Southeastern Oklahoma 12, Incarnate Word 4

Southeastern Oklahoma carried momentum from their afternoon win into a knockout punch of Incarnate Word in a 12-4 win to eliminate the Cardinals at Crutcher Scott Field in the Lone Star Conference Baseball Championship Monday night.

The Savage Storm built a five-run lead with three runs in the first and two more in the top of the second inning proving to be enough for the win. SE would not stop there, however as they scored six runs over the final four innings to put the game out of reach for UIW.

Justin Miller went 4-for-6 as the Savage Storm pounded out 17 hits on the night. Miller, the SE lead-off hitter, scored three runs and added two RBIs as eight of the nine starters recorded at least one hit. Riley Keith was the only Savage Storm player not to pick up a hit.

UIW would get on the board in the bottom of the third after being shutout against Cameron Monday morning. The Cardinals would not only struggle to move base runners, but to keep runners on base as SE turned four double plays including two inning-ending efforts.

David Cagle and Jimmy Johnson combined to hold UIW to four runs on nine hits with only three earned runs. Johnson allowed two runs on a two-run home run from Mike De La Rosa, his third of the tournament, but struck out the final batter vaulting the Savage Storm into Tuesday’s title game.

UIW falls to 35-16 on the year and must await an at-large bid in the NCAA South Central Regional after winning the LSC regular season crown. SE will have a chance to play for the league's automatic bid starting at 1 p.m. against Cameron; however the Savage Storm will need to knock off the Aggies twice on Tuesday.

Southeastern Oklahoma 7, Southwestern Oklahoma 4

Southeastern Oklahoma rode their all-Conference pitcher Heath Wyatt to eliminate Southwestern Oklahoma, 7-4, Monday afternoon in the Lone Star Conference Baseball Championship at Crutcher Scott Field.

Wyatt entered when the Savage Storm need him the most in elimination contest. In the bottom of the third with a one-run lead and two on base Wyatt struck out two Bulldogs to end the threat and preserve a 3-2 lead. Wyatt finished with six strikeouts and one walk for his fifth win of the season.

SE would add to their lead in the fourth with three runs on two hits and a SWOSU error to take a 6-2 advantage. 

However, the Bulldogs would battle back with a run in the sixth and seventh to pull within two runs of their rival. SWOSU could never get the elusive two runs needed as they left 14 runners on base in the season-ending loss.

The Savage Storm got a big performance at the plate from Riley Keith, who has been on fire during the tournament, with three more hits, two RBIs and a run scored. Keith is 6-for-11 during the tournament and has hit for the cycle with two doubles.

Christian Wise was also solid in relief for the Bulldogs going 7.2 strong innings, while scattering nine hits for four runs (3 earned) but could not get the timely hitting needed offensively.

SE turns around to play Incarnate Word in an elimination game with a title game berth on the line. SWOSU finishes their season at 33-18, while SE improved to 31-17 on the year.

Cameron 7, Incarnate Word 0

Jerry Pajak took his turn to hurl a complete game for Cameron on Monday as he was the third pitcher in three days to go nine innings for a win this time shutting out regular season champion Incarnate Word, 7-0, to advance the Aggies to the LSC Championship game at Crutcher Scott Field.

Pajak scattered six hits and was able to hold UIW scoreless.  Even more the Cardinals never reached third base in the game as Pajak struck out four and walked three for his third win of the year.

The CU offense continued to roll as they scored seven runs on 13 hits breaking the game open in the seventh. Andrew Garcia led-off with a double in the left field gap and scored one batter later on an RBI single from Joe Halley. 

The inning would continue when relief pitcher Zach Anderson hit Kaleb Brawner on the first pitch with the bases loaded and walked Joey Dawson on four pitches to make it, 6-0.  An inning ending double play would put an end to the Aggie damage, but they plated one more insurance run in the eighth.

CU advances to play in Tuesday’s championship game at 1 p.m. while UIW will have to win three games to claim the title.  The Cardinals will play the winner of Southeastern Oklahoma and Southwestern Oklahoma at 7 p.m. in an elimination game.