CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri baseball (4-2) forged a late-inning comeback to win 5-4 over Western Illinois (0-6) Saturday afternoon at Capaha Field.
 
After a strikeout of the Leathernecks' lead off hitter, WIU registered three-straight hits including back-to-back home runs to take an early 3-0 lead. Robert Beltran recovered quickly and tallied two more strikeouts to prevent further damage early on.
 
The score remained stagnant until Dan Holst drew a two-out walk in the bottom of the third. A failed pickoff attempt followed by a second throwing error in an attempt to cut Holst off at third allowed SEMO to get on the board, 3-1.
 
Holst made his presence known again in the bottom of the sixth with a lead-off single followed by swiping second. After two strikeouts, Kyle Bottger laced a ball up the middle to pull the Redhawks within one, 3-2.
 
WIU responded in the following half inning with their own leadoff base hit and steal of second. After a swinging strikeout advanced the runner, the Leathernecks tacked on a run with a suicide squeeze to take a two-run lead on the Redhawks, 4-2.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, a throwing error pushed Connor Basler to third after a bunt single to lead off the inning. Clayton Evans eventually drove Basler in to pull within one.
 
With their backs against the wall, the Redhawks were helped by a dropped fly ball in right field to open the eighth. With a runner on first, Tristen Gagan launched a two-run home run to left to give the Redhawks the late lead, 5-4.

Matthew Wade entered in the top of the ninth and shut down the Leathernecks to earn his third save of the season.
 
Beltran's day ended after 5.1 innings, allowing five hits and three earned runs while striking out six. Carlos Vega (1-0) recorded the victory for Southeast. He worked two and two-thirds innings and was the pitcher of record when Gagan gave the Redhawks the lead. 

Holst was responsible for two of SEMO's two hits and scored twice. 

Southeast will look to complete the sweep of the Leathernecks and remain undefeated at the newly renovated Capaha Field tomorrow at 1p.m. Projected starters for tomorrow's game are SEMO's Justin Murphy (0-0) and WIU's Javin Drake (0-1).