JACKSON, Tenn. –
Jevon Mason hit a game-tying three-run home run and
Andrew Keck added the game-winning RBI single to lead top-seeded Southeast Missouri (29-19) to a thrilling 6-5 come-from-behind win over second-seeded Murray State (31-24) Friday.
With the win, SEMO advances to the Ohio Valley Conference Championship as the only undefeated team left in this year's four-team field. The Redhawks will play for the title at 4 p.m., CT Saturday and their next opponent is to be determined.
Trailing 5-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning, SEMO rallied for four two-out runs to bury the Racers. The Redhawks mounted their late comeback after going 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
Peyton Leeper singled to center and went to third on a double by
Connor Basler. Mason then stepped in and belted Alex Whaley's 1-2 offering opposite field over the right field wall to tie the game.
On the next play,
Tyler Wilber reached on a catcher's interference and went to third on a single by
Danny Wright. Keck ripped a single through the left side and Wilber scored the winning run.
"We really work hard at not being so emotional and preach about just staying in the middle," said SEMO Head Coach
Andy Sawyers. "We didn't play well offensively. We stranded a lot of runners and weren't hitting well with runners in scoring position, but we weren't freaking out about it and just tried to stay in the game. We kept our composure and today was a great comeback."
SEMO wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as Mason hit a first-pitch leadoff double, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored the game's first run on a single by Wilber in the bottom of the first inning.
Aided by three-straight two-out hits, MSU tied things up in the top of the second. Alex Crump and Brennan McCullough each singled before Trey Woosley doubled off the right field wall and Crump scored to make it a 1-1 ballgame.
Jordan Cozart, the OVC's second-leading home run hitter, gave the Racers their first lead with a solo home run to start the fourth. Ahead 3-2 in the count, Cozart homered to left center giving MSU a 2-1 edge.
MSU extended its lead to 4-1 in the top of the sixth with the help of an RBI-triple by Crump and a run-scoring single by McCullough.
Wade Stauss clobbered the first pitch of the bottom of the sixth inning for a home run to right field, his third round-tripper of the tournament.
The Racers had the bases loaded with one out in the seventh and came away with their final run when Bryson Bloomer touched home on a wild pitch.
Reliever
Austin Williams (2-3) earned his first career postseason win. Williams gave up two hits, struck out one and did not allow a walk in 2.2 scoreless innings. He recorded the last three outs of the game after giving up a leadoff single in the ninth.
Jack Wenninger (4-5) took the loss out of MSU's bullpen. Wenninger scattered two hits, including the RBI-single to Keck.
Offensively, SEMO posted 12 hits. Wright went 3-for-4 to lead four different Redhawks with multiple-hits. Mason finished at 2-for-4 with two runs, a walk and three RBI, while Stauss and Leeper each added two hits and scored a run.
"What a swing by
Jevon Mason," said Sawyers. "He has had a big impact on SEMO in his first year here. There was no bigger swing than Jevon took today for us."
SEMO is in pursuit of its fourth OVC Tournament title in program history and advances to the OVC Championship round for the first time since 2016. This year marks the Redhawks 10th OVC Tournament Championship appearance all-time.
The Redhawks won five of their last six games and 17 of their previous 23 contests.
