EIU, SIUE Play Weekend Contests

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Eastern Illinois freshman outfielder Joseph Duncan reached over the fence in left center to bring back what would have been a three-run home run for Southeast Missouri in the top of the seventh.  EIU then used that momentum to score five runs in the bottom of the seventh during a 9-5 win on Saturday afternoon at Coaches Stadium.  The two teams will play the deciding game in the series on Sunday at 1 p.m.

SEMO looked to extend its 5-4 lead in the seventh inning as Ryan Rippee hit a ball to deep left center that Duncan climbed the fence to pull back in for the final out of the inning.  The Redhawks had two base runners on when Rippee hit his blast.

EIU used that momentum in the bottom of the frame as they loaded the bases with one out following an infield error.  Caleb Howell made the Redhawks pay with a two-run double down the left field line that gave the Panthers a 6-5 lead.  Howell was 3-for-5 as he now needs two hits to tie Ryan Campbell for the EIU career hits record.

EIU added three more runs in the seventh as SEMO used four pitchers in the inning. Travis Hayes (5-4) took the loss despite allowing only four earned runs. Demetre Taylor had a sacrifice fly, Howell scored on a wild pitch and Marshawn Taylor was hit by a pitch with bases loaded to plate the final three EIU runs. Demetre Taylor was 2-for-3 while Marshawn Taylor had three RBI for the game.

Chase Thurston (1-0) pitched the final three innings in relief to pick up the win.

SEMO opened the games with runs in the first and second against EIU starter Jake Johansmeier. Garrett Gandolfo had an RBI in the first and Scott Mitchell connected for an RBI single in the second.

EIU tied the game in the second with an unearned run and an RBI by Marshawn Taylor.

Each team plated a run in the fourth with Mitchell driving home SEMO’s run and Marshawn Taylor providing EIU’s RBI.  Mitchell was 2-for-3 with three RBI for SEMO.

The Redhawks took a two run lead in the sixth with a sacrifice fly by Mitchell and RBI single by Branden Boggetto.  EIU cut the lead to one in the seventh with a Demetre Taylor single.   

Brant Valach and Teutopolis graduate Bobby Wenthe both added two singles for EIU. Gandolfo, Boggetto and Dalton Hewitt had two hits for SEMO.

SIUE Splits Saturday, Sunday Games

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. -- Eastern Kentucky scored twice in the seventh inning Saturday to take a 5-4 lead and then held on for a 6-5 win over SIUE in game two of a three-game series at Simmons Baseball Complex.

"We didn't take good at-bats today and we also played frustrated at times," SIUE Head Coach Tony Stoecklin said. "Guys were expressing frustration and that's not a part of what we do here. Anytime you're frustrated you're not going to play at your highest level."

EKU took an early lead against SIUE starter P.J. Schuster (4-2). Kyle Nowlin gave the Colonels a 2-0 lead in the first inning on his second home run of the series. The two-run shot also was his OVC-leading 11th of the year. EKU added another run in the inning to lead 3-0.

The Cougars got a run back in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly by Keaton Wright. Nick Lombardo scored on the play after leading off the inning with a single. Skyler Geissinger drove in a run with a base hit in the fourth inning which scored Alec Saikal. Saikal reached on a fielder's choice.

Saikal gave SIUE its first lead of the day with a two-out, two-run single in the fifth which made it 4-3.

Doug Teegarden led off the top of the seventh inning with a home run to tie the game, 4-4. Schuster then walked EKU third baseman Mandy Alvarez before giving way to reliever Ryan Agnitsch. The Colonels would push across another run, thanks to an infield hit and two more walks in the inning, to lead 5-4.

Teegarden led the Colonels at the plate. He was 3 for 5 with the home run.

Schuster allowed five runs on nine hits in six-plus innings of work. He walked three and struck out just one.

The Cougars managed a run in the bottom of the ninth on an RBI-single from Effingham graduate Chase Green. Green finished the day 2-for-4 with the RBI. Lombardo also had two hits for the Cougars, who combined for 10 as a team.

SIUE used quality pitching, timely hitting, and flawless defense to defeat Eastern Kentucky 10-3 Sunday in the finale of a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series at Simmons Baseball Complex.

The Cougars won two of three in the series and improved to 12-6 in the OVC and 12-16 overall. SIUE remains just a game behind Southeast Missouri (13-5) for first place in the league. Eastern Kentucky dropped to 5-9 in the OVC and 11-20 overall.

"I just liked the way we played overall today," SIUE Head Coach Tony Stoecklin said. We had no errors, a lot of quality at-bats with men in scoring position, and very good pitching. "Three runs on a day like today when the wind's blowing out a little bit, against a good-hitting team? That's a really good job by our pitching staff."

Green put the Cougars up 1-0 early, belting his third home run of the year in the first inning. Green finished with a single, home run and two  RBI.