Redhawks unleash 16 hits in 14-7 win

HAMMOND, La. - Southeast Missouri's Frank Montiel and Jordan Payne each belted three-run home runs and the Redhawks pounded out a season-high 16 hits to defeat Southeastern Louisiana, 14-7, in the finale of a three-game series Sunday afternoon at Alumni Field.

Ernie Bracamonte went 3-for-4 and scored three times while James Clayton hit a pair of doubles and drove in three as Southeast Missouri (2-4) scored in every inning except the second and ninth. Southeastern, which will visit Southern Miss on Tuesday in a 6:30 p.m. contest, fell to 5-5 overall.

Southeast scored four runs in the first inning as it chased Lion starter Chad Catalano (1-2) after two-thirds of an inning. Payne led off the inning with a single, Eric Horstman drew a walk and Bracamonte reached on an infield chopper to load the bases. After Montiel lined out to third for the first out, Freddy Lopez hit a two-run single through the right side and Brent Lawson followed with a sacrifice fly to give the Redhawks a 3-0 lead.

Chris Gibson singled through the right side for Southeast Missouri, which collected five hits in the inning. Clayton then chased Catalano, shooting a double down the right-field line to score Lopez.

The Lions scored in the bottom half of the frame as freshman Steve Clevenger belted his third home run of the season - a solo shot to right-center. After the Redhawks added a run in the third, Southeastern loaded the bases and plated two more runs in the bottom half of the inning to cut the lead to 5-3. Rob Territo, who hit his first career home run in the ninth, scored when Clevenger was hit by a pitch and Randy Roth added a sacrifice fly to drive in Jason Waguespack.

But the Redhawks put the game away in the fourth with three runs as Montiel, who drove in five runs on the afternoon, belted the first pitch from Chad Pendarvis over the left-field fence to drive in Payne and Bracamonte, who each drew walks. Montiel added RBI doubles in the fifth and eighth innings for the Redhawks, while Clayton drew a bases loaded walk in the seventh.

Southeastern, which recorded 11 hits, was led by Ryan Spencer who went 3-for-4 at the plate. The freshman duo of Clevenger and Territo collected two hits each while Roth drove in three, including a two-run double in the fifth.

Ryan Forsyth (1-1) pitched five innings and scattered eight hits in earning the win for Southeasti. Three relievers combined on a three-hitter over the final four innings for the Redhawks, while Southeastern used eight pitchers in the game.