CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Tyler Wilber finished 4-for-4 at the plate, hitting the game-winning home run to complement three RBI and two runs to push Southeast Missouri baseball (22-7, 6-2 OVC) past Murray State (15-14, 1-7 OVC), 8-5, at Capaha Field Saturday afternoon. 
 
Wilber knocked a career-best four hits for the second-straight game and eighth time in his career as SEMO improved its record at Capaha Field in 2022 to 16-0.
 
With the victory, the Redhawks secured the series win on league rival, Murray State. 
 
In a back-and-forth game where the Redhawks continued to match the Racers scoring, Wilber needed one pitch to provide SEMO the lead in a three-run eighth inning. 
 
Tied at 5-5, Wilber, the 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Player of the Year from Los Alamitos, California, knocked his 10th home run of the season to right center for the game-winning run.
 
Brett Graber then singled before moving up 90 feet on a stolen base and taking third on a wild pitch. Lincoln Andrews then drew a walk to put Redhawks at the corners.
 
Ty Stauss hit a two-run double to left to increase the Redhawk advantage to 8-5. 
 
Kyle Miller then closed the game to improve his record to 4-2 in 2022. Miller, a sophomore from Eureka, Missouri, allowed just two hits over his two innings of work with a strikeout. 
 
SEMO and the Racers both exchanged four run first innings to commence Saturday afternoon. 
 
Murray State jumped out to a 4-0 advantage in the top of the first. Starter Noah Niznik gave up a pair of walks that both came around to score during the inning.
 
Jake Slunder opened the frame with a leadoff walk and touched home on a single from Brennan McCullough. Slunder advanced to second on a groundout before a walk to Bryson Bloomer. 
 
Drew Vogel then knocked a three-run home run to left to clear the base paths and increase the Racers early lead to 4-0. 
 
The Redhawks responded, opening the bottom half of the first with four straight hits for four runs. 
 
Jevon Mason led off with a double down the left field line and came home on a RBI single from Wilber. Peyton Leeper added a base hit during the sequence to move Mason to third. 
 
Andrew Keck then blasted a three-run homer to right to even the contest at 4-4. The round tripper was his sixth of the season.
 
The Redhawks looked to threaten in the third, with a double from Leeper followed by a single by Wilber to start the inning. 
 
Leeper was then called out at home trying to advance from second on a terrific relay from right fielder Seth Gardner to first baseman McCullough to catcher Alex Crump. 
 
The Racers pulled ahead 5-4 on a wild pitch in the top of the fifth. 
 
With the bases loaded and two outs on the scoreboard, Niznik was relieved by Blake Cisneros. 
 
Jordan Holly touched home after a wild pitch from Cisneros to switch the lead in favor of Murray State. 
 
Cisneros ate up 2.1 innings out of the pen, allowing just two hits to go with a strikeout.  
 
SEMO responded with a run of its own in the bottom half of the fifth. 
 
Wilber singled home Mason to retie the game at 5-5. 
 
Mason reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on a throwing error after Joel Vaske was hit by a pitch. Leeper also walked prior to Wilber's RBI hit. 
 
Niznik and Murray State starter Adrien Reese were both tagged with no decisions. 
 
Niznik allowed five runs on four hits, fanning a pair of Racers over 4.2 innings. Reese notched four strikeouts, while surrendering five runs on six hits in 4.1 innings. 
 
Cade Vernon was assessed the loss, allowing three runs on three hits in three innings. 
 
Leeper finished 2-for-3 at the dish with a run and a walk. 
 
Mason, Keck, Graber and Stauss all notched hits in the Redhawk victory. Mason and Wilber both score twice. 
 
Carson Garner paced Murray State, finishing 3-for-4 at the plate.
 
SEMO wraps up its weekend series with the Racers Sunday afternoon. First pitch is set for 1 p.m., CT at Capaha Field.