Southeast Missouri State baseball team takes first OVC series

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team secured its first Ohio Valley Conference series victory in dominating fashion on Monday afternoon.

The defending OVC champion Redhawks posted a 13-1 win over Eastern Kentucky at SIU Edwardsville to improve to 2-1 in conference and 6-7 overall.

The Redhawks' loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the second inning, scoring one run on a wild pitch before center fielder Clayton Evans singled home a couple more runs to put them up 3-0.

Southeast made it 7-0 in the bottom of the third. Designated hitter Garrett Gandolfo sent a three-run triple to center field and scored on a base hit to short by Evans.

Left-handed pitcher Joey Lucchesi allowed his lone run of the game in the top of the fifth. He gave up a couple of hits before the Colonels plated a run on a double play.

Lucchesi (1-0) pitched seven innings, allowing one earned run on five hits, in his first start of the season. The junior transfer from Chabot College recorded two strikeouts and had one wild pitch, but did not walk a batter.

EKU used three different pitchers in the sixth as the Redhawks increased their lead to 11-1.

Second baseman Jason Blum, who played for the first time since Feb. 21 after fracturing his finger, and third baseman Andy Lennington each drove in a run while right fielder Dalton Hewitt hit a two-run single.

Evans scored on a base hit by catcher Cole Ferguson in the seventh and drove in his fourth run of the game in the eighth for the final score.

EKU dropped to 5-9 and 1-2 in conference. Starter Alex Hamilton (0-2) took the loss on the mound. He allowed seven runs, three earned, on seven hits through five innings of work. He struck out five and walked two.

Southeast faces Saint Louis University at 3 p.m. Tuesday at the Billiken Sports Complex in St. Louis.

Righty Garret Stockton is expected to start for the Redhawks for the second time this season.