Redhawks rebound from loss in opener

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Freshman Joey Evans continued his impressive pitching, as he helped Southeast Missouri State's baseball team salvage a doubleheader split Saturday.

After being pounded by host Samford 13-5 in the nine-inning opener, Evans hurled a three-hitter as the Redhawks captured the seven-inning nightcap 3-1.

Southeast (12-17, 3-5 Ohio Valley Conference) and Samford (8-20, 3-5) conclude their three-game series with a nine-inning contest at 1 p.m. today.

Evans, a right-hander from Whitehouse, Texas, has posted two consecutive complete-game OVC victories, including last weekend's shutout of Jacksonville State. Evans also picked up two midweek wins in relief, making him 4-0 in a span of eight days.

"Joey Evans was just outstanding again," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said. "We've talked about it before, but he's just got a great arm and he's got a lot of composure."

Eric Horstman's two-out, RBI single in the first inning staked Evans to a 1-0 lead, and it became 2-0 in the third as Frankie Montiel doubled and later scored on Brent Lawson's sacrifice fly.

The Bulldogs reached Evans for their lone tally in the third, getting two of their three hits to pull within 2-1.

Samford then had a golden opportunity to tie the contest in the sixth when John Morgan tripled with one out. But Morgan was easily gunned down at the plate by first baseman Jim Clayton, who fielded Matt Alling's ground ball and fired to catcher Brady Noll.

The Redhawks had seven second-game hits against Samford pitcher Stephen Artz (1-5). Lopez and Ernie Bracamonte led the way with two hits apiece.

In the first game, Samford jumped on top 5-0 after two innings, as starter Derek Herbig (1-2) retired just five batters before being lifted in favor of Ryan Forsyth.

Samford entered the contest having scored only 19 runs in six OVC games, but the Bulldogs reached a season-high run total while also matching their season high with 20 hits.

Leading the Bulldogs' attack was Bill Whitehead, who went 4-for-5.

Southeast had seven hits, with the highlight being Noll's first home run of the season, a two-run shot in the fourth inning that pulled the Redhawks within 5-3. But the Bulldogs quickly pulled away and led 13-3 after six innings. Noll and Lopez both had two hits.

Herbig gave up five runs -- four earned -- and six hits in 1 2/3 innings. Forsyth allowed five runs -- three earned -- and seven hits in 3 1/3 innings. Matt Carter finished up, and he was reached for three runs and seven hits in three innings.

Parker Gargis (1-3), who had pitched just eight innings previously this season -- and had a 14.62 ERA -- went six innings, allowing three runs and five hits.

Andy Johnson (0-1, 3.38), coming off nine innings of one-run ball at St. Louis University on Tuesday, will start for Southeast today.