Memphis hammers Redhawks 12-6

By Kevin Winters Morriss

Southeast Missourian

Brent Lawson was one pitch away from getting out of the third inning with the score tied.

The Southeast Missouri State starting pitcher had a 3-2 count on Memphis' Josh Irvin, with the bases loaded and two outs.

But Irvin took Lawson's offering and blasted it to center field, one hopping the fence to clear the bases with a double.

Memphis would score nine runs in the third, eight with two outs, and hold on for the 12-6 victory in a nonconference baseball game Tuesday at Capaha Park.

"They just exploded," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said. "It wasn't cheap either. They were banging the ball all over the place, so give them credit. They have a veteran offensive club.

"The nine spot came quick and it hit us right between the eyes."

The Tigers (26-16) used another double, a single, walk and a three-run homer to build a 10-2 lead after 2 1/2 innings.

The Redhawks (25-16) were down eight, the same score they were down to Austin Peay on Sunday.

The same deficit the Redhawks rallied from just two days ago.

"We don't toss in the towel," Redhawks first baseman Matt Wagner said. "We're pretty good about staying in the game and trying to chip away at leads. We chipped a few here and there, we just couldn't quite get that big inning in."

Southeast cut Memphis' lead to 11-6 after four innings and it looked like another rally was in the making. Southeast left five runners on base, including three in scoring position, over the next three innings.

"We just didn't come up with that big hit in the middle of the game that could really have gotten us back in it," Hogan said. "The difference in the game Sunday is we did come through in some key spots."

The Tigers even provided a little incentive for the Redhawks in their comeback bid.

"Their players even said [they] usually blow big leads," Redhawks third baseman Nick Harris said. "When we heard that, we were like it's only a nine- or 10-run lead, and we did chip back at it. We had our chances a couple times."

The Redhawks finished with five hits, but recorded nine walks and three batters were hit by pitches to account for most of their offensive chances.

"Tonight, I would say they were effectively wild because it's hard for us to dig in on anything," Hogan said. "But they got some key strikeouts."

Harris went 2-for-2 with a triple and two runs scored. He reached base all five times he went to the plate, but said the team struggled to solve the Tigers.

"When they walk a lot of people, you get up there and get antsy," Harris said. "We hit the ball hard, we were just hitting them right at them. If they would have gone down, then we would have had a few more hits. We were swinging at their pitches."

Harris bumped his batting average to .327 and his on-base percentage to .417. The freshman leads the team in runs scored (46), hits (54), doubles (10), triples (4), home runs (8) and slugging percentage (.582).

"Nick is a guy with a lot of talent and he brings a lot of vitality to the game and he's just a great guy to have in our lineup," Hogan said. "He does damage offensively. He does damage on defense. He's a great base runner. He's the fastest guy we've got. He's a very solid player."

The two teams play again today, but it's uncertain who will take the mound for the Redhawks. Phillip Riley, one of Southeast's usual midweek starters, pitched 3 2/3 innings Sunday in the team's comeback win at Austin Peay. Hogan said he hasn't decided who will get the ball for today's game, scheduled to start at 4 p.m. at Capaha Park.

"We'll sleep on it," Hogan said. "I don't really know. I've got to go home and kind of regroup with it."