April 6, 2008

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By Tyler Koonce, Baseball Contact

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Tyrell Cummings hit three home runs Sunday as the Redhawks defeated Murray State, 9-8, to take the weekend Ohio Valley Conference series. The third home run in the bottom of the eighth inning proved to be the difference. With the victory, head coach Mark Hogan earned his 400th win at the helm of the Southeast program.

Cummings hit a three-run shot in the bottom of the first inning to give the Redhawks (13-10, 5-2) an early 4-0 lead. Matt Wagner had previously doubled to score Justin Wheeler, who reached on a two-bagger himself.

Cummings receives praise from Mark Hogan following Sunday's 9-8 victory over Murray State. Hogan earned his 400th coaching victory of his Southeast career with the win.

SEMO pushed the lead to five when Nick Harris hit an RBI single to left-center to bring in Trenton Moses in the bottom of the fourth. Moses reached on an infield single to lead off the frame.

Murray answered back and took the lead with a single run in the top of the fifth and a five-run sixth. Tyler Owen contributed a two-run double to right-center as the Thoroughbreds (11-13, 2-6) sent nine batters to the plate during the top of the sixth inning.

The Redhawks regained the lead in the bottom of the inning by plating three runs. Cummings led off with his second blast of the day to left field. Two batters later, Moses singled up the middle and then advanced to third when Zachary Blemker doubled down the right field line. Harris brought in both baserunners with a double into the left field corner to make the score 8-6.

Again, Murray would answer back to tie the game with two eighth inning runs. Evan Pettit and Zach Noonan notched RBI singles to even the score.

Cummings record-tying third blast of the afternoon led off the bottom of the eighth, clearing the outstretched arm of Murray leftfielder Elliot Frey as he jumped high above the wall. He became the first Southeast player to hit three home runs in a game since Brian Hopkins did so on May 4, 2003 at Tennessee-Martin.

Todd Strahlendorf (2-1) earned the victory after pitching one and two-thirds of one-hit baseball with three strikeouts to close out the game.

James Leigh started for Southeast and pitched five innings, giving up six earned runs. He stuck out five and only issued one walk. Jake Kemper threw two and one-thirds of middle relief, yielding two earned runs to go along with two strikeouts.

Brad Rowland (0-2) took the loss for Murray for the second consecutive game. He only allowed one run on Cummings' final blast.

Cummings finished 3-4 with five RBIs. Harris also went 3-4 and drove in three. Moses added a multi-hit effort.

Owen was 3-4 with two RBIs for the Thoroughbreds. Noonan had a 2-4 day with three runs driven in. Frey also added two hits.

Southeast hosts mid-week games on Tuesday and Thursday at Capaha Field. Southern Illinois comes to play at 3 p.m. Tuesday while first pitch on Wednesday against Arkansas State is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.