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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - The Southeast Missouri baseball team defeated the Southern Illinois Salukis Tuesday evening, 7-4. Tuesday's game is the first of the annual home-and-home series.
The Redhawks climb to 22-14 on the season while the Salukis fall to 7-29.
For the fourth game in a row, Southeast plated runners in the first inning. Garrett Gandolfo plated Trevor Ezell with a base hit up the middle. With Gandolfo on first and Jason Blum on third, Andy Lennington grounded into a 5-4-3 double play that Blum scored on. Southeast led 2-0 after the opening frame.
Southeast widened the lead to 4-0 in the second inning. Clayton Evans drew a leadoff walk and scored on an RBI groundout by Blum. Ezell, who doubled after Evans' walk, scored on a double by Gandolfo.
Southern Illinois plated a trio of runs in the fourth inning to narrow the Redhawk lead to 4-3.
Scott Mitchell scored from first base on a Branden Boggetto double that split the right center gap. Boggetto crossed home plate on a single by Evans to widen the lead to 6-3.
Tyler Roland drove in another Saluki run in the fifth inning to make the score 6-4, still in Southeast's favor.
Blum drew a bases-loaded, two-out walk to add an insurance run in the eighth inning, widening the Southeast Missouri lead to 7-4.
The Redhawks outhit SIU 12-7.
Boggetto finished the evening going 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Blum and Gandolfo each contributed a pair of RBI in the game.
Garret Stockton pitched an out short of qualifying for the win as he pitched four and two-thirds innings Tuesday. Stockton allowed four runs on five hits and struck out six batters. Ryan Lenaburg (3-2) picked up the win in relief. Lenaburg pitched two scoreless innings and struck out four batters. Matthew Wade earned his team-leading fourth save of the season. Wade pitched two and a third scoreless innings. Wade retired seven of the nine batters he faced to slam the door shut on the Salukis.
Will Farmer was the only Saluki batter to have more than one hit after going 2-for-4.
Austin McPheron (0-3) recorded the loss. McPheron allowed six runs on eight hits. Michael Baird pitched four relief innings. Baird struck out seven Redhawk hitters in his relief appearance Tuesday.
The Redhawks return to Capaha Field Friday to open a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series with Jacksonville State. Friday will be the first free tailgate of the season. Food will be provided by The Bank of Missouri and beverages will be provided by Kohlfeld Distributing.
