Redhawks open season with wins

The Steve Bieser era at Southeast Missouri State started off with a bang.

Southeast, opening its baseball season under interim coach Bieser, staged a big ninth-inning rally Friday night to post a 7-4 win at the University of New Orleans in Bieser's collegiate coaching debut.

The Redhawks came back Saturday to beat UNO 6-1 behind a dominant pitching performance by Zack Smith as they clinched a series win. The three-game set concludes at 1 p.m. today.

Friday

Southeast trailed 4-3 entering the top of the ninth inning and had been held hitless since the third inning.

Zack Smith allowed one run over seven innings Saturday against New Orleans. The Redhawks came out on top 6-1. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

But the Redhawks took advantage of four walks and three wild pitches, mixed in with two hits, to explode for four runs.

"I was very pleased with the overall team effort as we played a complete game. I was also happy how we responded in a tough situation late in the contest," Bieser said.

The Redhawks first two batters in the ninth inning -- true freshman Branden Boggetto and true freshman pinch-hitter Tyler Boxwell -- walked. Boggetto and junior pinch-runner John Logan Zink moved up on a wild pitch.

After UNO recorded a strikeout for the first out, sophomore Dalton Hewitt delivered a go-ahead two-run double.

True freshman Clayton Evans walked, then another wild pitch moved the runners up. A third wild pitch allowed Hewitt to score. Junior Derek Gibson completed the big inning with a two-out run-scoring single for his third RBI of the game.

The drama was far from over as UNO used two doubles and a walk to load the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth against senior Bobby Hurst. But Hurst escaped the jam by striking out the next two batters for a save on his 22nd birthday.

Southeast scored twice on three hits in the first inning.

Sophomore Jason Blum led off with a double and came home on a ground out by Gibson. Sophomore Andy Lennington tripled with two outs and scored when Boggetto singled in his first collegiate at-bat.

Evans singled in his first collegiate plate appearance in the second inning but was stranded.

Gibson, Southeast's top returning hitter and the Redhawks' only returning all-Ohio Valley Conference performer, blasted a solo home run in the third inning to put Southeast up 3-1 before the Privateers rallied to go ahead.

Junior college transfer Luke Shearrow allowed six hits and three runs in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked three in his Southeast debut.

Senior Tony Zerrusen was charged with a run on three hits in 1 1/3 innings.

True freshman left-hander Alex Winkelman notched the victory with 2 1/3 shutout innings in his collegiate debut. He gave up two hits while striking out three and walking one.

"Luke gave us a chance to win the ballgame and Alex just did an outstanding job," Bieser said.

The Redhawks were outhit 13-7. Gibson was the only Southeast player with more than one hit as he went 2 for 4.

Saturday

Smith, who struggled much of last season after transferring from junior college, picked up where he left off from his dominant summer with the Plaza Tire Capahas.

The senior left-hander struck out a career-high 10 batters and did not issue a walk as he tied a career high by working seven innings. He allowed five hits and one run to notch the win.

"Zack stole the show today on the mound, " Bieser said. "He dominated out there."

Junior college transfer lefty Skylar Cobb, a Scott City High School graduate, struck out two and allowed a hit during a scoreless eighth inning in his Southeast debut.

Senior Trevor Kill finished up in the ninth, giving up a hit and striking out the side as Southeast pitchers finished with 15 strikeouts.

Southeast trailed 1-0 and was hitless for the first 4 2/3 innings when redshirt freshman Andy Lack's wind-blown pop fly fell for a double with two outs in the fifth. It was Lack's first collegiate hit.

Evans walked and Blum followed with a three-run homer, putting the Redhawks up 3-1.

The Redhawks made it 5-1 in the seventh on Evans' first collegiate homer, a two-run, two-out shot that followed a walk.

Southeast went up 6-1 in the eighth. Lennington doubled with one out and Boggetto delivered a two-out RBI double.

Five of Southeast's six hits went for extra bases, two homers and three doubles. UNO had seven hits.