ST. CHARLES, Mo. – SIUE baseball built a 7-1 lead then withstood a five-run ninth inning by Lindenwood to hold on for a 7-6 win Sunday at the Lou Brock Sports Complex.
The Cougars won two of three to win the series. SIUE has now won three of four Ohio Valley Conference series this year and improved to 8-4 in OVC play and 15-19 overall. The Cougars are tied for second in the league and just a game out of first place.
Lindenwood fell to 6-5 in the league and 16-17 overall.
The Cougars got a strong start from right-hander Spencer Stearns (3-3) who worked six scoreless innings and struck out nine Lions. He allowed just five hits.
SIUE scored single runs in the fourth and fifth innings on RBI hits from Kyle Ratliff and Chase Bloomer. John Stallcup doubled to drive home two runs in the sixth inning for a 4-0 lead. Joshua Heyder drove in a run with a squeeze bunt in the seventh to push the lead to 5-0.
After Lindenwood got a run back in the eighth, Heyder drove a ball to right field to score two more runs in the ninth for a 7-1 advantage.
Lindenwood plated five runs on three hits in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Alex Rodriguez allowed two runs, one earned, in the ninth but stranded the tying run on base to earn his second save of the year.
Stallcup and Daniel Gierer each finished with two hits for the Cougars. The Lions outhit SIUE 10-9 for the game.
The Cougars will travel to Illinois for a Tuesday game before opening a three-game OVC series with Southern Indiana at home starting Thursday.
