Box Score JONESBORO, Ark. – Southeast Missouri (0-4) tied the game when it was down to its final out in the ninth inning, but Kyle MacDonald drew a leadoff walk and scored the winning run when Jacob Jablonski was hit by a pitch to give Arkansas State (2-2) a 7-6 victory Tuesday.
Trailing, 6-4, SEMO came to life in the top of the ninth when
Alex Nielsen led off with a walk. Jesse Kutzke relieved Tanner Kirby and struck out
Peyton Faulkner. On the next play,
Connor Basler walked. A wild pitch followed allowing Nielsen to advance to third and Basler to go to second. On the next play,
Danny Wright walked to load the bases. Shortly after
Hunter Southerland struck out,
Trevor Ezell stepped in and hit the first pitch of his at-bat for a two-RBI double to tie the game.
In his final at-bat, MacDonald walked on four pitches and moved to second on an ensuing sacrifice bunt by Casey Vaughan. A wild pitch followed and MacDonald went to third. Logan Andersen was then intentionally walked and pinch-hitter Caleb Squire was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Ahead 3-2 in the count, Jablonski was plunked and MacDonald scored.
SEMO jumped out to a 3-0 lead, adding a run in each of the first three innings.
Wright led off the game with a walk, stole second and scored on a one-out sacrifice fly by Ezell in the top of the first.
Freshman
Wade Stauss, up 2-0 in the count, belted a solo home run to right field off Nate Alberius in the second. Stauss became the first Redhawk to hit a home run this season.
Basler then began the third inning with a single and stole second. Basler later scored on an infield hit by Ezell giving SEMO a three-run cushion.
After the Red Wolves pulled to within one (3-2) in the bottom of the fourth, the Redhawks cashed in on two errors to score an unearned run and take a 4-2 advantage in the fifth.
Then, ASU tied things up during its at-bat in the fifth.
MacDonald reached on a one-out single. Following a Vaughn strikeout, Anderson delivered a triple. MacDonald scored and Andersen crossed home for the tying run on a throwing error to make it 4-4.
Tobias Johnson gave ASU its first lead of the game with a two-out RBI-single in the bottom of the sixth. Two innings later, Johnson ripped another two-out RBI-single to stretch the Red Wolves lead to 6-4.
Kutzke (1-0), one of four ASU pitchers who took the mound, was credited with the win. He struck out two and walked two while allowing one hit and one run in one inning.
Four pitchers also saw action for SEMO.
Ryan Losman (0-1) took the loss giving up two runs on two hits and walking two in 1.1 innings.
Offensively, ASU outhit the Redhawks, 11-5.
Johnson paved the way for the Red Wolves going 3-for-4 with two RBI and a walk. Anderson added two hits, a run and two walks.
Ezell went 2-for-4 with a single, double, four RBI and two stolen bases. He has hit safely in all four of his starts this season.
As a team, the Redhawks were active on the basepaths finishing with five stolen bases.
SEMO hosts Mid-American Conference affiliate Bowling Green in its home-opener this weekend. The Redhawks and Falcons open a four-game series Friday. First pitch is set for 3 p.m., CT, at Capaha Field.
