SEMO walks off for 5-4 win over Missouri State

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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Dan Holst’s bases-loaded single with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning handed Southeast Missouri a 5-4 walk-off victory over Missouri State Wednesday afternoon at Capaha Field.

Holst lined an 0-1 pitch from Bryan Young (0-1) through the right side of the MSU infield, bringing home Danny Wright from third with the game-winning run. Wright, who went 3-for-3 and reached base in all four of his trips to the plate, ignited the decisive rally for the Redhawks (7-7) with a leadoff single for his third-consecutive hit.

After a Connor Basler sacrifice moved the runner into scoring position, Young issued a walk to Clayton Evans, before Jeremy Eierman momentarily extended the game with a diving stop of Chris Osborne’s infield hit. With the bases loaded, Holst delivered the final blow with a sharp liner just beyond the reach of Aaron Meyer to set off a victory celebration by the home club.

SEMO’s ninth-inning rally spoiled a valiant effort by the MSU bullpen that enabled the Bears to come all the way back from a 4-0 deficit. Jake Fromson struck out seven Redhawks in 3.2 scoreless innings, before Young escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth to keep the score knotted at 4-4.

Justin Paulsen led the Bears’ charge with a 3-for-4 day at the plate that included RBI singles in each of MSU’s scoring rallies in the sixth and eighth innings. Trailing 4-0 in the sixth, Paulsen’s base hit drove home Jake Burger with the Bears’ first run of the day, before Ryan Skalnik’s sac fly to center plated Eierman to make it a 4-2 game.

With Fromson holding the Redhawks’ bats in check, MSU struck for two more runs to even the score in the eighth. Burger lined a leadoff single to left, and Eierman was plunked by a Carlos Vega pitch to set up Paulsen’s second run-scoring hit. With one out, Alex Jefferson came through with a high chopper to first, giving Eierman enough time to trot home with the equalizing run.

SEMO closer Matthew Wade (1-0) stranded the potential go-ahead run at second by retiring Ben Whetstone on a liner to left.

In the home half of the eighth, SEMO took advantage of a one-out throwing error to put a man in scoring position. Young relieved Fromson and promptly induced a ground ball to third for the second out, but issued back-to-back walks to load the bases. The senior avoided trouble by getting Chris Caffrey on a fielder’s choice ground ball to shortstop, sending the game to the ninth still tied.

MSU mounted a threat in the ninth behind Hunter Steinmetz’s third hit of the day. Meyer moved the runner into scoring position with a sac bunt, before SEMO elected to walk Burger intentionally. Eierman was then retired on a liner to right for the final out of the inning.

The Bears’ (12-4) rally came after the Redhawks scored four times over a three-inning stretch to take command. SEMO used an Evans’ bouncer to bring in its first run in the third, capitalizing on back-to-back walks to Caffrey and Wright and the first of Basler’s two sacrifices in the game.

The next inning, SEMO would use a two-out rally to extend its lead to 3-0. MSU right-hander Austin Knight handed Kylar Robertson a free pass, before Brian Lees belted a two-run homer to left.

Finally, Wright recorded the first of his three-straight hits to start the fifth and ultimately scored on a two-out wild pitch from Fromson to push the margin to 4-0.

Knight started the game with a bang for the Bears, striking out the first five Redhawks he faced. The junior fanned a career-high seven hitters over his 4.0 innings, but two of his three walks come home to roost in the form of SEMO runs.

Fromson struck out the side in the fifth, then fanned two more in both the sixth and seventh frames.

Steinmetz (3-for-5) delivered his first three-hit game of the season, while Burger went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored to compliment Paulsen’s performance for MSU.

Missouri State returns to Hammons Field Friday (March 17) at 3:05 p.m., to open a three-game series with Memphis.

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