Redhawks drop a heartbreaker at Southern Illinois University

The Redhawks baseball team dropped their eleventh game on the year in heartbreaking fashion on the road to the Southern Illinois Salukis on Tuesday evening.

SEMO jumped on the board early when left fielder Jevon Mason doubled to lead off the ballgame and later scored on a sacrifice fly from shortstop Tyler Wibler. The Salukis were able to tie the game up in the bottom half of the first when J.T. Webber singled through the left side driving in Jack Rigoni.

SEMO was able to regain the lead in the third inning on a two out double by catcher Andrew Keck that drove in third baseman Peyton Leeper who walked in the inning.

The Redhawks were able to tack on two more runs in the top of the fourth inning. Center fielder Brett Graber doubled to lead off the inning followed by a walk for outfielder Spencer Parker. First baseman Lincoln Andrews then layed down a sacrifice bunt to advance both Graber and Parker. A single into left field from secondbasemen Ben Palmer put the Redhawks on top by a score of 4-1.

The offenses for both teams were silent till the eighth inning. With one out in the top of the eight Redhawks outfielder Joel Vaske was hit by a pitch. A home run from Andrews over the right field wall gave SEMO a 6-1 lead and their final two runs of the night.

In the bottom half of the eight inning the Salukis were able to put up five runs on only two hits. Redhawks pitcher Anthony Klein walked Salukis outfielder Evan Martin before getting J.D. Ortiz to pop out. Klein then struckout outfielder Pier-Olivier Boucher for the second out of the inning. Following the strikeout, catcher Nick Hagedorn drew a walk putting runners on first and second with two down.

Pinch hitter Jeremy Schork then ripped a double down the right field line driving in both Martin and Hagedorn and pulling the Salukis within three. Hunter Ralls then took the mound in relief of Klein. Ralls struckout Rigoni who reached on a wild pitch to keep the inning alive. Then with a 3-2 count and two away in the inning Webber cracked a three-run homer to center field to tie the game at six a piece.

The Salukis scored the deciding run in the bottom half of the eleventh inning when Rigoni blasted a walkoff homerun to left field off of Redhawks closer Kyle Miller. SEMO falls to 28-11 on the year with the loss while SIU improves to 29-11.

The Redhawks will be back in action this weekend when they travel to the Music City to take on the OVC leading Belmont Bruins.