Stauss homers twice, Redhawks win rubber match over SIUE

SEMO's Ty Stauss (right) celebrates with Ben Palmer (left) after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning of the Redhawks' 13-3 win over SIUE on Saturday, March 30, at Capaha Field.

Clay Herrell ~ cherrell@semoball.com

A two-home run day by Ty Stauss led the way to a 13-3 win in the rubber match of the three-game series between the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks and the SIUE Cougars.

With a sour taste in their mouth after blowing an eight-run lead the night before, the Redhawks bats came out with a purpose.

Brooks Kettering led off the bottom of the first with a double into right field to set the table for the Redhawks.

The next batter, Ben Palmer, dropped down a bunt, allowing him to reach safely and Kettering to advance to third base.

The Redhawks broke through when Michael Mugan hit a sacrifice fly to score Kettering and make it 1-0 SEMO.

With Palmer still aboard, Ty Stauss dug in and drilled a two-run home run to right field on the first pitch he saw to increase the lead to 3-0.

“Something I’ve been trying to work on lately is jumping on the first pitch strike,” Stauss said. “Sometimes I look stupid doing it, and sometimes it works out.”

The fun offensively didn’t stop there, though, as after a pair of walks to Caleb Corbin and Josh Cameron, Bryce Cannon scored them both with a triple to make it 5-0 Redhawks.

Nolan Ackerman singled home Cannon as the Redhawks held a commanding 6-0 lead after the first inning.

“It was a great feeling to give Sam some breathing room and give us some separation,” Redhawks coach Andy Sawyers said. “But, I’ll tell you what, I did not feel comfortable the entire game no matter how big the lead got.”

With the offense having done its job early, Sam Heyman, who got the start in the rubber match, did his job, by dicing up the Cougars’ offense.

Heyman tossed six innings, allowing three runs on six hits while striking out five.

“My command was pretty good early on,” Heyman said. “I was getting the ball down with my sinker, and my stuff was good. I also had guys making plays behind me on defense, and we put up six in the first, which gave me confidence.”

Like Heyman, Sawyers was quick to point to his command as the biggest reason for the right-hander's success.

“For a sinker, slider guy, he has to control the height of the baseball,” Sawyers said. “He kept the ball down, and the ball was on the ground, and that’s what he needs to do. If you see him throwing the ball down, he’s going to be fine.”

Heyman said that while all the scoring is nice, it can sometimes be tougher as a pitcher.

“Sometimes it’s tough to come out after a long inning,” Heyman said. “But, I was able to get back into the zone right away, which was nice. It gives you confidence to just throw strikes, and if they hit it, they hit it.”

The Redhawks offense continued to put pressure on SIUE, and in the bottom of the fourth, Ty Stauss struck again, this time with a solo shot to the opposite field to make it 8-0.

“It feels good,” Stauss said of his two-homer day. “They don’t come often, so I’m always very appreciative and thankful when they do.”

Stauss finished the day 3-for-5 with 2 home runs, 3 RBI, and a pair of runs scored.

“I think it’s a whole team thing,” Stauss said. “When one of us is going good, then we’re all going good.”

As the Redhawks led 9-0, the Cougars appeared to be mounting a comeback as they were able to chase Heyman after scratching across a run and putting runners on first and second with nobody out in the top of the seventh.

Ultimately, SIUE plated three runs in the top half of the seventh before being retired by Ethan Osborne.

Heyman’s start was not only crucial to the result of the game but also to helping Sawyers and his staff give the bullpen some rest.

“It was really important,” Sawyers said. “We’re a little bit down anyways, and then we use all three of what I consider our leverage pieces last night to try and get last night stopped.”

In the bottom half of the seventh, Keoni Coloma responded for the Redhawks with a solo home run to make it 10-3 Southeast.

After relieving Heyman in the seventh, Osborne was relieved by Alex Hayes in the top of the eighth.

Osborne’s final line was one inning pitched, zero earned runs and just one walk.

Despite holding a seven-run lead, the Redhawks’ offense wasn’t done yet as Josh Cameron joined in on the action by ripping an RBI double into left-center field, pushing the lead to 11-3.

Cannon followed up Cameron’s double with a sacrifice fly to score Stauss, making it 12-3.

The game would end via the mercy rule in the bottom of the eighth when Nolan Ackerman singled home Cameron to win it 13-3.

SEMO (14-14, 5-1 OVC) returns to action at 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 2, when the Redhawks travel to take on Missouri State in a midweek clash.

SEMO 13, SIUE 3

WP: Sam Heyman, SEMO (6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 BB, 3 ER, 5 K).

LP: Kyle Athmer, SIUE (0.1 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 6 ER, 0 K).

MULTI-HIT: Ty Stauss (3-for-5), Bryce Cannon (2-for-4), Nolan Ackerman (2-for-3), Keoni Coloma (2-for-3)