Southeast Missouri State baseball team falls behind early, encounters first loss

~ North Dakota State scored six runs in the first and won 7-2 on Friday

Southeast Missouri State's best start to a baseball season since 1995 hit its first speed bump Friday afternoon.

North Dakota State University rode a six-run first inning -- on just one hit -- and strong pitching to a 7-2 victory in the opener of a three-game weekend series at Capaha Field.

The Redhawks had started the campaign 5-0 for the first time since 1995.

Preseason Summit League favorite NDSU, coming off a 40-20 season that established a school record for wins, had dropped two of its first three games this year.

"The loss is definitely disappointing," junior left fielder Derek Gibson said. "But I'm extremely proud of the way this team played after the rough first inning. The last eight innings taught me a lot about this team, how we fought."

With highly regarded NDSU senior John Straka on the mound, it was imperative for Southeast to not dig an early hole.

Instead the Redhawks trailed 6-0 after the top of the first inning.

"You can't spot a guy that's as capable as he is on the mound," first-year Southeast interim coach Steve Bieser said. "We knew we had our work cut out for us when we spotted him six runs."

Junior college transfer Luke Shearrow's second Southeast start was a rough one. He recorded the first out but a walk, a hit batter and a walk loaded the bases.

Another walk forced in the game's first run. Sophomore Tate Leapaldt delivered the inning's only hit, a two-RBI double, to make it 3-0. An error allowed two more runs to score.

Two more walks loaded the bases again and marked the end of Shearrow's day. A sacrifice fly off senior reliever Michael Patman completed the opening-inning damage at 6-0.

Shearrow's totals for his 1/3 inning of work included five walks, a hit batter and six runs -- four earned. He fell to 0-1.

"Luke could not get the feel for the ball out there, and then he started pressing," Bieser said. "But he's going to pitch some huge games for us. I'm not even concerned. He'll be all right."

Southeast's bullpen, led by Patman, kept the Redhawks in the game. However, Southeast didn't come close to making up the early deficit against Straka, who last year went 7-4 with a 2.61 ERA and three shutouts.

Straka, who opened 2013 with his school-record sixth career shutout in a 4-0 win at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, worked seven innings Friday. He allowed two unearned runs and five hits. He struck out five, walked one and hit two batters.

Straka experienced his only trouble in the fourth inning when Southeast scored its two runs with the help of a one-out error.

A single by sophomore third baseman Andy Lennington and a two-out hit batter loaded the bases. Sophomore catcher Dalton Hewitt delivered a two-RBI single to make it 6-2, but the Redhawks stranded two runners.

"He spotted up real well. He wasn't overpowering, but he found the zone," Gibson said.

NDSU tacked on an insurance run in the ninth inning.

Patman fired 4 2/3 scoreless innings. He allowed four hits, struck out three and walked two.

Patman now has thrown 14 scoreless innings dating back to 2012, including 5 2/3 scoreless frames this year.

"I wasn't surprised they left me in that long, but I haven't thrown that much in a long time," Patman said. "I was filling up the zone with strikes, just trying to get outs and trying not to do too much."

Junior college transfer left-hander Skylar Cobb, a Scott City High School graduate, also continued his strong work.

Cobb relieved Patman with a runner on third and nobody out in the sixth inning. Cobb escaped that jam, part of two scoreless frames. He gave up one hit, struck out one and walked one.

Cobb has not allowed a run in five innings spanning three appearances.

"He's such a competitor. That's what you have to like about him," Bieser said.

Senior Trevor Kill gave up a run on two hits and a walk in 1 2/3 innings.

True freshman Alex Siddle, making his collegiate debut, recorded the final out in the ninth inning on the only batter he faced.

Sophomore left-hander Parker Trewin closed out the victory for NDSU with two shutout innings.

NDSU outhit Southeast 8-6. Leapaldt went 3 for 5 to lead the Bison. Gibson went 2 for 4 to pace the Redhawks.