Southeast Missouri State baseball team sweeps Tennessee-Martin

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team has owned Tennessee-Martin when the squads meet in Cape Girardeau.

Nothing changed Saturday as the Redhawks began a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series with a doubleheader sweep at Capaha Field in front of an announced crowd of nearly 1,000.

Southeast posted identical 8-2 wins, rolling 8-2 in the nine-inning opener and breaking open late the seven-inning nightcap.

The teams close the series today with a 1 p.m. nine-inning contest.

"We really needed this. We came out and played hard," said senior Blake Slattery, a Central High School graduate. "Every conference game is big."

Southeast Missouri State first-game starter Jordan Underwood delivers Saturday. (Fred Lynch)

Southeast now has beaten the Skyhawks 18 straight times at Capaha. The Redhawks' last home loss to UTM came in 1997.

The Redhawks have won 10 of the past 12 meetings overall, although they did drop two of three to UTM last season in Martin, Tenn.

Southeast extended its winning streak to a season-high five straight. The Redhawks also moved a season-high seven games above the .500 mark.

More importantly for the Redhawks, 21-14 overall, they improved to 6-4 in OVC play and jumped into a second-place tie in the nine-team league. They trail leader Jacksonville State by just one-half game and are even on the loss side.

"We've been playing really well and hopefully we can keep it going," senior Brett Russell said.

Southeast Missouri State's Kenton Parmley singles against during the seventh inning of Saturday's first game at Capaha Field. (Fred Lynch)

Not much went wrong for Southeast against eighth-place UTM (10-24, 2-6), which has been no higher than seventh since joining the OVC in 1993 while recording 13 last-place finishes, including a year ago.

The Redhawks outhit UTM 27-13 and committed one error compared to five for the visitors, all in the opener.

The Redhawks' pitching staff, which has been strong most of the nonconference season but had struggled with an 8.07 ERA through the first eight OVC games, got back to its stingy ways.

"We had a little bit of everything today," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said. "It was a really good day for us."

Southeast received two strong starting mound performances.

Southeast Missouri State's Tim Rupp squeeze bunts to drive in a run against Tennessee-Martin during the fifth inning of Saturday's first game at Capaha Field. (Fred Lynch)

Senior Jordan Underwood improved to 3-0 in the opener, allowing two runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked four. He lowered his ERA to 4.03, seventh-best in the league.

Senior Jon Dicus then had one of his better performances, working 5 1/3 shutout innings in the nightcap. He allowed three hits, struck out six and walked three. He pushed his record to 3-2 and dropped his ERA to 3.99, fifth-best in the conference.

"It all starts with those two," Hogan said. "Underwood and Dicus dominated."

Dicus felt he got back on track after what he thought were several subpar outings.

"The last few games were kind of rough," Dicus said. "I'm finally throwing well again."

Dicus carried a one-hitter into the sixth inning, but Southeast led just 2-0.

A one-out walk and two singles loaded the bases and ended the day for Dicus.

Senior Logan Mahon got out of that jam and Southeast broke open things with six runs in the bottom of the sixth.

The Redhawks had seven hits in the frame, highlighted by a two-run double from senior Nick Harris and Slattery's two-run single.

"Logan did an awesome job getting out of that," Dicus said.

Russell gave the Redhawks a 1-0 lead in the second inning with a leadoff home run, his fifth of the season to tie him for the team lead. It was the only home run of the day.

An RBI single by Ky Burgess later in the frame made it 2-0. That's the way things stood until Southeast exploded late.

"Putting up that six spot [in the sixth inning] was big," said Slattery, who had two hits in the frame. "It was close until then."

The opener never was very close. Southeast led 4-1 through three innings and steadily pulled away.

In addition to Underwood's strong start, Southeast's bullpen also was solid.

Senior Kirk Boeller from Notre Dame Regional High School relieved Underwood and recorded two outs.

Junior Ryan Prickett finished the victory with 1 2/3 hitless innings.

"We had some sparkling relief work in both games," Hogan said.

Slattery, Russell and junior Kenton Parmley all went 4 for 8 in the doubleheader. Senior Casey Jones added three hits. Slattery drove in four runs and scored three times.

Slattery, Russell, Jones and junior Jesse Tierney all had two of Southeast's 11 first-game hits. Slattery and senior Tim Rupp had two RBIs.

Parmley recorded three of the Redhawks' 16 second-game hits.

Slattery, Russell, senior Michael Adamson and Harris added two hits apiece. Slattery and Harris had two RBIs.

Harris played in the field in the nightcap -- right field -- for the first time since missing about six weeks with a knee injury.

"We had several guys have good days offensively and we played great defense," Hogan said.