Hilltoppers Fall at SEMO on Saturday

Saturday, March 16

Cape Girardeau, Mo.

2:00 PM CT

Western Kentucky University

13-7

Southeast Missouri State

8-12

Western Kentucky

Southeast Missouri

Photo by: Jack Todd, WKU Athletics

3/16/2024 5:50:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – WKU Baseball (13-7) fell to Southeast Missouri (8-12) 8-6 on Saturday afternoon at Capaha Field.

The loss ends the Tops three-game winning streak and sets up a rubber match series finale tomorrow afternoon.

Juniors Cristian Garcia and Eli Burwash each had a pair of RBI while junior Blake Cavill and sophomore Camden Ross both had multi-hit efforts. Junior Brady Browning reached base five times, going 1-for-1 with a solo home run and four walks while also scoring two runs.

The Hilltopper pitching staff held the Redhawks scoreless through three innings, but faltered in the fourth, allowing four runs on four hits and one error. Junior relivers Lucas Litteral and Cole Heath put up a couple zeros in the final 2.2 innings, only allowing one hit.

The Tops offense got going early as junior Ethan Lizama drove in the first run of the game with a ground-rule double. Garcia tacked on another with a sacrifice fly to give WKU a 2-0 lead in the first.

After a scoreless second inning, the Hilltopper offense went back to work, putting up a four spot in the third. Garcia tallied his fifth RBI of the weekend with a double before junior Kyle Hayes followed with an RBI single. Burwash capped the frame with a two RBI single and extend the lead to 6-0.

Southeast Missouri was able to get to starting pitcher Jacob Bimbi in the fourth, scoring four runs on a double, a single, and an error. In the fifth, the Redhawks cut the Tops lead to 6-5 with a solo homer.

A Southeast Missouri triple with another Hilltopper error scored three runs, giving the Redhawks their first lead of the game, 8-6.

Browning's solo shot in the top of the ninth cut the deficit in half, but the Tops were not able to plate any more runs, making the final score 8-7.

UP NEXT

The Hilltoppers and Redhawks will conclude their series tomorrow afternoon at Capaha Field. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. CT.

How to follow WKU Baseball: For complete information on WKU Hilltopper Baseball, visit WKUSports.com or follow the program via social media @WKU_Baseball on Twitter and @WKUBaseball Instagram.