CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri Baseball (7-12) fell in game one of the weekend series with Western Kentucky (13-6) by a final score of 8-3 on Friday night from Capaha Field.
The Redhawks pounded out 10 hits as a team but could only convert them into three runs on the evening. Catcher
Shea McGahan finished the game at the plate with a 2-for-3 night, with a home run.
The Hilltoppers got on the board in the third inning utilizing small ball. A leadoff double by the short stop Zayd Branningan followed by a bunt single by Caleb Marmo put Hilltoppers on second and third with no outs.
An RBI sacrifice bunt by second baseman Austin Haller plated the first run of the game for WKU. An RBI groundout plated the second run of the game and after the visitor's third inning, WKU led 2-0.
Catcher
Shea McGahan got the Redhawks on the board in the home half with a third-inning leadoff home run off WKU's Jack Bennett. McGahan crushed the ball over the left field fence to cut the WKU lead in half.
A sacrifice fly in the fourth inning and an RBI single in the fifth inning plated two more runs for WKU before the Redhawks would respond with a pair of runs in the sixth.
Back-to-back singles with one out in the sixth inning by
Michael Mugan and
Bryce Cannon got the offense going for the Redhawks. Third baseman
Chance Resetich bounced into a fielder's choice but a throwing error on the Hilltoppers' third baseman loaded the bases.
Right fielder
Josh Cameron singled to left field to score Mugan and a fielder's choice off the bat of
Ty Stauss plated the runs for SEMO in the sixth inning.
That was all SEMO could find as WKU added runs in the seventh and ninth inning to take the 8-3 victory.
RHP
Brian Strange (1-2) took the loss in the contest. Strange pitched 5.0 innings, allowing five runs on eight hits. He struck out two batters over 27 hitters.
LHP
Logan Katen had a strong outing out of the bullpen, going 4.0 innings to help the Redhawks bullpen for the rest of the weekend. Katen struck out four hitters.
SEMO and Western Kentucky will play game two of the series tomorrow afternoon with first pitch slated for 2 p.m., CT. at Capaha Field.