ST. CHARLES, Mo. – SIUE scored twice in the top of the 14th inning to pick up a 3-1 win in the opener of a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series at Lindenwood.
With the win, the Cougars improved to 7-3 in OVC play and moved back into a tie for first place. SIUE is 14-18 overall. Lindenwood is 5-4 in the league and 16-17 overall.
The pair of extra-inning runs rewarded a stellar pitching performance by four SIUE pitchers, who combined to allow a single run on just three hits over 14 innings.
The game matched the longest (innings) that SIUE has played in the Division I era (since 2009) and the longest they have played to earn a win.
Joshua Heyder led off the 14th with a double to right center and Brendan Fry pinch ran. Kyle Ratliff singled and Lane Crowden followed with a single to drive in Fry. Ratliff and Crowden moved up on a passed ball and Ratliff scored on a squeeze bunt by John Stallcup for the 3-1 lead.
Tyler Davis struck out two in a perfect ninth inning to earn his fourth save of the year. Alex Rodriguez (3-1) pitched three scoreless innings in relief to earn the win. He allowed a single hit and struck out three. He followed Liam McKillop, who threw three scoreless hitless innings and struck out four.
The trio followed Tim Teixeira who allowed a run on two hits in a seven-inning start.
The Cougars took the initial lead in the fifth when Crowden scored on an infield single by Daniel Gierer.
The Lions tied the game in the sixth on a solo home run by Jake Radosevich.
Crowden and Ryan Niedzwiedz each had two hits to lead the Cougars at the plate.
The second game of the three-game set is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at the Lou Brock Sports Complex.
