Southeast Missouri State baseball team wins finale of three-game series

~ Southeast beat Tennessee Tech 13-8 after dropping a doubleheader Saturday

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team made sure it wasn't a lost weekend.

Southeast beat host Tennessee Tech 13-8 on Sunday to salvage a win in the finale of the three-game series in Cookeville, Tenn.

Defending Ohio Valley Conference regular-season champion Tech had swept Saturday's doubleheader 9-5 and 5-4.

The Redhawks improved to 17-14 overall and 4-4 in OVC play. Tech is 13-17 and 3-3. The squads are part of a three-way tie for fourth place in the nine-team league.

"It took everything we had today. Nothing was easy," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said. "It was a big victory."

Southeast had plenty of key performers, topped by seniors Tim Rupp and Logan Mahon.

Rupp went 4 for 5, his biggest hit being a three-run double with two outs in the eighth inning that put the Redhawks up 11-7.

Rupp also turned in the defensive gem of the game, making a diving stop at third base to start a third-inning double play during which junior second baseman Taylor Heon made a slick turn. Tech later loaded the bases in the frame but failed to score.

Heon also had a dazzling defensive play in the contest.

"Rupp just had a magnificent day. That double play was just all athleticism," Hogan said. "And Heon made some great plays."

Mahon, Southeast's ace left-handed reliever, preserved what was a precarious one-run, seventh-inning lead by pitching the final three frames.

Mahon allowed just one run and one hit while striking out five, walking one and hitting two. He notched his third save of the season to go with four wins. He has a 1.82 ERA.

"He's outstanding," Hogan said. "He's just a guy if you can get the game to him, you have to feel pretty good."

Senior Corey Harness also continued his strong relief work, giving up just an unearned run in 1 1/3 innings before Mahon took over.

Senior starter Brad LaBruyere notched the victory, improving to 4-1. He worked 4 2/3 innings, allowing six runs (four earned) and six hits. He struck out two, walked three and hit four batters.

The Redhawks banged out 14 hits, which matched their total from Saturday's doubleheader. They had five doubles in the series finale.

Senior Blake Slattery had three hits and scored three runs. Senior Trenton Moses had three hits, two RBIs and scored two runs.

Senior Casey Jones recorded two hits and four RBIs. His two-run, ninth-inning double gave Southeast breathing room at 13-7.

Heon doubled twice and scored three runs. Senior Michael Adamson had three RBIs.

Southeast grabbed a 1-0 first-inning lead as Heon doubled and scored on a two-out single by senior Trenton Moses.

The Eagles went ahead 3-1 with a three-run second inning, but Southeast took control with seven unanswered runs.

After tying the contest with a two-run third inning, the Redhawks grabbed the advantage for good with a two-run fourth that featured sacrifice fly balls by junior Kenton Parmley and Adamson.

Southeast made it 8-3 with three more runs in the fifth, two scoring on bases-loaded walks and another coming home on a bases-loaded hit batter.

LaBruyere was lifted during a three-run fifth that brought Tech within 8-6. Harness got the final out with a runner on third.

Harness worked a scoreless sixth inning, then walked two in the sixth and fired a wild pickoff throw that left runners on first and third with nobody out.

In came Mahon. A bunt that went for an out scored a run to make it 8-7 and moved a runner to second, but Mahon retired the next two batters.

Mahon fired a scoreless eighth as Southeast opened up its 13-7 bulge. Tech got a run in the ninth but fell well short.

Southeast continues its stretch of nine straight road games Tuesday with a 1 p.m. nonconference matchup at SIU-Carbondale. The Redhawks are 4-3 during their road swing.