EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.– David Llorens struck out 10 and tossed six scoreless innings, and SIU Edwardsville (5-10, 2-3) used a six-run seventh inning to get by Southeast Missouri (11-8, 2-3), 9-3, Saturday afternoon.
SIUE evened the series at one game apiece.
Freshman
Noah Niznik no-hit SIUE through four innings and retired the first 13 hitters he faced.
The Cougars, however, ended that stretch with a one-out solo home run by Raul Elguezaba in the bottom of the fifth inning.
SIUE added to its lead in the sixth. Garrett Carmichael drew a leadoff walk and went to second on an ensuing single by Jordan Ross. Jack Rigoni moved both runners on a sacrifice bunt. Eric Giltz followed with a single and Carmichael scored. Ross also came home on the play when right fielder
Devon Wilson mis-handled the ball.
The Cougars then blew the game open with six runs in the seventh inning.
Justin Perkins singled and SIUE had runners at first and third after Carmichael was hit by a pitch. Ross singled home Perkins. Giltz then ripped a two-RBI double to right center and Dustin Woodcock grounded out to score Rigoni. Brock Weimer doubled to left center and Giltz scored. On the next play Weimer touched home on a single by Elguezaba to give the Cougars a 9-0 lead.
SEMO had the bases loaded with no outs in the top of the eighth inning, but managed to get just one run when
Devon Wilson reached on a fielder's choice and
Danny Wright scored.
The Redhawks kept battling in the ninth and scored two more runs when Wright doubled to right center.
Connor Basler and
Andrew Keck touched home on the play.
Llorens (1-2) allowed only three hits and walked three in his six innings.
Niznik (2-1) fell to his first loss of the season. He allowed three hits, three runs and walked two in 5.1 innings.
Both teams finished the contest with eight hits.
Wright went 3-for-5 with a run scored, double and two RBI. Basler followed by going 2-for-5 with a run scored.
Giltz, Elguezaba and Ross had two hits each to lead the Cougars.
SEMO left 10 runners on base and hit .125 (2-for-16) with runners in scoring position.
The Redhawks and Cougars wrap up their series at 1 p.m., CT, Sunday.
