MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Southeast Missouri Baseball (12-9) added two insurance runs in the ninth inning with home runs from
Michael Mugan and
Bryce Cannon to down Middle Tennessee (12-8) by a final score of 11-7 on Tuesday evening.
Winning 9-7 heading to the ninth inning, Mugan and Cannon both hit opposite field home runs to extend the Redhawks lead out to four runs. RHP
Eddie White recorded his first save of the season to seal the deal at Reese Smith Jr. Field.
The Redhawks offense pounded out 15 hits led by
Michael Mugan who finished 4-5 at the plate with two doubles, a home run, two RBIs, and two runs scored.
RHP
Caden Kickhaefer (1-0) made his second start on the mound for the Redhawks this season and carried a no hitter into the fifth inning. The righty pitched 5.0 innings, struck out six Blue Raiders, and surrendered just two hits.
The Redhawks jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning, scoring all their runs with two outs. Mugan's two-out double got the inning going as
Bryce Cannon walked in the next at-bat.
Right fielder
Cole Warehime singled to left field to score Mugan before left fielder
Ty Stauss singled to center field to score Cannon. Stauss stole second base with Warehime on third as he scored to make it 3-0.
Second baseman
Carson Schrack singled through the right side for the fourth run of the inning as Stauss came into score.
In the second inning, Mugan singled through the left side to score DH
Demitri Shakotko to make It 5-0 Redhawks after the second inning.
A leadoff single up the middle from Shakotko in the fourth inning began a Redhawk rally. After a fly out,
Brooks Kettering roped a double down the right field line to put Redhawks on second and third. Mugan was then hit-by-a-pitch to bring up
Bryce Cannon who roped a single to right field, scoring Kettering and Schrack, to make it 7-0 SEMO.
A big four-run inning for MTSU made it 7-4 after the sixth inning, but the Redhawks would respond with two more runs in the seventh off a home run from catcher
Shea McGahan. McGahan's homer marked the first of the season as he crushed it over the left field fence to make it 9-4 SEMO.
Three runs for MTSU in the bottom of the eighth wasn't enough, as the Redhawks added two more with the Mugan and Cannon home runs in the ninth to seal the 11-7 victory.
Looking Ahead
SEMO Baseball will begin Ohio Valley Conference play at UT Martin this weekend. First pitch is slated for 5 p.m., CT. on Friday, March 21, from Martin, Tenn.
