Redhawks baseball opens weekend road series against Memphis

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team will try to get back on the winning track against a NCAA tournament squad from last season.

Memphis earned its first regional berth since 1994, nabbing an at-large bid out of Conference USA after going 36-27 last year.

Southeast and Memphis will square off in a three-game series in Memphis, Tenn., beginning with tonight's 6:30 p.m. contest.

The series will continue at 2 p.m. Saturday and conclude at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Southeast is 4-5 after Tuesday's 9-5 home loss to Saint Louis University.

Memphis, which was hit hard by graduation from last season, is 6-8.

"It should be a good series," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said. "Memphis will be a very formidable opponent."

In other baseball news, former Southeast right-handed pitcher Philip Riley agreed to a professional contract with the River City Rascals of the independent Frontier League.

Riley collected six wins and posted a 2.87 ERA last season with the Redhawks.

Softball

The Redhawks dropped the first game, but rallied to down Belmont in the nightcap on the road.

Southeast dropped the opener 1-0, then won the second game 10-8.

Elaine Fisher suffered the loss for the Redhawks, striking out eight in six innings.

In the second game, Megan McDonald and Alex Ramirez both went 3-for-3 in the win. McDonald finished with two runs scored, while Ramirez drove in three runs.

Michelle Summers went 1-for-3 with a homer and four RBIs.

Whitney Dupuis picked up the win, going 6 1/3 innings. Fisher pitched two-thirds of an inning to earn the save.

Southeast (10-11) begins Ohio Valley Conference play this weekend with a three-game series at Eastern Kentucky.

There will be a doubleheader Saturday and a single contest Sunday.

-- From staff reports