SEMO baseball takes rubber match with rout of USI

SEMO's Josh Cameron fist bumps Redhawks head coach Andy Sawyers while rounding third base after hitting a solo home run during the Redhawks' 12-2 win over Southern Indiana on Sunday, April 14, at Capaha Field.

Clay Herrell ~ cherrell@semoball.com

On the day the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks celebrated Masters Sunday at Capaha Field, the Redhawks baseball team channeled their inner Tiger Woods with pure domination while wearing Sunday red.

The Redhawks cruised to a 12-2 win over the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles on Sunday to take the rubber match of the three-game series.

After falling behind 1-0 early, Josh Cameron started the SEMO scoring in the bottom of the second when he ripped an opposite-field, solo home run to tie the game at 1-1.

“I was looking for the heater,” Cameron said, “I got it four times and I was late on the first two or three and they gave it to me again and I got on time with it and put a good swing on it.”

Following Cameron’s solo shot, it began an onslaught of offense for the Redhawks as Caleb Corbin doubled in the next at-bat and he later scored on a two-out double by Shea McGahan as the Redhawks grabbed a 2-1 lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

“That’s what it takes to win games,” Cameron said. “I feel like this is a lineup full of guys that will string great at-bats together and be a hard out. If we can do that it makes the game a lot easier.”

In the bottom of the third, Ty Stauss launched his seventh home run of the season with a three-run blast to give Southeast a 5-1 lead.

“I swung at a really bad pitch to start the at-bat,” Stauss said. “Then, I thought I checked my swing but (the umpire) called it a strike. I locked back in and saw the hanging slider, took a good swing at it and it went.”

In the ensuing Redhawks’ at-bat in the bottom of the fourth, Michael Mugan joined in on the slugfest as he took advantage of the wind blowing to right field and hit a three-run home run of his own to give the Redhawks a commanding 8-1 lead.

“I hit the ball better in my first at-bat and it got caught at the warning track,” Mugan laughed. “I’ve had a lot of those in the last couple of weeks where they’re getting caught at the wall. After my first at-bat, I thought to myself that my next home run would probably be a wind-aided home run. You just have to keep putting in deposits and eventually, you’ll cash in.”

With SEMO leading 8-2 entering the bottom of the seventh, the Redhawks pushed across four runs, capped off by a two-run single by Keoni Coloma, to win the game 12-2 in seven innings.

Getting the start on the mound for the Redhawks was Brian Strange and he delivered, tossing five innings allowing just one run on two hits while striking out five.

“He’s just a competitor,” Mugan said. “He hates to lose. You saw him getting a little fired up there but I love that. I know that he wants to win and I never doubt that. I never question his conviction on any pitch and you want that out of your starting pitcher.”

Following up Strange’s impressive outing was Alex Hayes, who threw the final two innings in relief allowing just one run on three hits while striking out four.

Sunday’s win came a day after the Redhawks dropped game two of the series 12-6.

“We were just hoping to come back today and bounce back,” Cameron said. “I think everyone came out with a chip on their shoulder and came out firing.”

SEMO (18-18, 8-4 OVC) returns to the diamond at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16, when the Redhawks hit the road for a midweek matchup with the Murray State Racers.