saturday, 13-11 and 9-4. The Redhawks improve to 13-6 overall, and a perfect 6-0 in OVC play.
 
Southeast outscored EKU 37-23 on the weekend and outhit the Colonels 50-32 in the sweep.
 
"Travis [Hayes] looked sharp in game two today in another outstanding start. Overall, defense was the name of the game for us this weekend," said head coach Steve Bieser. "We knew we needed to be on our game this weekend defensively to hold a very offensive team like EKU." 
 
Southeast Missouri 13, Eastern Kentucky 11
Game one began with EKU striking first. Kyle Nowlin led off the bottom of the first with a double to left field and advanced to third on a groundout. Sean Hagen, who hit two home runs in game one of the series, hit a high, fly ball to right that fell just short of Dalton Hewitt's glove to allow Nowlin to score. Hagen then scored on a single through the left side to put the Colonels up 2-0. With runners on first and second, Luke Wurzelbacher hit a low line drive to right that Hewitt made a fantastic diving catch on. Hewitt came up firing to first base to double up the runner on first, getting Southeast out of the inning. 
 
The Redhawk offense joined the party by invitation of Branden Boggetto in the top of the fourth inning. With bases loaded, Boggetto singled through the left side. The left fielder couldn't field the ball properly, allowing all three runners to score and the Redhawks to take the lead, 3-2.
 
EKU answered in the bottom of the inning with a four-spot. EKU first scored on an RBI single then added a bunch with a three-run shot off the bat of Taylor Blair to put EKU back out in front 6-3.
 
Just like that, the Redhawks retied the game in the top of the fifth inning. Cole Bieser led off the inning with his second triple of the weekend. Derek Gibson recorded his third hit of the game on an RBI double to score Bieser from third. Matt Tellor stepped in and hit a big two-run home run to even up the score at six runs apiece.
 
With two out and bases empty to start the sixth inning, the Redhawks began a two-run rally that all started with Jason Blum being hit by a pitch. Bieser hit a single that Blum took third on; Bieser also advanced to second on the throw to third. Cole Ferguson hit a dribbler up the middle to score both Blum and Bieser, putting Southeast back out in front 8-6.
 
With Hewitt and Andy Lennington on first and third, the patented Redhawk double steal was on. Hewitt took off for second, was caught, and Lennington snuck in the back door and scored, extending the Redhawk lead to 9-6 in the seventh.
 
The Redhawk offense was not going to quiet down in the eighth inning. With bases loaded and one out for Gibson, he hit a ball just fair down the right field line to drive in two more runs. After EKU intentionally walked Tellor to load the bases again, Hewitt hit a blooper to right to score another two runs. The Redhawks led 13-6 after the top of the eighth.
 
EKU wasn't going down without a fight in the bottom of the ninth. Down seven runs, EKU scored two runs on a strange play back to pitcher Greg Mosel, who picked up the ball and fell down trying to get the force out at home. Two more runs scored on a Wurzelbacher triple. Brady Wright was brought in to the game for a struggling Mosel. Wurzelbacher scored on a groundout to Tellor at first. Wright was able to get Kenny Hostrander to groundout to third to secure the 13-11 victory for Southeast.
 
Southeast outhit EKU 18-12 in the opening game of the doubleheader. Both Gibson and Hewitt went 4-for-5 in the contest. Gibson and Boggetto each finished with three RBI while Ferguson, Tellor, and Hewitt each had two.
 
Redhawk starter Ryan Lenaburg (2-1) went 7.0 innings, giving up six runs, four earned, on nine hits. Wright earned his first save for Southeast as he pitched two thirds of an inning to close the game.
 
Three Colonel batters each had two hits apiece in the opening game. Wurzelbacher and TJ Alas each had two RBI while Blaire had three of his own to lead the team.
 
Tanner Perkins (1-3) recorded the loss for EKU. Perkins worked 6.0 innings, allowing eight runs on 13 hits to the Redhawks.
 
Southeast Missouri 9, Eastern Kentucky 4
Once again, the Colonels struck first in the game. Nowlin, who hit a leadoff double in game one then scored, hit a leadoff triple in game two. Nowlin scored on a groundout to first base. 1-0 EKU after one inning.
 
The Redhawks got on the board and took the lead in the top of the fourth inning. Gibson got the ball rolling by singling to center, extending his hitting streak to 12 and his on-base streak to 15. Scott Mitchell singled and Lennington walked to load the bases. Gibson scored on a sacrifice fly from Boggetto to tie the game. Clayton Evans drove a double to left center field, scoring Mitchell and Lennington, putting Southeast ahead 3-1 in the fourth.
 
The Redhawks extended the lead by a run in the fifth. With Hewitt on second, Mitchell hit a mile-high pop up. The shortstop, who was battling the sun, dropped the ball, allowing Hewitt to score. Mitchell was out on the play on a 6-3-4 putout between first and second.
 
Redhawk relief pitcher Alex Winkelman found himself in trouble in the seventh inning. After giving up a leadoff double then walking the next batter, Shea Sullivan doubled to drive in EKU's third run of the game. With runners on second and third, Lennington picked up a ground ball then dove at the runner on third to get the lead runner. After giving up a walk to load the bases, Winkelman was taken out for Alex Siddle. Nowlin hit a single to right to tie the game. The Redhawks got out of the inning on a double play.
 
In the top of the eighth, Hewitt drove in Blum on a single through the left side to regain the lead. Southeast proceeded to load the bases but came up empty in an attempt to widen the lead.
 
Southeast Missouri added some huge insurance runs in the ninth inning. Lennington and Evans both singled to get runners on. Blum singled to right to score Lennington. After Bieser walked, Hewitt doubled down the right field line to score both Evans and Blum. Gibson recorded his ninth RBI of the series with a sac fly to left, scoring Bieser, and giving Southeast a 9-4 lead.
 
EKU got runners on first and third in the bottom of the ninth but Mosel shut the door on any possible EKU scoring to secure the victory for the Redhawks.
 
Mitchell finished the game 4-for-5 with one RBI while Evans was 3-for-4 with two RBI of his own.
 
Gibson finished the doubleheader 5-for-9 with four RBI. Hewitt was 6-for-10 with five RBI on the day.
 
Bieser added: "It was another outstanding weekend for Derek. He takes an aggressive approach every time he steps up to the plate. He is really understanding the game of baseball right now and looks great for us lately."
 
Starter Travis Hayes looked great in his second start but got a no-decision after EKU tied the game in the seventh. Alex Siddle (2-1) recorded the victory when he pitched one inning while giving up only a hit. Mosel earned his second save of the season after one and two thirds innings on the mound in game two, giving up only a hit, and striking out three of the seven batters he faced.
 
Nowlin and Sullivan were the only two Colonel batters to record a multiple-hit game with two apiece.
 
Relieve Cody Creamer (0-1) suffered the loss after giving up the go-ahead run in the eighth.
 
The Redhawks return home for a four-game home stand beginning Tuesday at 4 p.m. against Saint Louis. Southeast will welcome Morehead State to town for a three-game weekend series next weekend.