Grenadiers Get Past Rio Grande 8-6 In RSC Tournament

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio – The IU Southeast baseball team moved to 2-0 in the 2023 River States Conference Baseball Championship with an 8-6 win over Rio Grande on Friday night.

After the RedStorm took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second, IU Southeast tied the game in the bottom of the frame.

Trevor Goodwin hit a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in Kody Putnam. Then Brayden Hazelwood doubled down the left-field to score Jackson Roseburrough.

Two RBI singles and a sacrifice fly put the Rio Grande in front 5-2 in the third.

IU Southeast chipped away with a pair of runs in the ffith when Slater Schield singled to center to drive in Blake Cook and Hazelwood later scored on a passed ball.

Brayden Hazelwood loaded the bases with a one-out single to left in the sixth inning. A RBI groundout by Schield tied the game.

Rio Grande took the lead back in the seventh when Andrew Daria singled, stole second and scored on a single to center by Trey Carter.

Kody Putnam doubled to right in the seventh to spark a rally for the Grenadiers. Trevor Goodwin followed by sending a fly ball to left that was dropped by A.J. Thomas which allowed Putnam to score. A RBI single by Blake Cook drove in Goodwin to push the Grenadiers back in front.

Luke McLaughlin came on in relief in the eighth and struck out the first batter he faced and then hit a batter. Then Angel De La Cruz grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.

Trevor Cambell drew a two-out walk in the bottom of the inning and moved to second on a balk. Kody Putnam followed with a single to center to extend the IU Southeast lead.

Garrett Hill earned his seventh save of the season by working a perfect ninth inning. He struck out a pair.

Kody Putnam, Blake Cook and Brayden Hazelwood each had two hits and Schield drove in a pair.

IU Southeast will continue RSC Tournament play at 7 p.m. on Saturday.