ABILENE – 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 Championships 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. SOSU would not stop there, however as they scored six runs over the final four innings to put the game out of reach for Incarnate Word.
Justin Miller went 4-for-6 as Southeastern pounded out 17 hits on the night. Miller, the Savage Storm 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 SOSU player not to pick up a hit.
Incarnate Word would get on the board in the bottom of the third after being shutout against Cameron early Monday morning. The Cardinals would not only struggle to move base runners, but to keep runners on base as SOSU turned four double plays including two inning ending double plays.
David Cagle and Jimmy Johnson combined to hold the Cardinals to four runs on nine hits with only three runs being earned. Johnson allowed two runs coming on a two-run home run from Mike de laRosa his third of the tournament, but strike out the final batter vaulting the Savage Storm into Tuesday title game.
Incarnate Word falls to 35-16 on the year and must await hope on an at-large bid in the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament after winning the LSC regular season. Southeastern 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.
