MARION, Ill. (Interstat) — Southern Indiana scored three runs in the sixth inning to break open a tight game and defeated Morehead State 6-2 Tuesday in the Ohio Valley Conference Baseball Championship at Marion’s Rent One Park.

The sixth-seeded Screaming Eagles, who entered the tournament with a 28-27 record, snapped a three-game losing streak against the top-seeded Eagles, who had swept a regular-season series in late April. Morehead State fell to 31-23.

Southern Indiana started quickly, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Hunter Miller singled, advanced to third on a bunt single by Khi Holiday and scored on a groundout by Micajah Wall. The Screaming Eagles added two runs in the second. Noah Foster walked and scored on a triple to deep center by Zion Stephens, and Miller singled to drive in Stephens.

Morehead State answered in the bottom of the second when Alex Kean hit his fifth home run of the season, a solo shot to deep right field. The Eagles tied it with a run in the third. Griffin Olson singled, stole second and scored on a single to shallow left by Aubrey Kearns.

The score remained 3-2 until the top of the sixth. Southern Indiana’s Clayton Slack led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Drue Saenz. Parker Martin then doubled to left center, scoring Slack. Martin advanced to third on a wild pitch, and Foster followed with a two-run home run to left field, his third of the season, to stretch the lead to 6-2.

Southern Indiana starter Ryan Weller earned the victory, working seven innings. He allowed two runs on six hits, struck out five and walked two. Weller escaped a jam in the second after Kean’s homer and retired 10 of the last 11 batters he faced. Trey O’Neil relieved in the eighth and pitched two scoreless innings, striking out three, to close the game.

Morehead State starter Callum McGill lasted 3⅔ innings, giving up three runs on five hits. Ethan Davis and Devin Costa combined for 5⅓ innings of relief, allowing three runs on five hits. The Eagles managed only six hits, with Kean and Kearns each driving in a run.

The decisive sixth inning came after the Screaming Eagles had seen a 3-0 lead shrink to a one-run edge. Martin’s double broke the tie, and Foster’s homer provided the final margin. Southern Indiana’s offense collected 10 hits, with Miller going 2 for 5 with an RBI and Stephens adding two hits, including a triple and an RBI.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Morehead State 7, Southern Indiana 4, and Interstat’s ELO system gave Morehead State a 52.60 percent probability to win.