EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Morehead State swept a baseball doubleheader from SIUE winning 13-5 and 11-9 Saturday to sweep the three-game Ohio Valley Conference series.
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The Eagles became the first OVC team to sweep the Cougars and improved to 25-14 overall and 11-7 in the OVC. SIUE dropped to 12-9 in the OVC and 12-20 overall.
SIUE had 26 hits in two games Saturday and 40 for the series.
"Our offense did more than enough to win this series," SIUE Head Coach Tony Stoecklin said. "The majority of the lineup did a good job today. It's hard to believe than you can get 40 hits in a weekend series and you don't win a game."
Morehead State jumped on Cougar starter P.J. Schuster (4-3) in game one, scoring six times in the first inning and 10 times over the first three innings. The Eagles never trailed in the game.
The Cougars got a sacrifice fly from Alec Saikal in the third inning and a two-run home run from Denton Reed in the fourth inning and trailed 10-3 after four innings. The long ball was the first of the senior's career.
Schuster allowed 10 runs on 14 hits over five innings he struck out three and walked one. Caleb Wilkerson relieved Schuster in the sixth and retired the first six hitters he faced.
Dustin Woodcock hit a long two-run home run in the eighth to pull the Cougars within 10-5 before the Eagles scored three runs on three hits in the eighth for the final margin.
Woodcock finished 3 for 4 with the home run. Reed was 2 for 4 with the homer.
It was SIUE that jumped out in front in game two. The Cougars scored a run in the third inning when Reed singled to center to lead off the inning. After stealing second and advancing to third on a wild pitch, Reed scored on a ground ball double play.
Morehead State answered with a five-run bottom of inning against starter Jarett Bednar. Robby Spencer capped the inning with a two-run home run.
Trailing 5-1, the Cougars then scored seven straight runs. Saikal led off the fourth with a solo homer to make it 5-2. SIUE then scored five two-out runs in the fifth inning.
Eagles' starter David Calderon retired the first two hitters he faced before walking Keaton Wright. Saikal followed with his second home run in as many at-bats to cut the lead to 5-4. Parker Guinn doubled to center and then scored on an RBI-single by Skyler Geissinger which tied the game. Woodcock singled up the middle and he and Geissinger each scored on a two-run double to left center by Jacob Stewart which made it 7-5 SIUE.
Nick Lombardo and Chase Green opened the sixth inning with back-to-back doubles which made it 8-5.
Bednar allowed five runs over four innings. He struck out two and walked one. Ryan Agnitsch relieved Bednar in the fifth and worked three innings allowing three runs.
Morehead State scored twice in the sixth inning and then used a solo home run from catcher Tyler Nieman to tie the score 8-8.
"Pitching was bad this weekend," Stoecklin said. "It's unacceptable for this program and for the direction of this program. We have a bunch of pitchers who need to do a lot of soul searching."
Wright singled to drive home Reed in the eighth inning to put SIUE back on top 9-8. The Eagles scored three times in the bottom of the inning against reliever Brett Thomas. Sweeney singled to lead off the inning before Thomas fanned Brandon Rawe. Thomas then hit Chris Robinson with a pitch but Robinson was forced out at second base on a ground ball fielder's choice from Robby Spencer for the second out. Nick Newell followed and connected for a three-run home run to right center to give Morehead State the 11-9 lead.
"It's just the opportunity to go out there and be the guy," Stoecklin said of pitching. "When you get out on the mound you either want to be the guy or you're afraid of that opportunity. It is what you make of it in your own mind. If you're afraid of that you won't succeed on the mound."
Saikal led the Cougars in game two. He was 2 for 5 with the pair of homers and three RBIs. Green, Guinn, and Reed each also had two hits for SIUE.
Sweeney and Nieman each had three hits for the Eagles in the second game.
The Cougars return to Simmons Complex to begin a stretch of four straight home games. SIUE will face Saint Louis Wednesday before UT Martin comes to Edwardsville for a three-game OVC series Friday-Sunday.
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