SIUE's Logan Andersen

MARTIN, Tenn. – SIUE baseball split a doubleheader Saturday at UT Martin. The Cougars won the opener 6-4 before dropping the finale 8-7 to wrap up the Ohio Valley Conference series.

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The Cougars are now 9-30 overall and 6-18 in the OVC. UT Martin is 15-27 overall and 6-15 in the OVC.

The Cougars combined for 24 hits over the two games which included a pair of home runs and four doubles.

"We played really good today," SIUE Coach Danny Jackson said. "We took a lot of quality at-bats. We were swinging the bat with confidence and it showed. We hit a lot of doubles."

The Cougars struck first in the opener, with two tallies in the top of the first inning. Keaton Wright and Jacob Stewart each had RBI hits in the inning. Wright made it 4-0 in the second inning with a two-run single.

Austin Verschoore drove in the last two runs for the Cougars. Verschoore singled in the fifth inning to extend SIUE's lead to 5-0. It was 5-4 Cougars in the eighth when Verschoore connected for his first career home run.

Wright finished 3 for 5. Verschoore and Jacob Stewart were each 2 for 3.

SIUE starter Jarrett Bednar (2-8) earned the win allowing two runs on six hits over 5.1 innings. He struck out four. Brendan Miller allowed two runs in 2.2 innings and Zach Malach tossed a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save.

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"Jarrett Bednar was good again and Brendan Miller and Zach Malach were good behind him," Jackson said.

The Cougars carried a 7-6 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning in game one before UT Martin scored twice to walkoff with the win.

"We battled back and forth," Jackson added. "They scored the last runs. We battled all day long and I'm proud of the way we played."

Skyler Geissinger was 3 for 5 to lead the Cougars in game two. Verschoore was 2 for 4 and drove in two more runs. Logan Andersen and Dustin Woodcock each had two hits. Woodcock added his fourth home run of the year in the loss.

"Keaton and Skyler had good days," Jackson said. "Logan Andersen swung the bat well and Austin Verschoore took good at-bats."

Jackson Layton picked up his first career home run leading off the fourth inning.

D.J. Hickey (0-2) suffered the loss in relief, allowing both runs in the ninth inning. Michael Shereyk and Danny Erhsam each tossed a scoreless inning in relief. For Erhsam it was his second career appearance. He struck out one.

"Ehrsam looked good," Jackson said. "He was composed. It was good to see him have success."

The Cougars take a week off from OVC play and will next play a four-game series at Air Force beginning Friday. All four games will be broadcast on 88.7 FM WSIE.  

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