EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Southeast Missouri Baseball (19-12, 6-2 OVC) remained in first place after Sunday afternoon with a 5-3 victory over SIUE (12-17, 5-3 OVC) from Simmons Baseball Complex in game two of the series.
LHP
Jackson Kranawetter picked up his team-leading fifth save of the season coming in for the final two outs of the ball game. Kranawetter punched out the only two Cougars he faced, after SIUE had two runs across in the inning, to seal the sixth-straight Ohio Valley Conference victory of the season.
The Redhawks pitching staff was brilliant all day beginning with a quality start from
Sam Heyman. Heyman allowed just one run on two hits while striking out three Cougars.
Gavin Johnston (1-0) picked up his first win of the season pitching the fifth inning. He punched out all three hitters he faced in 1.0 innings of work to keep SIUE off the board.
LHP
Cade Perkins, RHP
Anthony Klein, RHP
Brian Strange, and Kranawetter pitched the final innings allowing just two runs and recorded seven-of-12 strikeouts on the day for the Redhawks.
SEMO jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning with an RBI sacrifice fly from
Shea McGahan. Cannon led off the inning with a hit-by-pitch, and a one-out
Ty Stauss double to right field got the Redhawks on second & third with one out. McGahan flied to right field to score Cannon from third base.
A wild pitch allowed
Ty Stauss to come across from third base to take a 2-0 lead all the way into the fourth inning.
An RBI single up the middle from SIUE's Ryan Niedzwiedz was the only run the Cougars could muster in the game's first eight innings as the only run allowed from Heyman made it 2-1 SEMO after the fourth.
An RBI single to right field from
Bryce Cannon, extending his hitting streak to eight games, scored
Brooks Kettering to make it 3-1.
A perfectly executed squeeze play by
Cole Warehime the very next pitch after Cannon's at-bat, allowed
Michael Mugan to score after moving to third on Cannon's single to make it 4-1 SEMO after the fifth inning.
An RBI groundout by
Caleb Corbin in the sixth would make it 5-1 SEMO, the Redhawks fifth and final run of the game.
SIUE would plate two in the ninth, but Kranwetter was untouchable as he picked up his fifth save to take the game 5-3 Redhawks.
Looking Ahead
The series finale with SIUE will be Monday, April 7, in Edwardsville, Illinois. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m., CT. from Simmons Baseball Complex.
