Southeast Missouri State baseball team evens record with 13-6 win at home

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team had some trouble with an overmatched NAIA opponent for the second time in a week.

Southeast ultimately came through, thanks in large part to a big offensive performance from true freshman Ryan Barnes and a strong relief outing from senior Ryan Prickett.

Southeast broke open a tight game with a six-run eighth inning to beat Hannibal-LaGrange 13-6 on Tuesday afternoon at Capaha Field. The squads close out their two-game series at 2 p.m. today.

"They're a good team. You have to give them credit," Southeast All-American senior third baseman Trenton Moses said after the Redhawks led just 7-5 before pulling away in the eighth. "It's baseball. Anything can happen on a given day. I thought we played well as a team."

Southeast improved to 4-4 by winning for the fourth time in five games. The Trojans, from Hannibal, Mo., fell to 0-4.

The Redhawks, coming off Sunday's 26-7 mauling of IPFW that featured the second-most runs in program history, led 5-1 after one inning Tuesday.

But the Redhawks found themselves in a 5-5 battle entering the bottom of the fifth.

Barnes took care of that, leading off with an opposite-field home run to left to put Southeast up for good. It was his second homer of the season, tied for the team lead.

"I didn't think it was going to get out. It kept carrying," Barnes said.

Southeast coach Mark Hogan said the blast highlighted the strength of the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Barnes.

"There aren't many left-handed hitters who can hit the ball out to left at Capaha," Hogan said. "It's hard to get one out there for right-handed hitters."

Barnes also had a two-RBI single during Southeast's five-run first inning. He went 3 for 3 and walked twice.

Barnes, a graduate of Vianney High School in suburban St. Louis, started Southeast's first four games but missed the three weekend contests with IPFW after a former Vianney teammate and close friend died in a car wreck.

"One of my best buddies," Barnes said. "I went back to St. Louis to be with his family."

Barnes was glad to be back in the lineup Tuesday.

"I'm loving the guys, everything about it here," said Barnes, who is listed as a catcher/first baseman but has served as Southeast's DH.

Barnes is hitting .353 with seven RBIs in 17 official at-bats.

"He's a talent -- a freshman with a big upside," Hogan said. "We saw it right out of the chute as soon as we saw him in the fall."

Prickett, one of just three returning pitchers from last year, notched his first win of the season with 3 1/3 shutout innings. He allowed two hits while striking out five and walking none.

Prickett, who improved to 1-0 and lowered his ERA to 1.29 in seven innings, entered with the bases loaded and two outs in the fourth inning after the Trojans had scored four runs off starter Michael Patman to forge a 5-5 tie. Prickett got out of the jam with a fly ball to right field.

Patman, a junior college transfer, gave up five runs and five hits in 3 2/3 innings. He struck out one, walked three and hit two batters.

Juco transfer Trevor Kill worked the final two innings for his first Southeast save. He allowed two hits and a ninth-inning run, striking out one and walking one.

Southeast outhit Hannibal-LaGrange 16-7, giving the Redhawks 34 hits in their past two games. They have raised their average 52 points to .332.

Moses went 3 for 5, extending his hitting streak to 19 games dating back to last season. He leads Southeast at .467.

Senior shortstop Kenton Parmley went 3 for 6, giving him a 16-game hitting streak.

Sophomore right fielder Derek Gibson went 2 for 3.

Redshirt freshman first baseman Andy Lennington and sophomore center fielder Cole Bieser each had a hit and two RBIs.

Southeast plated five runs on five hits in the bottom of the first after the Trojans got one run in the top of the frame. Lennington matched Barnes with a two-RBI single, and Gibson added an RBI single.

Ian Sikes paced the Trojans with three hits.