Southeast Missouri State baseball team hammers out series win against Austin Peay

~ Ferguson, Tellor lead Redhawks to 19-7 victory over Austin Peay

Cole Ferguson belted two home runs and Matt Tellor collected five hits as the Southeast Missouri State baseball team routed Austin Peay 19-7 on Sunday in Clarksville, Tenn.

The Redhawks banged out 20 hits overall as they maintained their hold on first place in the OVC, improving to 15-3 in conference play and 24-11 overall.

Ferguson and Tellor combined for nine RBIs.

Ferguson, who entered the day with one home run on the season, capped a six-run second inning with a three-run blast and added a solo home run in the seventh. Tellor banged out a pair of doubles and collected five RBIs, running his season total to 41.

Austin Peay, which had won the series opener 22-4 on Friday, dropped its second straight game to Southeast and fell to 6-9 in the OVC and 14-22 overall.

Southeast starter Travis Hayes survived a rocky start to stay unbeaten. Hayes yielded six runs over the first two innings but pitched through the seventh in improving to 5-0. He allowed eight hits and seven runs -- five earned -- while striking out six and walking four.

Brady Wright followed with two scoreless innings. He allowed two hits, walked one and struck out one.

Southeast took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on RBI singles by Tellor and Andy Lennington.

Austin Peay countered with four runs in the bottom of the inning. P.J. Torres broke a 2-2 tie with a two-out, two-run single.

The Redhawks moved ahead for good in the second with a six-run outburst that chased Austin Peay starter Levi Primasing (2-3).

Primasing walked leadoff batter Andy Lack, yielded a single to Clayton Evans and hit Jason Blum to load the bases. Cole Bieser followed with a two-run single to tie the score 4-4, but was thrown out at second when Primasing cut off the throw home.

Tellor gave Southeast the lead for good with a double down the third-base line to score Blum. Tellor's second hit of the game ended the day for Primasing, who allowed six hits and six runs (five earned). He was relieved by Zach Walton, who allowed four runs in 2/3 of an inning.

Derek Gibson reached on an error before Walton retired Lennington on a flyball to center field. Ferguson then drilled his home run over the fence in left-center field for an 8-4 lead.

The Governors cut the lead to 8-6 in the home half of the second, but Southeast scored three runs in both the third and fourth innings for a 14-6 lead. Gibson had a two-run single in the third, while Tellor had a two-run double in the fourth.

Southeast was never threatened thereafter.

Six Redhawks finished with multiple hits. Bieser and Evans had three hits apiece, while Blum, who had an RBI double in the fourth, had two hits along with Branden Boggetto and Ferguson.

Southeast returns to action Tuesday when it visits Saint Louis University for a 4 p.m. nonconference game.