CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – The Southeast Missouri baseball team plated nine runs in the seventh inning of Saturday's game to lift the Redhawks past Stephen F. Austin, 15-6.
 
Southeast evens up the series at one game apiece and are now 33-16 on the season while the Lumberjacks are 27-23.
 
"I think the day sparked this game. We quit talking about things we could do and started showing action and went out and did the things we know we can control," Steve Bieser said. "We showed hustle today. When things aren't going our way, the best way to get out of those slumps and struggles is to hustle our way out and that was our focus today. Win or lose, we wanted to play the game hard and the right way including hustling on and off the field and backing up bases. It's the little things you get away from when things aren't going your way."
 
The Redhawks narrowly outhit the Lumberjacks in the game, 15-14. Southeast was led offensively by a three-hit game by Brian Lees. Lees scored three times, drove in one, and knocked two doubles.
 
Clay Chandler pitched three and two-thirds innings in his start Saturday. Chandler allowed six runs on 10 hits. He struck out four and walked one. Chandler exited the game in the fourth inning after allowing four runs in the frame and trailed 6-3.
 
Adam Pennington relieved Chandler and pitched four and two-thirds innings of shutout baseball, allowing just three hits while also striking out three and walking none. Pennington earned the win in the contest and improves to 4-0 this season.
 
"Right now, Adam has great control. He is throwing his fastball where he wants to throw it and is able to use his breaking ball and changeup in any count. With him being able to spot up those pitches and use them in any count makes him really effective."
 
Erik Nouis started the game for the Jacks and pitched five complete innings. He gave up four runs on six hits. Cole Ridgely (2-4), the first Lumberjack out of the pen, suffered the loss. Ridgely gave up the tying and go-ahead runs to pick up the loss. Six total pitchers were used for SFA in the game.
 
The Lumberjacks loaded the bases in the top of the first with one out. A groundout to first off the bat of Connor Fikes plated Tyler Kendrick to put the Lumberjacks on the board, 1-0. Chandler's second strikeout ended the inning, stranding two on.
 
Nick Ramos led off the top of the third with a double ripped down the third base line. He advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Garrett McMullen, widening the lead to 2-0 on Southeast.
 
The Redhawks found their first lead in the bottom of the frame. A bases-loaded, one-out wild pitch allowed Lees to touch home and put Southeast on the board, 2-1. The second consecutive throwing error by Nouis allowed Branden Boggetto to reach and Ezell to score, tying the game at 2-2. Garrett Gandolfo singled to left to plate Osborne, the go-ahead run. Southeast led 3-2 going to the fourth inning.
 
The Lumberjacks recaptured the lead in the top of the fourth. A two-out, two-RBI double by Kendrick put SFA back on top, 4-3. Ramos drove in Kendrick with a double of his own. The third double of the inning, this time by McMullen, scored Ramos, extending the lead to 6-3.
 
Andy Lack used a double to left center to score Lees in the bottom of the inning, cutting the lead to 6-4.
 
The Redhawks tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. Ridgely entered the game to pitch for SFA to begin the frame. Ryan Rippee singled to short then immediately scored on a triple by Dan Holst. Pinch hitter Daniel Costello flew out to center, allowing Holst to tag up and score, tying the game at six.  
 
The Redhawks opened the flood gate in the seventh inning as the bats exploded for nine runs. Southeast sent 13 men to the plate in the inning and knocked seven hits, five of which were doubles. Trevor Ezell walked and scored twice in the inning while Osborne hit two doubles and registered three RBI. Aside from Osborne, RBI hits came from Rippee, Holst, Costello, Lees, and Boggetto. The Redhawks led 15-6 when it was all said and done.
 
Osborne, Gandolfo, Rippee, Holst, and Lack all had two hits in the game while Osborne and Costello finished with three RBI.
 
Ezell saw his 18-game hitting streak snapped but walked three times in the game. He scored three of the four times he was on base.
 
"Trevor is a team player. He's a guy who will walk away from this game being perfectly fine losing his hitting streak because he helped us win a ballgame. He did what he was supposed to do. The team won and that's the most important thing for him when he goes out and starts a game. Trevor helps the team win and helps the guys around him; that's what makes him a leader on this team."
 
Kendrick, Ramos, and McMullen all had three hits for the Lumberjacks.
 
Southeast Missouri and Stephen F. Austin will play the rubber game of the series Sunday at 11 a.m. The Redhawks, along with Academy Sports + Outdoors, will be hosting a free kid's clinic following the game for kids ages 5-14.