EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – SIUE baseball scored three times in the bottom of the eighth inning Sunday, to defeat Morehead State 10-7 and complete a three-game Ohio Valley Conference sweep at Roy E. Lee Field.
The Cougars improved to 10-12 overall and 3-0 in the OVC. Morehead State is 8-14 and 0-3 in the league.
With the score tied 7-7 and two outs in the eighth inning, Mack Mitchell grounded a ball up the middle, which was misplayed, keeping the inning alive for the Cougars. Chase Bloomer was intentionally passed and then Ryan Niedzwiedz looped a ball into left field for an opposite field RBI single to put SIUE up 8-7. Ethan Willoughby followed with a double to the right-center field gap scoring both runners and giving SIUE the three-run advantage.
SIUE took an initial 2-0 lead in the first. Morehead State scored a run in the second inning and then scored three times in the third to lead 4-2.
The teams traded runs in each of the next five half innings. Chase Bloomer led off the bottom of the third with a home run to cut the deficit to 4-3. After MSU scored in the fourth inning, Joshua Heyder homered to lead off the bottom of the fourth to cut the lead back to 5-4.
After another Morehead State run in the top of the fifth, Niedzwiedz reached on a fielder's choice in the bottom of the inning to make it 6-5.
The Cougars held off the Eagles in the top of the sixth before tying the score in the bottom of the inning on a solo home run by John Stallcup. Heyder gave SIUE a 7-6 in the seventh with a single before the Eagles tied the score in the top of the eighth.
Niedzwiedz drove in three for the Cougars. He was 1-5. Willoughby finished 3-4 with the two RBIs. Heyder was 2-4.
Tyler Davis (3-1) earned the win with two scoreless innings to finish the game. Zach Duenas tossed a scoreless inning out of the bullpen, striking out the side in the seventh.
Garrett Helsel started and worked into the fourth allowing four earned runs. He struck out four.
MSU reliever Will Grimmett (2-2) worked the final two innings for the Eagles. He allowed four runs, but just one earned, on four hits.
Caden Sheridan led the Eagles at the plate. He was 3-5 with two RBIs. Hayden Robbins and Aubrey Kirkendoll also had two RBIs apiece.
SIUE stays home to face Illinois State at Simmons Baseball Complex. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.