CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Brett Graber went 3-for-4 with two runs, a home run, four RBI and two doubles, including the walkoff bases clearing extra base hit in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift Southeast Missouri (32-17, 14-6) to a 7-6 victory over UT Martin (11-33, 4-19) Saturday.
Graber stepped in with the bases loaded and delivered his game-winning double to left center for his third walkoff hit of the season.
Spencer Parker and
Lincoln Andrews touched home, and
Danny Sperling scored the winning run on the play.
SEMO's 23rd come-from-behind win gave
Andy Sawyers his 150th career victory as a head coach.
After dropping Friday's series-opener, SEMO was down, 6-4, entering its final at-bat.
Sperling was hit by a pitch, Andrews singled to left and Parker walked to give the Redhawks a golden opportunity with the bases loaded and no outs. After
Ben Palmer and Mason each fouled out, Graber collected his 13th double of the year.
Both teams scored twice in the second inning and the Redhawks took their first lead of the afternoon when Graber hit a solo home run to put SEMO ahead, 3-2, in the bottom of the third.
UTM answered with three runs in the top of the fifth and SEMO then closed the Skyhawks lead to 6-4 on
Andrew Keck's groundout to second that scored Graber in the eighth inning.
SEMO scored the last four runs of the game to pull off the comeback win, its 11th in Ohio Valley Conference play this year.
Kyle Miller (8-4) picked up the win in relief. Miller recorded the last two outs in the top of the ninth.
Baylor Jones (0-1) suffered his first loss out of UTM's bullpen. Jones walked two and gave up four runs on three hits in three innings.
Andrews and
Ty Stauss followed Graber with two hits apiece as the Redhawks ended up with seven for the game.
SEMO, which honored seniors
Joseph Karall,
Matt Perego,
Noah Stone,
Hayden Malenfant,
Austin Williams,
Blake Cisneros and
Jason Rackers prior to the game, evened the weekend series at 1-1.
The Redhawks and Skyhawks will play the rubber game in SEMO's home finale Sunday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m., CT.