Southeast Missouri State baseball team sweeps season series with Saint Louis

Junior shortstop Branden Boggetto knew that in his three years on the Southeast Missouri State baseball team that the Redhawks had never swept the Saint Louis Billikens.

Southeast coach Steve Bieser couldn't remember the last time the Redhawks had beaten the Saint Louis Billikens (15-9) twice in a season, either.

Bieser, Boggetto and the entire Redhawks squad felt pretty good about defeating visiting SLU 13-1 on Tuesday night at Capaha Field for their second win over the Billikens this season for their home-and-home series sweep.

The last time Southeast, which extended its winning streak to five, had topped SLU twice in a season was in 2005.

"They've been winning the [Atlantic 10 Conference] for a reason for several years now," Bieser said. " *... I really thought tonight that both teams were going to come out and hit the way that we hit tonight and it was going to be back and forth, but I think when we jumped out and were able to get eight in that inning that kind of put the dagger in it. They had a tough time getting going after that, but I wasn't comfortable until we got late in the game because they can explode at any time as well and we had to be very cautious."

The Redhawks beat SLU 9-7 on the road two weeks ago. Southeast held a six-run lead early in that game before the Billikens tied it up, so when the Redhawks took an 8-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning Tuesday night, they weren't going to settle.

Southeast started its eight-run inning with a leadoff walk by right fielder Dalton Hewitt.

Left fielder Brendon Neel then bunted for a hit, with Hewitt advancing to third on a throwing error by the pitcher to first base.

Catcher Scott Mitchell was walked to load the bases, and Boggetto tripled to right center on the first pitch to score all three.

"That was just a quality inning of putting together a lot of quality at-bats, good approaches, and the big blow there to kind of get things going was Boggetto really staying disciplined and putting a nice, easy swing and plugging the gap there to clear the bases," Bieser said. "From there everything kind of opened up. We got a lot of bounces tonight, and that's always a good thing, but you know, when you're playing well you tend to get some bounces, and I think that just says something about how our guys are playing right now."

Southeast Missouri State's Garrett Gandolfo celebrates after hitting a double in the third inning against Saint Louis Tuesday, March 24, 2015 at Capaha Field. (Glenn Landberg)

The Redhawks plated five more runs in the inning, sent 14 batters to the plate and had seven hits, including a two-run home run to left field by Jason Blum.

"I think that we just wanted to be aggressive at the plate," Boggetto said. "Get our pitch early and put some good swings on the ball. Keep the hammer down, and that's what we did."

SLU scored its lone run in the top of the third inning. Starter Garret Stockton issued a leadoff walk and gave up a hit before coaxing the Billikens into a double play that advanced the runner to third.

First baseman Mike Vigliarolo, the Billikens' No. 3 hitter, singled to left to cut the lead to 8-1.

An error and a hit batsman put the first two Southeast runners on in the bottom of the inning before designated hitter Garrett Gandolfo doubled off the wall in left center to make it 10-1. Hewitt and Mitchell each had RBI base hits to put the Redhawks up 12-1.

Blum, who went 3 for 4 with three RBIs and two runs, drove in Southeast's final run with a double in the fourth.

"Nothing's ever safe against a good team like that," Blum said. "We just knew we had to bear down and get some more runs."

Blum, who was a triple short of hitting for the cycle, switched from his usual home at second base to third base in place of Andy Lennington.

"It's a little different view over there at third than it is at second, but it's just a matter of getting reps over there," Blum said. "Nobody's going to be able to fill Lenny's shoes because he's a great defensive third baseman, but I'm going to try doing my best to not skip a beat over there."

Lennington left Sunday's game with a hamstring injury after getting a hit. Bieser's uncertain of Lennington's status for Southeast's weekend series against SIU Edwardsville.

"He had some really in-between hops and he ranged really well a few times to make some good plays," Bieser said about Blum's defense. "That's good to see because it gives us some flexibility. We're not sure where Lenny's going to be as far as coming into this weekend, but I think we've found something that we can be very confident in if that's the lineup we have to use for the weekend as well."

Southeast Missouri State's Scott Mitchell congratulates Garret Stockton after pitching the fifth inning against Saint Louis Tuesday, March 24, 2015 at Capaha Field. (Glenn Landberg)

SLU had eight hits in the game, all off Stockton (1-0). The senior right-hander allowed one earned run in six innings of work. He struck out three batters and walked a pair in recording his first win of the season.

"Tonight I thought he was scuffling a little bit early, but he would make big pitches when he had to," Bieser said. "He got the ground ball double plays to limit some innings that could have got away from him, but he's done this two straight weeks against some really quality opponents."

Freshmen Zach Moore and Wesley Pyles each pitched an inning in relief and both retired the Billikens in order.

Senior Perry Middleton did not allow a hit in the ninth. It was his first appearance of the season.

Southeast (14-9) will face Arkansas State at 4 p.m. today in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

"It's another quality opponent. We've got to go out and play extremely well to put ourselves in a position to win that game," Bieser said. "Jacob Lawrence is going to get the start in that game, and he needs to go out and keep us in the ballgame for four innings and then let us get to the bullpen and see what we can do from there. Again it's all about getting a good start and allowing our pitchers a little breathing room."