Southeast Missouri State baseball team stays sharp, defeats SIU 11-4

One time through the lineup proved plenty for the Southeast Missouri State offense.

No. 9 hitter Taylor Heon singled to right field to open the third inning and jump-start the Redhawks.

The next four batters reached safely, including Kenton Parmley's two-run homer, and Blake Slattery's three-run moonshot capped the six-run inning. Southern Illinois-Carbondale never threatened again in the Redhawks' 11-4 victory Tuesday to sweep the season's two-game series.

"I think it's contagious," Slattery said about the Redhawks' hitting. "Once a couple guys get a couple knocks, it gives the other guys confidence that they can do the same."

The third-inning spurt was the first of four consecutive innings where the Redhawks scored runs.

"Everybody been through the lineup and saw the pitching," Southeast senior Nick Harris said about the offense's turnaround. "Everybody been out front. Everybody got their timing down. The first game of the week got rained out. It's been kind of sluggish. It took an inning or two for everyone to get worked back up, get back in that game mode. Once we got rolling, the scoreboard shows."

Slattery's three-run homer in the third cleared the scoreboard in left field at Capaha Field. The Redhawks (25-15) belted four home runs, all to left field, even though the wind was blowing out to right.

"I was just kind of looking for something straight," said Slattery, a senior who graduated from Central. "He threw it inside a little bit and I got my hands inside it and it took off.

"On the swing, it doesn't feel like anything. It's like you didn't swing hard enough. It just kind of takes off."

Harris smacked a solo homer to left field with two outs in the fourth, finishing 2 for 3 with two runs scored. He's been a force for the Redhawks since returning from a knee injury sustained March 1. He's batting .522 (12 for 23) with two homers and four doubles over the last eight games.

"The time I spent off gave me a lot of time to sit back and feel how privileged I am to actually play," he said. "Don't take it for granted or anything. Worked hard and it's paying off. I'm going up to the plate trying not to do too much. Just taking nice, easy hacks and everything's coming together."

Southeast senior right-hander Brad LaBruyere started for the Redhawks after Saturday's Ohio Valley Conference game against Jacksonville State was rained out. He has served as the team's No. 3 starter in conference games this season, and since he hadn't pitched since April 17, Hogan went with LaBruyere against the Salukis.

"I was ready to go on Saturday and had to wait a little longer than I wanted to," said LaBruyere, another Central graduate. "But it felt good to finally get out and get some work on the mound."

Southeast coach Mark Hogan will tinker with his weekend rotation this weekend to set it up for a two-game series with the University of Arkansas on May 3 and 4. Regular weekend starter Jon Dicus won't make the trip to the University of Arkansas for the two-game series May 3 and 4 and will pitch Sunday. Hogan plans to start LaBruyere in Saturday's second game at Murray State so that he can pitch against Arkansas.

"We wanted him to throw about 50 pitches," Hogan said about Tuesday's outing. "We were very comfortable with that. He just threw brilliant."

LaBruyere ended up working four innings. He struck out four and walked one. He didn't allow a run.

"I felt pretty good today," he said. "My arm felt good. My delivery felt good and all my pitches I had a good feel for."

Southern Illinois (15-25) threatened in the second inning when it put runners on first and third with one out. LaBruyere struck out Bernie High School graduate Jake Welch then got Donny Duchinsky to tap back to him to escape the jam.

"He did a super job," Hogan said about LaBruyere. "That's the best he's thrown. He had excellent command."

LaBruyere brushed off concern that disrupting his routine by pitching Tuesday will hinder him at Murray State.

"It won't mess with my routine at all because today I normally through a bullpen, about the same amount of pitches I did in the game," he said. "It's pretty much on the same routine, it's just in a game today. Bullpen or game, you pretty much have the same mindset, try to get your work in."

Southeast opened a 9-0 lead after five innings, which led Hogan to make wholesale changes. Every Southeast position player in uniform played Tuesday.

The Redhawks return to action Saturday for an OVC doubleheader at Murray State. The nine-inning opener is scheduled for noon followed by a seven-inning nightcap. The Redhawks only have three games remaining at Capaha Field. They host Eastern Illinois on May 20 and 21 for a three-game series to wrap up the regular season. Their next eight games are on the road.