The Skyhawk baseball team exploded for 19 hits and 12 runs Tuesday afternoon as the Skyhawks posted a 12-4 victory over visiting Saint Louis University at Skyhawk Field.

Saint Louis jumped out to a 2-1 lead after three innings, but the Skyhawks answered with a five-run fourth inning and never looked back.

The Skyhawks used seven hits to score the five runs, including doubles by Jason Hockaday, Blake Turner and Brett Spivy.

Saint Louis scored a run in the fifth and one in the sixth inning, but the Skyhawks busted the game opened with three runs in the sixth inning and two more runs in the eighth inning.

The Skyhawks collected three more doubles in the sixth, including back-to-back shots by Zach Dean and Lance Renton. Nick Luper also doubled in the sixth inning. Eighth of the Skyhawks’ 19 hits were doubles.

Dean, Hockaday and Spivy had three hits each, while Renton, Turner and Chris Rezabek had two hits each.

Turner hit his fourth home run of the season, a two-run shot over the center field fence in the eighth inning. The Brentwood native leads the Skyhawks with four homers this season.

On the mound, the Skyhawks used four pitchers to hold off Saint Louis. Adam Ledlow worked the first four innings and earned his first victory of the season.

Ledlow gave up five hits and two runs. He also struck out two batters.

Eric Walker and Micky Dobson pitched two innings each, while Cameron Chadwick pitched the ninth inning.

Justin Wise suffered the loss for Saint Louis and falls to 1-1 on the season. Wise worked 3.2 innings and gave up eight hits and six runs.

The Skyhawks returned to Ohio Valley Conference action Friday and Saturday, April 14 and 15 when they traveled to host Morehead State for a three-game series.