Lamar sweeps Southeast Missouri State baseball team in three-game series

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team was unable to translate its first lead of the season into its first victory on Sunday in Beaumont, Texas.

While the Redhawks scored a season-high two runs, Lamar struck for runs in four innings and swept the three-game, season-opening series with a 5-2 victory.

Lamar (3-0) surpassed its combined hit total from the two previous games -- 10 total -- with 11 hits off four Southeast pitchers.

Southeast (0-3) countered with six hits, two by junior center fielder Dan Holst.

Designated hitter Cutter McDowell, the Cardinals' No. 4 hitter, proved to be a thorn in the side of Redhawks pitching, going 4 for 4 with one RBI and three runs scored.

Southeast starter Robert Beltran pitches during his debut with the Redhawks. Beltran allowed eight hits over five innings and took the loss.

Reid Russell and Bryndan Arwredondo each added two hits and two RBIs for Lamar.

McDowell led off the Redbirds' second with a single and later scored on a two-out single to center field by Arredondo, the Redbirds' No. 8 hitter.

Southeast, which never held a lead in dropping the first two games of the series by 2-1 scores, grabbed its first lead of the series and season on a pair of two-out RBI hits in the top of the third off Lamar starter Fernando Martinez (1-0). Junior catcher Brian Lees drew a one-out walk and later scored when senior shortstop Brandon Boggetto doubled into left-center field. Senior left fielder Garrett Gandolfo staked Southeast starting pitcher Robert Beltran to a 2-1 lead when he singled through the left side to score Boggetto.

Lamar regained the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth. McDowell again led off the inning with a single and scored when Russell, the next batter, sent a Beltran delivery over the left-field wall for a 3-2 lead.

The Redbirds added to their lead in the sixth after McDowell banged his third hit off Beltran to open the frame. A single by Russell chased Beltran, and a sacrifice bunt off reliever Jake Busiek advanced the runners to second and third. McDowell scored his third run on a sacrifice fly by Arredondo.

Lamar added its final run in the eighth inning on back-to-back doubles by Jake Nash and McDowell off Southeast newcomer Adam Pennington, who was lifted in favor of Matthew Wade.

The Redhawks managed just one hit off Lamar reliever Billy Love over the final four innings, but they did bring the tying run to the plate in the top of the ninth inning. Holst led off with a walk and pinch-hitter Scott Mitchell reached on a two-out error, but Kylar Roberston flied out to right field to end the game.

Beltran (0-1), a transfer from Arizona Western Community College, took the loss in his Southeast debut. The junior left-hander allowed eight hits and four earned runs over five innings. He struck out three and did not walk a batter.

Busiek, a senior left-hander, pitched two hitless innings in his debut with the Redhawks.

Lamar pitchers reached double figures in strikeouts for the third straight game with 12. Martinez, who allowed five hits over five innings, struck out seven batters, while Love fanned five and walked just one to record his first save.

Southeast batters struck out 37 times in the three-game series and hit .194.

Southeast returns to action a 1 p.m. today when it visits Alcorn State in Lorman, Mississippi.