Southeast Missouri captures slugfest over SIUE baseball 20-11 for sweep

EDWARDSVILLE – Southeast Missouri came out on top in a Sunday slugfest, using a 20-11 win to sweep a three-game Ohio Valley Conference baseball series from SIUE at Capaha Field.

SIUE banged out 12 hits and tied its season high with 11 runs but fell to 4-20 overall and 2-10 in OVC play. Southeast Missouri has won 10 straight games and improved to 20-10 overall and 12-0 in conference play.  

Keaton Wright was 3 for 5 to lead the Cougars at the plate. He drove in two. Wright is now hitting .426 in OVC play. Alec Skender, Brock Irwin and Jacob Stewart each had two hits for SIUE. Skender, Logan Andersen and Dustin Woodcock had two RBIs apiece. Woodcock hit his second home run of the year, a solo shot, in the eighth inning.

Southeast Missouri jumped on SIUE starter Brendan Miller (2-2), scoring five times in the first frame.

"It doesn't make things easy," SIUE Head Coach Tony Stoecklin said about getting behind early.

Miller failed to get out of the first inning. He allowed the five runs on four hits in just one-third of an inning.

"He just didn't have it today," Stoecklin said. "He's been with me for three years and I know him well enough to know when he doesn't have his stuff."

The Cougars trimmed the SEMO lead to 6-5 with a five-run third inning.

"Credit to our guys we didn't quit," Stoecklin said. "We found a way to get back in the game."

The Redhawks responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning and then seven runs in the fourth to open a 15-5 lead.

Southeast Missouri right fielder Daniel Costello finished the game 3 for 6 with a home run and five RBIs. First baseman Chris Caffrey was 5 for 6 with two RBIs. SEMO catcher Brian Lee finished 2 for 4 with four RBIs.

Adam Pennington earned the win in relief for Southeast Missouri. He tossed four scoreless innings and struck out five.

The Cougars travel to Columbia, Missouri for a Tuesday nonconference matchup. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. The game can be seen on SEC Network+.