Redhawks baseball team just miss on opening season 2-0

~ Southeast nearly defeated Auburn twice to start the year

The new-look Southeast Missouri State baseball team got its season off to a rousing start Friday with a 13-8 road win over Auburn of the Southeastern Conference.

Southeast nearly followed that triumph with a dramatic victory, but Auburn scored three runs with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning Saturday to win 9-8 and even the three-game series. The rubber match is set for 1 p.m. today.

The Redhawks trailed Saturday's contest 6-2 after seven innings. They rallied with three runs in the eighth and one more in the ninth, the tying run coming home on a sacrifice fly by sophomore first baseman Kody Campbell from Oran.

Southeast was poised to win the game after scoring twice in the 10th to go ahead 8-6.

Klocke (Jim)

Junior college transfer left fielder Brennan Malham singled with one out and stole second, juco transfer second baseman Taylor Heon walked and juco transfer left fielder Michael Adamson reached on an error to load the bases.

All-American senior catcher Jim Klocke grounded a ball up the middle. Auburn recorded a force out at second base but the return throw to first was wild as Malham and Heon both scored. Klocke was awarded one RBI on the play.

Auburn came back to prevail with three in the bottom of the 10th off juco transfer Trent Wise, Southeast's third pitcher of the day who threw 2 2/3 shutout innings before the final frame.

A leadoff single, a hit batter with one out and a ground ball put men on second and third with two outs. Wes Gilmer's two-run double tied things. After another hit batter, Creede Simpson delivered an RBI single to end the contest.

Southeast had 13 hits, led by Adamson with three for the second straight game.

Malham, Heon, junior third baseman Trenton Moses from Advance and junior center fielder Blake Slattery from Central all added two hits.

Auburn finished with 15 hits.

Southeast starter Logan Mahon, a juco transfer, walked six and allowed six hits in four innings but was touched for just one run. He struck out four.

Jon Dicus, another juco transfer among 19 Southeast newcomers, gave up five hits and five runs in 2 1/3 innings. He struck out one and walked three.

Wise allowed four hits and the three 10th-inning runs in 3 1/3 frames. He struck out three and walked none.

The Redhawks received some bad news when senior center fielder Nick Harris, a starter since his freshman season, suffered an elbow injury to his right (throwing) elbow during warmups Saturday.

Harris missed the contest and is doubtful for today. Further examination of the elbow will be done when the Redhawks return to Cape Girardeau.

In Friday's game, Klocke had a home run among his three hits and delivered five RBIs. His three-run homer in the third inning gave Southeast the lead for good at 4-2.

Junior right fielder Louie Haseltine also added a solo homer for the Redhawks, who had 15 hits.

Adamson had a big performance. He had three hits in his Southeast debut and earned a save by retiring all five batters he faced to nail down the victory.

Adamson went to the mound from left field in the eighth inning.

Auburn already had scored three times to trim Southeast's lead to 12-8 and the Tigers had runners on second and third with only one out. But Adamson escaped further damage, then retired the side in order in the ninth.

Sophomore shortstop Kenton Parmley had three hits for Southeast, while Heon added two hits. Parmley, Heon and Campbell all had two RBIs.

Senior Kyle Gumieny, starting the season opener for the second straight year, allowed two first-inning runs but settled down after that. In 4 1/3 innings, Gumieny gave up three runs, two earned, and six hits.

Juco transfer Nick Thomas earned credit for his first collegiate win as he allowed two runs and two hits in 2 2/3 innings.

Thomas replaced Gumieny with one out and runners on second and third in the fifth inning. Southeast led only 6-3 at the time. Thomas walked the first batter he faced but escaped the jam with a double play.