Redhawks suffer thumping on road

Southeast Missouri State had its six-game baseball winning streak snapped in emphatic fashion.

The good news for the Redhawks is that their first-place Ohio Valley Conference record remains unblemished.

Arkansas State pounded out a 12-1 nonconference victory Wednesday night in Jonesboro, Ark. The teams will have a rematch in Cape Girardeau on April 22.

ASU improved to 12-14 overall. The Red Wolves are 6-6 in the Sun Belt Conference.

The Redhawks fell to 16-9 as they have been outscored 41-6 in their last three nonleague games. Southeast is 6-0 in the OVC.

ASU received a dominant starting performance from sophomore pitcher Drew Benes (3-3).

Benes, the son of former Cardinals pitcher Andy Benes, allowed two hits and one run over six innings. He struck out four and walked four.

Southeast finished with just three hits and scored its lone run in the fifth inning as freshman shortstop Kenton Parmley walked and later came around on a wild pitch.

ASU, which had 12 hits off seven Southeast pitchers, scored four first-inning runs against junior left-hander Josh Syberg and never looked back.

Syberg (3-2) recorded just one out and was lifted after allowing four hits.

Southeast will resume OVC play this weekend with a home series against defending regular-season champion Jacksonville State.

Harris to miss game

For the first time this season, Southeast junior Nick Harris did not start in center field, although he entered in the sixth inning.

Coach Mark Hogan wanted Southeast to get used to a different outfield combination in advance of not having Harris available for the opener of Saturday's doubleheader against Jacksonville State.

Harris will be forced to miss that game, per OVC rules, after he was ejected from Southeast's previous conference contest, Sunday against Tennessee-Martin. Harris got the boot for saying something to the home plate umpire following a called third strike.

Senior right fielder Tyrell Cummings started in center Wednesday, with sophomore DH Louie Haseltine playing right and freshman Kody Campbell serving as DH.

Haseltine has been Southeast's primary DH in recent weeks, although Campbell started there quite a bit earlier this season.