Southeast Missouri State didn't need Dustin Renfrow as its closer this weekend.

So Renfrow dominated the Ohio Valley Conference's top-hitting baseball team to help the Redhawks win their opening OVC series.

Renfrow pitched all nine innings Saturday as Southeast beat visiting Tennessee Tech 7-3, after the squads split Friday's doubleheader.

The Redhawks improved to 8-7 overall, while the Eagles fell to 14-7-1.

"This was big for us," said Renfrow, a senior right-hander. "We definitely had to win the first [conference] series. It sets the tone for the rest of the season."

Renfrow was Southeast's No. 1 starter for OVC play last season, and he was scheduled to assume that role this year.

Southeast coach Mark Hogan, concerned about Southeast's inability to close out games, decided this week to not start Renfrow in the first game of the Tech series.

That would give Hogan the option of seeing if he needed Renfrow -- a closer in junior college -- to try and finish off one of the doubleheader contests.

If not, Renfrow could still start the final game of the series, which is what happened after Southeast and Tech exchanged decisive Friday wins.

"It worked out I wasn't needed [Friday], so it left me ready for today," Renfrow said.

And Renfrow definitely was ready, despite allowing two unearned runs -- on two hits and two errors -- in the top of the first inning.

The Eagles, who entered play leading the OVC with a .340 batting average, managed just one more hit against Renfrow until a one-out, solo home run in the ninth.

Renfrow, second-team all-OVC last year, notched his first victory of the season as he improved to 1-1 while lowering his ERA to 3.00. He finished with a four-hitter, featuring six strikeouts and one walk.

"I felt good the whole game," said Renfrow, who threw 126 pitches. "I really wanted to finish."

While Renfrow had a strong season last year after transferring from junior college, Hogan rated Saturday's performance his best in a Southeast uniform.

"He threw a fabulous game. That was the best performance I've seen him have for us," Hogan said.

Renfrow received solid offensive support as the Redhawks banged out 15 hits, getting at least one hit from everybody in their lineup.

Freshman third baseman Trenton Moses went 4-for-5 with two doubles.

Sophomore catcher Jim Klocke doubled twice and drove in two runs, junior center fielder Daniel Schuh and junior second baseman Tony Spencer both added two hits, and junior right fielder Tyrell Cummings delivered three RBIs.

"We fell behind early, but we came out swinging the bats and answered their early rally," Klocke said. "It's better to sweep, but it's nice to win two out of three."

Klocke said Renfrow was dominant for most of the game.

"Ever since the second inning, I don't think he gave up a hard-hit ball until the ninth," Klocke said.

Southeast had committed just 14 errors in its first 14 games -- fewest in the OVC -- but failed to execute two routine fielding plays in the opening frame as Tech went up 2-0.

The Redhawks would make two more errors, but Tech failed to capitalize.

Meanwhile, Southeast's bats came around, especially in the fourth inning as the Redhawks used five hits to score five runs for a 6-2 lead.

Klocke and Cummings had the key blows, with Klocke's two-run double breaking a 2-2 tie and Cummings' two-run single with two outs adding insurance.

"It was a good bounce-back game for us," said Hogan, who was disappointed after Southeast failed to complete Friday's sweep following its 16-3 first-game romp. "It was a good day all around for us."