Redhawks romp past Skyhawks

MARTIN, Tenn. -- Tennessee-Martin entered play Saturday with the Ohio Valley Conference's worst ERA by nearly two runs.

Southeast Missouri State added to UTM's pitching woes and all-around misery by reaching a season-high total for runs and matching a season-high total for hits during a 19-6 romp.

"We're hitting up and down the lineup," sophomore shortstop Nick Harris said. "You can see it in batting practice. Everybody is starting to come around."

It took the visiting Redhawks just five innings to mash 17 hits -- including four home runs and four doubles -- as the game was called due to darkness following a rain delay of nearly four hours.

The teams were supposed to begin a doubleheader at 1 p.m., but play didn't start until 4:50. With Skyhawk Field having no lights, that eliminated any chance of playing two games.

Instead, the squads will attempt to get in their three-game series with an 11 a.m. doubleheader today.

"We just sat around a lot trying to kill time," junior first baseman Matt Wagner said of Saturday's long delay. "We went to the bus for a while, we got something to eat."

The wait was worth it for the Redhawks (10-8, 3-1 OVC) as they pounded the struggling Skyhawks (1-19, 0-4) into submission early and often during the five-inning rout.

Southeast scored at least two runs in every inning as every starter hit safely. UTM's ERA went from 8.37 to 9.11.

Harris had two of Southeast's four homers, and he got his team started fast by leading off the game with a towering shot well beyond the left-field fence.

"Nick really set the tone," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said. "That's what a good leadoff guy does."

Harris went 3-for-4 and drove in six runs, two on a second-inning home run that was nearly identical to his leadoff shot.

Harris missed three weeks with a knee injury suffered during the season opener, but appears to be rounding into form.

"It's about time," said Harris, who earned freshman All-American honors last season, when he played third base. "I knew it would take some time after the injury, but I'm seeing the ball real well now."

Wagner continued his recent power surge as he belted his third tape-measure homer in the past week.

Wagner, who has a 10-game hitting streak, is tied with teammate Tyrell Cummings for the OVC home run lead with six.

"We came out swinging," said Wagner, whose two-run shot in the fourth inning went way over the right-field fence.

Southeast's other home run was by freshman third baseman Trenton Moses, who connected for a two-run shot to left in the third inning.

It was the first collegiate homer for the Advance High School product who leads the Redhawks with a .380 batting average.

"What a thrill for Trenton," Hogan said.

Wagner and Moses both had two hits to go along with three RBIs.

"Hopefully we can keep this up," Harris said.

James Leigh had his worst outing of the season, but the junior left-hander benefited from all that offense to post his OVC-leading fifth win.

Leigh (5-1) gave up eight hits -- including two homers -- and all six runs were earned, after he had allowed only two earned runs and 13 hits in his first 25 innings this year.

Leigh, who struck out four and walked one, saw his ERA balloon from an OVC-leading 0.72 to 2.40.

"James didn't have his best outing, but he's had several where he did," Hogan said.

The Redhawks scored twice in each of the first three innings to lead 6-0.

UTM threatened to make a game of it with three in the bottom of the third, but Southeast answered with a five-run fourth and the rout was on.

An eight-run fifth by the Redhawks made it 19-3, blowing the game open.

The Skyhawks completed the scoring with three in the bottom of the fifth, after which the game became official and the umpires stopped play due to darkness.