Fisher's HR gets 'Hawks rolling

Nolan Fisher collected his first collegiate hit less than two weeks ago during the first start of his Southeast Missouri State baseball career.

The sophomore reached an even more notable career milestone Friday night.

Fisher's first collegiate home run, a solo shot leading off the fourth inning, broke a tie and sparked a six-run frame as the host Redhawks beat Tennessee-Martin 9-6 in the middle contest of a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series.

"It definitely felt good," said a smiling Fisher.

Fisher has made the most of some recent playing time after he saw little action last year and through the early part of this season.

Fisher received just three official at-bats last season as a true freshman -- he primarily served as a pinch-runner -- and had only six official at-bats in this year's first 21 games.

The native of Wentzville, Mo., finally got a chance to start during a March 19 nonconference contest at Saint Louis University as Southeast's designated hitter.

Fisher recorded his first career hit in the second inning and followed with a two-run double in the fourth. He wound up 2 for 2 with a sacrifice and was also hit by pitch.

"I've been ready," Fisher said. "Everybody gets their shot. Coach [Steve] Bieser is a really fair coach."

Fisher's start Friday was his third, all at DH, as the right-handed hitter has filled that role against left-handed pitchers to form a nice tandem with sophomore Ryan Barnes, a left-handed batter with a team-leading .354 average while primarily facing right-handers.

"I'm just trying to help the team win," Fisher said.

Bieser, Southeast's first-year interim coach, said Fisher's positive outlook and team-first attitude has served him well.

"Nolan has been a great teammate. Even when he wasn't in the lineup early in the year, he stayed positive," Bieser said. "He knew he was going to get his opportunity. He didn't pout. He always stayed ready and was able to capitalize."

Fisher led off the bottom of the fourth inning with the squads tied 2-2. He deposited a ball over the left-field wall at spacious Capaha Field.

"I knew it was gone. It just felt good off the bat," said the versatile Fisher, who can play the infield or outfield and even received his first collegiate pitching stint Wednesday, firing 1 2/3 innings of relief during a nonconference loss at Missouri State.

Fisher's blast, the game's only homer, was just the start of a big inning that featured five hits along with two errors and gave the Redhawks an 8-2 lead. Only one of the runs was earned.

Junior center fielder Cole Bieser's speed made a huge difference in preventing UTM from limiting the damage to just Fisher's home run.

With two outs, Bieser's slow ground ball to third base forced Matt Haynes to hurry his throw, which was wild and bounced well past first base. Two runs scored on the throwing error as Bieser was credited with an infield single.

"When you have a little speed, you want to use it. You always want to hustle," said Bieser, among the OVC's leaders in stolen bases who is 9 for 9 this season. "If I had kind of taken it easy on that play and he threw me out, it would have killed the rally and who knows how the game would have turned out."

Said Steve Bieser of his son's key play, "The good thing about Cole, when he hits the ball not very good on the ground, he knows he's always got a chance to beat it out."

Junior first baseman Matt Tellor and sophomore third baseman Andy Lennington delivered RBI singles, and Tellor scored on a wild pitch to complete the uprising that gave Southeast enough cushion to hold off UTM, which scored four times in the fifth inning to pull within 8-6.

Southeast added a final run in the eighth on Lennington's RBI double.

Cole Bieser celebrated his 22nd birthday in style by going 3 for 5 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored. His two-run third-inning double erased UTM's 2-0 lead.

"It was good. You always hear stories about big leaguers having great games on their birthday," Bieser said. "And we pulled out a great win."

Lennington also went 3 for 5 with two RBIs as Southeast had 11 hits.

Sophomore left-hander Will Spitzfaden was not as effective as normal but was able to work through five innings for the victory.

Spitzfaden (3-2), Southeast's most consistent starter this year, allowed six runs, five earned, and six hits. He struck out four and walked none.

Southeast's bullpen did the rest with four scoreless, one-hit innings. Four relievers combined for four strikeouts and one walk.

"I was pleased with the way our bullpen really came through," Bieser said. "They were all outstanding."

Senior Michael Patman, who recently returned after missing several weeks with tendinitis, allowed one hit in the sixth inning.

Junior left-hander Skylar Cobb, a Scott City High School graduate, retired the first two batters in the seventh inning before allowing a walk and a hit batter.

Senior Tony Zerrusen came on and, after a passed ball allowed the runners to advance to second and third, recorded the final out of the seventh on a popup.

Zerrusen then fired a perfect eighth inning before turning the ball over to senior closer Bobby Hurst.

Hurst continued his strong work with a perfect ninth inning -- striking out two -- as he recorded his fourth save of the season. He is 2-0 with an 0.71 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 12 2/3 innings.

"That's the best I've seen him throw," Bieser said. "He's really coming into his own as a closer."

Hurst, among the OVC leaders in saves, moved up to a seventh-place tie on Southeast's single-season saves list. He is also tied for seventh in program history with six career saves.

"I love it," Hurst said of the closer role he has assumed this season. "It's a huge adrenaline rush. It keeps my head in the game."