EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – SIUE and Western Michigan combined for 24 runs, 29 hits and seven home runs and the Cougars came out on top with a 13-11 win over the Broncos on a blustery day at Simmons Baseball Complex.
SIUE has won the first three games of the series and straight games and overall to improve to 5-4. Western Michigan dropped to 1-8.
"Today was tough conditions for both teams," SIUE Head Coach Sean Lyons said. "We knew no lead was safe and no deficit was too much to overcome on a day like today. Our guys did a really good job of staying steady."
After a scoreless first, Western Michigan took a 3-0 lead in the second thanks to a three-run home run from Dylan Nevar. Richie Well's second home run of the series on the first pitch he saw scored Ole Arntson and pulled SIUE within a run at 3-2.
The Cougars tied the game on a Connor Kiffer RBI-triple in the third and then took the lead when Brady Bunten reached on an error and Kiffer scored with two outs. Arntson reached on a hit and Avery Owusu-Asiedu was hit by a pitch when Well came back to the plate. He blasted another first pitch out for a grand slam to put the Cougars in front 8-3. Well was 3-4 with the pair of home runs and six driven in.
"Richie Well had two really big home runs and six runs batted in-a big day for him for sure," Lyons said.
Western Michigan got a two-run homer from Brendan Harrity in the top of the fourth to make it 8-5. Kiffer drove home a run in the fourth and Arnston crushed his second home run of the year in the fifth and SIUE led 10-5.
The Broncos scored four runs in the fifth to pull within a run. Nevar hit his second three-run home run of the day to make it 10-9 SIUE. The Broncos went ahead 11-10 with a pair of runs in the sixth. Brett Johnson followed a triple from Josh Ohl in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at 11-11.
"Our guys answered right back and that shows a lot about their resilience," Lyon said.
Ohl hit a solo home run in the eighth and Arntson added his fourth hit to drive later in the inning in a run for the 13-11
"Ole Arntson had a great day today," Lyons added. "He had some really big at-bats even besides the home run."
Arntson finished 4-5 with three runs scored to go along with the two RBIs. Ohl and Kiffer each finished with three hits for SIUE.
Brant Glidewell started and worked five innings before leaving. Taylor Bruninga (1-0) relieved for the Cougars and allowed a pair of runs in the sixth before throwing two scoreless innings to secure his first win for SIUE. He struck out five. Quinn Waterhouse worked a scoreless ninth inning, striking out one for the save.
"Taylor Bruninga gave us three good innings and then to have Quinn come in to face the lefties in the ninth; they both did a nice job," Lyons said. "It was a big win."
Hayden Berg (0-2) worked three innings and took the loss for Western Michigan. He gave up three runs.
The Cougars will play for the four-game sweep Sunday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
"Sunday wins- we talk about it every week," Lyons said. "Now it's not to try to win a series or scratch one, it's to sweep the series. When you can do that, it is huge for your team and its confidence."
