NEW ALBANY, Ind. – The 14^th ranked IU Southeast baseball team defeated the 9^th ranked University of the Cumberlands 7-3 on Wednesday.
 
The game began as a pitcher's duel as the score was tied 0-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Colin Long launched a solo home run, his first as a Grenadier, to put IU Southeast ahead 1-0.
 
An RBI single by Ethan Burdette in the sixth put IU Southeast ahead 2-0. An RBI single by Preston Shelton made it 3-0.
 
A solo home run by Cumberlands in the seventh made it 3-1.
 
A two-RBI single by Grant Shepherd in the seventh put IU Southeast ahead 5-1. Trevor Goodwin was walked with the bases loaded to give IU Southeast another run, and an RBI fielder's choice by Preston Shelton gave the Grenadiers a 7-1 lead.
 
Cumberlands scored two runs in the ninth, but IU Southeast would secure a 7-3 win.
 
"Eli Laurent was outstanding today holding the line for us until the offense got on the board," IU Southeast Brett Neffendorf said. "No free bases on the mound and some really timely hitting the second half of the game sealed the win."
 
Grant Shepherd, Preston Shelton, and Logan Murphy each had two hits. Shepherd and Shelton both drove in two. Shelton doubled, and Colin Long homered.
 
Eli Laurent got the start and the win, allowing just one run in 6.1 innings while striking out six. Zak Rasener threw 1.2 perfect innings, and Nick Pazos closed the game in the ninth.
 
No. 14 IU Southeast moves to 20-6 overall. The Grenadiers host Brescia for a weekend series beginning on Friday.