RICHMOND, Ky. – Southeast Missouri baseball used two wins of a Saturday twinbill to complete a three-game sweep of Eastern Kentucky (7-8, 0-3 OVC). The Redhawks won game one 7-3 then took game two 4-1 in 12 innings.
 
Southeast improves to 9-7 on the season and opens Ohio Valley Conference play 3-0. The Redhawks opened OVC play 3-0 in 2014 when they swept EKU on the road.  
 
"After a long day of baseball, it was definitely worth the hard work we put in today," Steve Bieser remarked. "I like the toughness our team showed coming out and playing a doubleheader that featured 21 innings of baseball against a solid team. EKU is a very offensive team who will do a lot of good things in the conference this season; they are a very dangerous team to pitch to. They did a good job of slowing us down on the mound but I like the way our team hung in there."
 
The Southeast Missouri pitching staff held the second-best offense in the league to five runs and a .178 batting average in the three-game series.
 
Bieser remarked, "The real credit goes to our pitching staff. When they continue to work, they keep us in the game. It's always a benefit when you can rely on your pitching staff and they've done a tremendous job of allowing us to do that so far this season."
 
Southeast Missouri 7, Eastern Kentucky 3
The Redhawks pegged EKU starter Hunter Dunn for three runs in the first inning. Daniel Costello and Dan Holst each drew walks then scored on a double off the right-center wall by Branden Boggetto. Boggetto immediately scored on a base hit drilled through the right side off the bat of Garrett Gandolfo to put Southeast up early, 3-0.
 
A passed ball moved runners into scoring position for the Redhawks in the top of the second for Boggetto. Boggetto grounded out to short to drive in his third run of the game and widened the lead to 4-0.
 
Ryan Rippee led off the third inning with a double off the left field wall. After two bunt attempts, Chris Osborne swung away and got a hold of a massive two-run home run to right, widening the lead to 6-0 on the Colonels.
 
Osborne went deep to right again in the top of the fifth inning, this time a solo home run, to thicken the Redhawk lead to 7-0.
 
The Colonels cut into the Redhawk lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Ben Fisher used a leadoff double to left center to break up Clay Chandler's perfect four innings. Back-to-back hits by Shea Sullivan and Cole Warrenfetlz plated the first EKU run. Sullivan scored when Warrenfeltz was caught in a rundown, narrowing Southeast's lead to 7-2.
 
EKU plated another run on a bases-loaded walk to Warrenfetlz issued by Matthew Wade. Justin Murphy entered the game to snuff the EKU scoring opportunity in the eighth en route to his third save of the season.
 
Southeast went on to win game one of the doubleheader, 7-3.
 
Each team tallied six hits in the contest while EKU had one error.
 
Osborne was the only Redhawk with a multi-hit game after hitting two home runs. Osborne and Boggetto each had three RBI in the game.
 
"Chris really did an amazing job today, especially on his birthday. A lot of guys did good things in the doubleheader but I am very pleased with his performance. He's got some thunder in his bat and when he barrels it up, he can really let it fly," Bieser added.
 
Chandler (2-0) worked five innings in the win. He allowed two runs on five hits while striking out seven Colonels hitters. Jake Busiek pitched two and two-thirds innings in relief with six strikeouts.
 
Southeast Missouri 4, Eastern Kentucky 1 (12 innings)
The Redhawks and Colonels played to a scoreless draw until the ninth inning of game two of the doubleheader.
 
Back-to-back base hits by Rippee and Brian Lees in the ninth put runners on for the Redhawks. Designated hitter Chris Caffrey was hit in the left shoulder to load the bases with one out. Hunter Leeper hit a sacrifice fly to right, scoring a run for the Redhawks, 1-0.
 
A one-out walk in the bottom of the ninth forced Redhawks starter Robert Beltran out of the game. Murphy entered to go for his second save of the day. Mandy Alvarez knocked a double down the right field line to plate the tying run. Alvarez advanced to third on a throwing error on the play. Murphy was able to strand the  potential winning run on third to send the game into extra innings, tied at 1-1.
 
The Redhawks found themselves with two out in the top of the 12^th inning after a pair of strikeouts. Boggetto and Gandolfo strung together back-to-back hits to put runners on for Rippee. Rippee singled through the left side to drive in Boggetto, scoring the go-ahead run. The Redhawks weren't done in the inning as Lees sent a base hit through the six hole to plate Gandolfo and go up 3-1. A third run scored on an error off a fielder's choice, broadening the lead to 4-1.
 
EKU put two runners on with two out in the bottom of the inning and the tying run nearly hit a three-run home run to tie the game but it didn't have enough power behind it as the game ended on a deep flyout to Gandolfo in left.
 
Southeast put up 12 hits in game two of the twinbill. Rippee led the pack with a three-hit performance and an RBI. Boggetto, Lees, and Caffrey each added a pair of hits in the game.
 
Boggetto's two doubles on the day moves him into a tie for 10^th in Southeast's career doubles list with 50.
 
Beltran pitched eight and a third innings, allowing one run on two hits. Beltran fanned six hitters and walked two on 105 pitches.
 
Murphy (1-2) finished the doubleheader earning a save and a win. Murphy pitched three and two-thirds innings in relief, allowing no runs on three hits with three strikeouts.
 
EKU starter Alex Hamilton worked seven scoreless innings Saturday. Hamilton allowed four hits, while striking out and walking three Redhawks. Nick Cumpston (2-1) picked up the loss in relief after allowing the winning runs in the 12^th.
 
Southeast Missouri will take its three-game winning streak to in-state rival Missouri this week. The Redhawks will play a two-game set with the Tigers beginning Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m. Southeast Missouri and Mizzou are slated to play game two Wednesday at 4 p.m. from Columbia.