Posted: May 21, 2021
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – SIUE baseball dropped a pair of slugfests at Tennessee Tech to conclude its 2021 season Friday.
Tennessee Tech scored five times in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 13-12 win in game two. The Golden Eagles picked up a 12-7 win in the early game. The Golden Eagles swept the three-games series, the only time this year that the Cougars were swept in a three-game series.
SIUE finished the season at 23-27, equaling its most wins under Head Coach Sean Lyons, who also guided the Cougars to 23 wins in 2017. The Cougars finished 13-17 in the Ohio Valley Conference. Tennessee Tech finished the year at 22-25 and 15-15 in the OVC.
The two teams combined for 11 home runs in the second game, including a school-record tying six for SIUE. The teams hit 18 home runs in the doubleheader and 22 total in the three-game series.
The Cougars homered 10 times in the doubleheader and finished the year with 64 home runs for the season, the second most in a season in school history.
The Golden Eagles tagged SIUE closer Braydon Bone (3-2) for five runs in the final frame. They picked up five hits and were helped by three walks. TTU shortstop Ed Johnson singled through the left side with two outs to drive in the game-winner and finish the day 5 for 5.
It was Bone’s 66th and final appearance for the Cougars, which ranks eighth all time. He finished his career with 11 saves, good for sixth in a career at SIUE.
Trailing 7-2 and 8-3 in the second game, the Cougars scored in each of the last five innings. SIUE scored three times in the seventh and four times in the eighth inning and led 12-8 going into the bottom of the ninth.
Brett Johnson, Brady Bunten, Raul Elguezabal, Avery Owusu-Asiedu, Connor Kiffer and Ethan Copeland each homered in the finale. Johnson, Bunten, and Owusu-Asiedu each homered in both games of the doubleheader.
Bunten finished the season with a team-best 13 home runs, which ranks sixth in a single season at SIUE and No. 4 in a single season at the Division I level.
Ole Arntson was 3-4 in game two. Johnson, Bunten, Kiffer and Richie Well each had two hits.
Cody Littlejohn homered three times and was 4-5 for Tennessee Tech in the final game.
The two teams combined for seven home runs in the opener, with the Cougars going deep four times. Johnson, Owusu-Asiedu, Ole Arntson and Bunten each homered. Johnson led off the game with a home run, while Owusu-Asiedu drove home two with his second inning shot. Arntson’s 11th of the year came in the eighth and Bunten’s 12th of the year came with two outs in the ninth inning.
Johnson and Arntson each had two hits for the Cougars. John Stallcup paced the offense with a 3-for-4 day. Johnson and Owusu-Asiedu finished with two RBIs apiece.
SIUE starter Jake Bockenstedt (3-2) surrendered seven runs over two innings to take the loss. He walked three and struck out one. Kaid Karnes allowed five runs over three innings of relief before Alec Kubik and Ryan Swanson shut down the Golden Eagle offense over the final three innings.
Jason Hinchman homered and was 3 for 4 to lead Tennessee Tech in the opening game. Brock Meyers (4-4) worked four innings in relief, allowing two runs, to earn the win for Tech. Grant Phillips worked the final 3 1/3 innings for his third save.