CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri Baseball (21-20) won the 94^th meeting against rival Southern Illinois (24-17) by a final score of 8-5 to complete the season-sweep of the Salukis on Tuesday afternoon. 
 
Left fielder Ian Riley, making his third start of the season, hit his second home run of the season for SEMO's third and final home run of the contest as the Redhawks pounded out 10 hits. 
 
Short stop Ben Palmer recorded his team-leading 12^th home run of the season in the first inning. Palmer blasted a ball the opposite way off SIU's Alec Nigut to spark a two-run opening frame.
 
Palmer finished the day 3-for-4 at the plate with the blast and three RBIs. 
 
With the bases loaded, first baseman Bryce Cannon was hit by a pitch to drive in the second run of the inning as SEMO got off to a 2-0 lead.
 
Back-to-back RBI hits by SIU in the third inning tied the game as Jake Allgeyer and Cole Christman recorded a single and double, respectively to drive in two Salukis. 
 
Second baseman Brooks Kettering hit his third home run of the season with two outs in the bottom half of the third to regain the lead for SEMO. Kettering lined his ball into the right field party deck to make the score 3-2. 
 
An infield single by Jordan Bach tied the game once again for SIU in the fifth inning. 
 
A big four run inning for the Redhawks in the seventh would be the difference as Riley homered, an RBI single by Ben Palmer, an RBI fielder's choice by Ty Stauss, and an RBI single by Bryce Cannon made it 7-3 SEMO heading to the final two innings. 
 
SIU would get a run back in the eighth, but a perfectly executed RBI squeeze bunt by right fielder Josh Cameron recorded a big insurance run as SEMO held on for the 8-5 victory. 
 
RHP Kyle Miller, the all-time saves leader in SEMO history, recorded his third save of the season. 
 
Looking Ahead
SEMO Baseball will return to Capaha Field on Friday, April 26, when they host Morehead State. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. in Cape Girardeau.