Southeast Missouri State baseball clubs Alcorn St. to claim first win

A trip to Alcorn State was all the Southeast Missouri State baseball team needed for its base runners to locate home plate.

The Redhawks broke loose for 17 runs to claim their first win of the season Monday after netting just four runs total in a three-game sweep at the hands of Lamar over the weekend.

The 17-4 victory in Lorman, Mississippi, concluded a four-game road trip with a 16-hit salute to Redhawks coach Steve Bieser, who recorded his 100th win at Southeast.

"To me, 100 is just a number," Bieser said in a press release. "At this point I am more concerned with this club and finding ways to get better each day."

The offense definitely was an improvement as the Redhawks (1-3) scored 10 runs over the first two innings in ruining the home opener for Alcorn State (1-3).

The Braves were coming off their first win of the season, a 6-2 triumph over Southern University on Sunday. They have surrendered 11 runs or more in all three of their losses, but the Redhawks' 17 runs were a season-high given up by Alcorn State.

Junior designated hitter Kylar Robertson led the offensive for the Redhawks, going 3 for 6 with five RBIs. Robertson's hits included a two-run double in the first inning and a two-run triple in the sixth.

Senior first baseman Ryan Rippee went 2 for 5 with three RBIs, including a bases-loaded single with nobody out in the first inning that scored the game's first two runs. The Redhawks struck for four runs on four hits in the inning against Braves starter Nick Brooks, who surrendered another four hits in the second inning before departing.

Scott Mitchell provided a bases-loaded, three-run double with one out in the second to chase Brooks, who allowed 10 runs -- nine earned. He walked three and did not strike out a batter.

Alcorn State scored two runs in the second off Southeast starter Daniel Bergtholdt, the first of eight Southeast pitchers. Bergtholdt, the winning pitcher, allowed three hits, one earned run and struck out two.

Southeast pitchers allowed 11 hits, struck out nine and walked one.

Sophomore second baseman Trevor Ezell, senior shortstop Brandon Boggetto and junior right fielder Daniel Costello all had two hits apiece for Southeast.

Ezell, Boggetto and Garrett Gandolfo, the Nos. 1-3 hitters in the lineup, all scored three times apiece.

"In the Lamar series, we found some things that we need to readdress and focus on improving," Bieser said. "The team did a good job of focusing on the areas we struggled with against Alcorn today. Now we need to have a couple good practices and carry that into next weekend against Pine Bluff."

Southeast returns to action at 2 p.m. Friday when it opens a three-game series against Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

Noteworthy

Junior right-handed transfer Clay Chandler was named the Ohio Valley Conference Co-Pitcher of the Week after a dominant debut with the Redhawks on Saturday. Chandler allowed just two hits and struck out 10 batters in an eight-inning outing against Lamar that resulted in a no-decision. He allowed just a first-inning run in what eventually was a 2-1 loss in 10 innings. Chandler, a transfer from Wabash Valley College, retired 14 straight batters after allowing the run.