MOBILE, Ala. – Southeast Missouri (2-1) pounded out 11 hits and rallied for five runs in the final two innings to beat South Alabama (1-2), 8-6, in a wild 10-inning affair Sunday.
SEMO claimed its second season-opening series victory under head coach
Andy Sawyers.
After letting a three-run lead get away, the Redhawks trailed, 5-3, entering the ninth inning.
SEMO sent eight hitters to the plate and scored three runs on four hits to take the lead.
Austin Blazevic started the late attack with a single to right. One-out base hits by
Connor Basler and
Peyton Leeper followed to load the bases.
After Blazevic scored on a wild pitch,
Wade Stauss tied the game when he knocked in
Connor Basler on a sacrifice fly. On the next play,
Andrew Keck ripped a single up the middle to give SEMO a 6-5 edge.
USA, however, managed to send the game to extra innings with a run during its turn in the ninth. Hunter Stokes led off with a walk and went to second on a sacrifice bunt. Ethan Wilson singled through the left side to get Stokes to third. Stokes crossed home plate for the tying run on a fielder's choice.
The gritty Redhawks continued to dig deep in the top of the 10th.
After going 0-for-3 in his first three at-bats of the game,
Danny Wright reached on a single to right field. Blazevic followed with a double down the right field line that scored Wright all the way from first base.
Ty Stauss advanced Blazevic to third on an ensuing sacrifice fly. Basler then reached on an error and Blazevic scored to push the Redhawks lead to 8-6.
Blake Cisneros beared down to strike out Santi Montiel and got Tommy van de Sanden to hit into a double play nailing down the victory. Cisneros struck out three in 2.2 innings out of the bullpen en route to earning his first win of the season and second of his career.
SEMO jumped out to an early lead when W. Stauss drove the first pitch of his at-bat over the right center wall. Stauss' 12th career home run put the Redhawks ahead, 1-0, in the top of the first inning.
The Redhawks walked three times and added another run in the second. Wright led off the inning with a walk, stole second and went to third when Blazevic grounded out to first. T. Stauss, in his first collegiate start, flied out to right center and Wright touched home to extend SEMO's lead to 2-0.
Keck belted USA reliever Tyler Lehrmann's fastball for a solo home run to increase the Redhawks lead to 3-0 in the third, but the Jaguars managed to tie things up an inning later.
Caleb Balgaard homered and Michael Sandle walked ending starter
Ryan Vogt's day on the mound. Sandle stole second and Santi Montiel was hit by a pitch. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt and scored when Hunter Stokes delivered a two-out single through the right side.
The Jaguars grabbed their first lead of the game at 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning. Montiel drew a leadoff walk and came around to score on another two-out hit by Stokes.
Vogt allowed two runs on three hits, walked three and struck out two in three innings during his first career start.
Keck went 3-for-5 with a home run, run scored and two RBI, and Blazevic finished at 2-for-4 with a double, two runs and one RBI. W. Stauss and
Tyler Wilber also had some great at-bats.
Additionally, Basler stole two bases and surpassed Doug Muench for the seventh place spot on SEMO's all-time career stolen bases list. Basler now has 46 career stolen bases.
Noah Michael, one of seven pitchers to take the mound for USA, was credited with the loss. Michael was charged with the decisive two runs in the 10th inning.
The Jaguars added six hits and put their leadoff man on base in seven innings.
SEMO travels to #8 Arkansas for a four-game series beginning Feb. 25.
