Orf, Ratliff Lead SIUE in Big Baseball Win at Western Illinois

MACOMB, Ill. – Brennan Orf hit a pair of home runs and drove in three and Kyle Ratliff finished with four hits and three RBIs to lead SIUE to an 11-1 road win at Western Illinois in eight innings.

The Cougars are now 21-14. Western Illinois fell to 4-27.

"This was a really clean, solid victory today in all aspects of the game," SIUE Head Coach Sean Lyons said. "It was good to see the guys take care of business."

SIUE scored in each of the first three innings. After an RBI-hit from Ratliff in the first, Josh Ohl, Avery Owusu-Asiedu, Ratliff and Braedyn Brewer all had RBIs in a six-run second inning. Orf blasted the first of his two home runs in the third inning, a two-run shot, to stretch the lead to 9-0.

Western Illinois loaded the bases with a hit, a walk and a hit batter against SIUE starter Zeus Ponder. A second walk forced in the Leathernecks' only run of the game.

Ponder (2-1) pitched three innings, allowing a run on two hits. He struck out two. Ian Benner and Jacob Kampf each worked two scoreless innings and Hayden Cooper pitched a scoreless eighth inning.

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"We pitched it well all the way through," Lyons said. "From Zeus at the start to Benner to Kampf to Cooper, they did well."

Braedyn Brewer picked up an RBI-hit in the sixth and Orf hit his second home run of the game in the eighth for the 11-1 final.

"Offensively we got some really good at-bats highlighted by the two home runs from Brennan Orf and Kyle Ratliff with four hits," Lyons added. "Our goal is to play good, clean baseball and we did that today."

Ratliff was 4-5 with the three RBIs. Orf was 2-3 with the two home runs and two walks. He leads the Cougars with 12 homers. Ohl and Brewer each had a pair of hits.

The Cougars outhit the Leathernecks 11-3.

"This gives us the chance to see some other guys tomorrow against Blackburn and get guys some confidence heading into a big OVC weekend," Lyons said.

SIUE plays host to Blackburn Wednesday night at Simmons Complex. First pitch is slated for 5 p.m. Garrett Helsel will make the start for the Cougars.

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