CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri's Chris Osborne blasted a three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to overcome a two-run deficit and defeat Eastern Illinois, 12-11, Saturday.
 
The Redhawks held a 9-3 lead on Eastern Illinois but a seven-run eighth inning by the Panthers put them ahead late in the contest. Going to the bottom of the ninth, EIU held a two-run 11-9 lead on the Redhawks.
 
Southeast Missouri wins the series and is now 25-10 on the season and 15-2 in Ohio Valley Conference play. Eastern Illinois' losing streak is extended to seven games as they fall to 5-29, 1-13 OVC.
 
"I was praying when Chris went up to bat that he would get a pitch down the middle that he could handle and he definitely got that pitch," Steve Bieser said. "He's been really clutch for us this season. He lifted a lot of spirits that weren't very good until that point.
 
"His swing was not only big for this game but potentially for the season. If we lose this game, we have no idea where that could put us down the road."
 
A Southeast win combined with a Jacksonville State loss to Tennessee Tech Saturday gives the Redhawks sole possession of first place in the OVC.
 
Clay Chandler pitched seven innings in his ninth start but would suffer a no decision. Chandler gave up three runs on 10 hits but also fanned 10 while walking none. Justin Murphy (4-2) picked up the win in relief. Murphy pitched one and two-thirds innings to finish the game.
 
Matt Wivinis (0-7) picked up the loss after giving up the walk-off home run to Osborne. Brendon Allen pitched five innings in his start.
 
For the second game in a row, EIU plated a run in the top of the first inning. Joseph Duncan doubled to lead off the game then scored on a double off the bat of Cale Hennemann. Eastern Illinois led 1-0 after the opening frame.
 
A one-out double to left center by the Redhawks hottest hitter, Garrett Gandolfo, plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning, giving Southeast a 2-1 lead. After a walk to Hunter Leeper, Scott Mitchell singled to right, plating both runners and increasing the lead to 4-1 on the Panthers.
 
The Panthers cut the Redhawk lead in half with an RBI single by Duncan in the second inning, 4-2.
 
A sacrifice fly by Branden Boggetto got the run back in the bottom of the second, bringing the lead back to three, 5-2.
 
Anther four-run inning by the Redhawks in the third opened a 9-2 lead on Eastern Illinois. Mitchell picked up his third RBI with a single up the middle, plating Leeper. Brian Lees stroked a three-run home run to left center on the first pitch of the at bat, putting the Redhawks up by seven, 9-2.
 
EIU plated a run in the top of the seventh inning to cut the Redhawk lead to six, 9-3.
 
A seven-run eighth inning by the Panthers gave them a 10-9 advantage over the Redhawks, a lead that was added to in the top of the ninth on an error by Boggetto. EIU led 11-9 going to the bottom of the ninth.
 
Eastern Illinois sent Wivinis out to save the game in the bottom of the inning. Boggetto singled to left and moved up to second on a groundout by Gandolfo then to third on a wild pitch. Leeper reached on a walk to represent the tying run with one out. Osborne then blasted the first pitch of his at bat to right center field to walk off against Eastern Illinois by a score of 12-11.
 
Eastern Illinois well outhit Southeast in the contest, 18-11.
 
Osborne, Mitchell, and Lees all had three RBI in the game while Ezell and Mitchell had the only multi-hit performances.
 
Duncan strung together a four-hit, four-RBI day as the Panther's leadoff hitter. Hennemann also had a four-hit day with three RBI.
 
The Redhawks will go for their fourth conference series sweep Sunday behind Robert Beltran at 1 p.m. from Capaha Field.