LEXINGTON, Ky. – No. 2 Southeast Missouri (36-20) overcame #6 Tennessee Tech (30-27), 5-2, Friday evening at Wild Health Field to claim a spot in Saturday's 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Baseball Championship Final.
The Redhawks, the 2021 OVC Regular-Season and Tournament Champions, will face Belmont, the top seed and 2022 OVC Regular-Season Champions, Saturday in a "Winner Take All" Tournament Championship Final set for 11 a.m., CT.
With the game tied at 2-2, catcher
Andrew Keck provided the game winner in the bottom of the eighth.
Jevon Mason opened the home half of the eighth with a single before advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt. 2022 All-OVC First Team shortstop
Tyler Wilber was then intentionally walked to set the stage for Keck's knock.
Down 0-2 in the count, Keck, a 2022 All-OVC Second Teamer, blasted a three-run homer over the wall in right center to provide the Redhawks a 5-2 lead.
The home run was Keck's 16th of the 2022 campaign.
Tennessee Tech took an early 1-0 lead off a RBI single from Gabe Lacy in the third.
SEMO then evened the contest at 1-1 with a solo round tripper from
Lincoln Andrews.
Andrews blasted the first pitch he saw from Matthew Meadows over the right field party deck for his 15th homer of the season. The home run marked the second of the Tournament for Andrews who has hit both shots to right.
Eric Newsom then posted a pinch-hit home run to right center to provide TTU a 2-1 lead.
SEMO then reknotted the game in the seventh. Stauss opened the frame with a walk and advanced to third on a double by Andrews.
Third baseman
Peyton Leeper then singled to center to plate Stauss and even the game at 2-2.
Austin Williams picked up the win for SEMO, closing out the final 3.1 innings. Williams improved to 7-3 in 2022, limiting Tennessee Tech to one run on two hits with five batters fanned.
Collin Wilma started for the Redhawks, allowing one run on three hits with a strikeout in 3.1 innings.
Blake Cisneros made his second appearance at the Tournament, with one hit allowed over his seven batters faced to complement a pair of strikeouts in 2.1 innings of work.
The SEMO pitching staff limited TTU to just six hits.
Brock Myers was presented the loss for the Golden Eagles.
Mason and Andrews paced SEMO Friday evening at the dish, both going 3-for-4. Leeper finished 2-for-4.
The Redhawks will look to defend their 2021 OVC Tournament Championship when they face Belmont, the top seed and 2022 OVC Regular-Season Champions, Saturday in a "Winner Take All" Tournament Championship Final set for 11 a.m., CT.
