CHILLICOTHE, Ohio – The IU Southeast baseball team outlasted WVU Tech amid a 2:43 rain delay to defeat the Golden Bears 13-5 on Saturday night.
 
With the win, IU Southeast earns a berth in the RSC Championship game and one of the conference's two automatic bids to the NAIA National Championship Opening Round.
 
IU Southeast used an eight-run seventh inning to put the game away.
 
WVU Tech struck first in the opening inning when William Gray doubled down the right-field line, scoring a pair.
 
IU Southeast answered right back in the bottom of the inning. Colin Long led off the inning with a double and scored on a single by Mason White. Luke Powell moved White to third with a double and a RBI groundout by Kody Putnam tied the game. Trevor Goodwin followed with a sacrifice fly to score White.
 
After the Golden Bears tied the game with a run in the top of the second, IU Southeast took the lead back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second.
 
Max Flock and Slater Schield each singled and White was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out.
 
A single by Powell drove in Schield and Flock to put the Grenadiers in front 5-3.
 
The leadoff batter reached in the fourth for WVU Tech but starter Cade Reynolds induced a 4-6-3 double play and a groundout to third to end the inning.
 
WVU Tech threatened in the fifth with a double and single to lead off the inning. A sacrifice fly by Francisco Calderon cut the deficit to one but the rally was extinguished with a 6-4-3 double play.
 
The game was delayed for two hours and forty-three minutes due to weather in the area and the Golden Bears scored quickly to tie the game in the top of sixth once play resumed.
 
Logan Stump hit a one-out solo home run to center to tie the game and the Grenadiers were retired in order in the bottom of the inning.
 
The Grenadiers exploded for eight runs on seven hits in the bottom of the seventh to put the game away.
 
Luke Powell recorded his fourth hit of the game when he led off with a double and Putnam followed with a bunt single and Goodwin drew a walk to load the bases.
 
Max Flock singled to right to score Powell and Putnam as IU Southeast surged back into the lead.
 
Slater Schield was hit with the bases loaded to drive in Ethan Burdette, and a two-run double by Colin Long down the left-field line extended the lead to 11-5.
 
A RBI groundout by Mason White and a run-scoring double by Putnam capped off the rally.
 
WVU Tech was retired in order by Connor Sims and Conner Fries, as Sims recorded two strikeouts.
 
In the ninth, Gavin Knust came on and allowed one hit and a walk but recorded a fielder's choice forceout at second to win the game for IU Southeast.
 
Luke Powell went 4-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBI in the win. Colin Long had two hits, scored twice and drove in a pair. Mason White drove in two.
 
Kody Putnam finished 3-for-5 with a run scored and two RBI and Max Flock and Slater Schield each had two hits while Flock drove in a pair.
 
Connor Sims worked one and a third innings of hitless relief to earn the win. He struck out two.

IU Southeast advance to Sunday's RSC Championship game with the opponent and time to be announced.