Cape Girardeau, Mo. — Rightfielder Louie Haseltine hit a tie-breaking, three-run homer in the seventh inning as SEMO used a late surge to defeat North Dakota, 13-6, on Saturday at Capaha Field. The Redhawks (8-6) outhit the Sioux (1-8) 15-13 to even the series and set up the rubber match for Sunday's finale.

The teams were tied at 6-6 after six innings of play, but Haseltine's blast, which came during an inning that was extended by a Sioux error, came with two outs and put SEMO ahead for good. 

The Redhawks tacked on four more runs in the eighth to put the game out of reach. 

“We played pretty well early, but they hurt us late with some clutch hits,” UND head coach Jeff Dodson said. “We were swinging the bats well and creating lots of scoring opportunities, but credit (Logan) Mahon, he came in and silenced our bats. We'll regroup tonight and prepare ourselves the best we can to try and win the series tomorrow.”

Before the late surge by the home team, the offenses went back and forth in a game that featured five lead changes.

SEMO struck first with a pair of runs in the second only to see the Sioux respond with two in the top half of the third. Senior Josh Ray (Yucaipa, Calif.), who had four RBI in the opener on Friday, put UND on the board with a two-run single.

Seniors Andy Sadler (Grand Forks, N.D.) and Jake Magner (Grand Rapids, Minn.) then teamed up for run-scoring hits in the fourth to give UND its first lead of the game at 4-3. Sadler's second double of the game scored sophomore Kris Kwak (Maple Grove, Minn.), who had doubled to lead off the frame.

Shortstop Kenton Parmley and second baseman Taylor Heon gave the lead right back to SEMO at 6-4 with run-scoring singles off UND starter Jake Swift (Phoenix, Ariz.) in the fourth.

The Sioux did not trail long as they squared things up at 6-6 with two more runs in the fifth. Freshman Ryan Gerber (Tucson, Ariz.) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Magner drew a walk with the bags packed to drive in runs.

Reliever Trent Wise came in after Magner's walk and got out of the jam by picking Gerber off second with Ray at the plate.

SEMO's fourth pitcher of the game, Logan Mahon, quieted the Sioux offense that had 12 hits in the first six innings, giving up only a seventh-inning single to freshman Matt Richer (Kenosha, Wis.) in three innings of work.

Mahon picked up the win to improve to 2-2, while Swift (0-3) took the loss for the Sioux. The righthander went a season-long 6.1 innings in his third start of the campaign.

Richer finished with a season-high three hits, while Sadler added three hits as well. The Sioux centerfielder has six multiple-hit games during his current seven-game hitting streak.

The Sioux will send senior lefthander David Spies (Grand Forks, N.D.) to the mound on Sunday for the 1 p.m. start. 

 

– Go Sioux –