CHILLICOTHE, Ohio – The IU Southeast baseball team used a five-run fifth inning to pull away from Midway University en route to a 13-2 win to advance to the RSC Championship on Saturday.
The Grenadiers (40-11) took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Richard Rodriguez hit a two-run double to right to bring in Cody Maloon and Jordan Branz.
IU Southeast put the game away in the fifth. Nicholas Lugo hit his third home run of the tournament and 11th of the year to lead off the frame to make it a 4-2 game. The big blow came from pinch hitter Drew Hensley who doubled to left with the bases loaded. Nolan Rogers brought him in with a single.
Tanner Leenknecht knocked in a pair of runs with a two-run double in the sixth and Tyler Warmath added a pair of runs with a double in the eigthth.
John Cecil worked five scoreless inning in relief to get the win. He gave up one hit and struck out four.
Cody Maloon went 3-for-4 with four runs scored and Tyler Warmath drove in three runs.
The Grenadiers fell in the winner's bracket final to Point Park 4-1 earlier on Saturday.
IU Southeast will have to defeat Point Park twice Saturday to claim the River States Conference Tournament championship. The Grenadiers open the championship round Saturday at 11 a.m. with the if necessary game following at 3 p.m.
