OXFORD, Ala. – RHP Brian Strange (1-1) tossed 6.0 scoreless innings as Southeast Missouri Baseball (2-3) picked up a 3-0 victory in game two against Northern Illinois (2-3) on Saturday afternoon from Choccolocco Park. 
 
Strange threw 96 pitches over 6.0 innings and recorded a career-high nine strikeouts surpassing his previous high of seven against Marshall a season ago. He surrendered just one hit on the afternoon with just two walks. 
 
The Redhawks offense scored all three of their runs in the fourth inning beginning with an opposite field solo home run by first baseman Bryce Cannon. Cannon's blast marked the first of the season and sparked a big inning for the offense. 
 
After a one out walk to designated hitter Caleb Corbin, catcher Liam Forsyth crushed a triple to right center field that bounced off the wall bringing Corbin all the way around to score from first base. 
 
The triple marked the first for Forsyth in his second start behind the dish. Forsyth finished the game 1-2 at the plate with the triple, an RBI, and a walk. 
 
Andrew Ramirez drove in the third and final run of the inning with an RBI double to the right center field gap to score Forsyth from third. Besides Cannon's home run, the Redhawks scored their final two runs with two outs in the inning. 
 
RHP Nathan Mertens closed the deal pitching the final 2.1 innings of the ball game coming in to the game in a bases loaded, two-out jam in the seventh inning. Mertens struck out the final hitter in three pitches to end the inning. 
 
He would go on to pitch the final 2.0 innings of scoreless baseball, surrendering just one hit, and picked up his first save of the season. Mertens recorded a season-high five strikeouts over the outing. 
 
Looking Ahead
With the game two victory, SEMO Baseball will return to action for the rubber-match against Northern Illinois tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m. from Choccolocco Park.