MURRAY, Ky. – Southeast Missouri (15-13, 9-5) scored 20 runs and pounded out 25 hits in a 8-3, 12-8 doubleheader sweep of Ohio Valley Conference leader Murray State (15-14, 6-5) Friday.
The doubleheader sweep of the Racers nailed down SEMO's fourth OVC series win of the season.
SEMO rallied to score five runs in the final two innings en route to game one victory.
After MSU brought the game to its second tie at 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh,
Lincoln Andrews started the eighth with a pinch-hit single down the left field line. Andrews advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt.
Noah Jacobsen, who pinch ran for Andrews scored the go-ahead run on a single by
Jevon Mason.
Connor Basler also scored when
Tyler Wilber grounded out to short giving the Redhawks a 5-3 advantage.
Then, in the ninth, SEMO scored three two-out runs to bury the Racers.
With a runner on after
Andrew Keck singled,
Ty Stauss hit a two-out single to right center to score Keck.
Peyton Leeper followed that up with a double and Stauss scored. Leeper, who went to third on an error, scored on a wild pitch to widen SEMO's lead to 8-3.
Reliever
Kyle Miller (3-2), who got the final two outs of the seventh inning when the Racers took their last lead, pitched a one-two-three eighth and retired three-straight after giving up a leadoff double in the ninth. Miller struck out two, walked one and allowed just one hit in 2.2 innings to secure his third win of the season.
SEMO outhit MSU, 13-7.
Mason (3-for-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI) and Wilber (2-for-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI) combined for five hits and four RBI at the top of the Redhawks lineup.
Wade Stauss also added two hits.
The Redhawks carried the momentum from their strong finish in game one to the start of game two where they put up seven runs in the first inning.
MSU freshman right-hander Jack Wenninger dug himself a hole early when he issued back-to-back walks and hit a batter.
With the bases loaded and one out after Keck hit into a fielder's choice, W. Stauss delivered a two-RBI single down the right field line. On the next play, Keck scored on a wild pitch. Andrews followed with an RBI-single through the right side and W. Stauss scored. Leeper then doubled to left ending Wenninger's day in just one-third of an inning.
After a pitching change, Basler flied out to left center and Andrews touched home.
Danny Wright's two-run home run to center capped the early ambush as the Redhawks quickly pulled ahead, 7-0. The seven runs marked SEMO's most in an inning this season.
MSU managed to get within two (7-5), but the Redhawks erupted for five more runs in the top of the seventh inning.
Keck and W. Stauss hit back-to-back home runs. Basler singled to right field and Andrews was able to score with the help of an error. Wright's base hit drove in Basler to stretch SEMO's lead to 12-5.
Noah Niznik (2-3) earned the win after working 5.1 innings with seven strikeouts.
Offensively, SEMO added 12 more hits in the nightcap.
Keck, W. Stauss, Andrews, Leeper and Wright all paved the way with two hits each. W. Stauss also contributed three RBI.
Wenninger (3-3) took the loss.
SEMO and MSU close out their series at 3 p.m., CT Saturday.
