Southeast Missouri State baseball team wins final game before first OVC series

~ Southeast splits its two-game series against UALR with a 4-3 victory

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team bounced back from a one-run loss at Arkansas-Little Rock by notching its own one-run victory.

Wednesday's 4-3 triumph, which came after Tuesday's 3-2 setback, allowed the Redhawks to gain a split of the two-game series that represented their final nonconference tuneup.

Southeast improved to 8-6. The Trojans fell to 9-4.

Southeast built a 3-0 lead before UALR tied the contest with a three-run sixth inning. The Trojans got three of their six hits in that frame.

The Redhawks regained the lead in the seventh inning, and Southeast's pitching made it stand up.

Junior center fielder Cole Bieser led off the seventh with a single, and junior first baseman Matt Tellor walked. Bieser stole third during a strikeout and came home on a safety squeeze bunt by sophomore catcher Dalton Hewitt.

Southeast grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second inning on four hits.

Hewitt, freshman shortstop Brandon Boggetto and sophomore DH Ryan Barnes all got consecutive singles to load the bases. Freshman right fielder Clayton Evans drove in a run with a single, and junior second baseman John Logan Zink delivered a sacrifice fly.

The Redhawks made it 3-0 in the fourth inning. Boggetto singled, stole second and scored on a double by Evans.

Senior Trevor Kill's first career start at Southeast was an impressive one. He fired five shutout innings, allowing two hits and no walks while striking out two.

Junior college transfer Luke Shearrow was charged with all three runs as he did not retire a batter. He allowed two hits and a walk before leaving the sixth inning with the bases loaded.

Juco transfer left-hander Skylar Cobb relieved Shearrow. Cobb allowed an RBI single and two sacrifice flys before getting out of the inning.

Cobb (1-0), a Scott City High School graduate, was credited with his first Southeast victory.

Freshman Tyler Thomas, making his Southeast debut, pitched 1 2/3 innings. He struck out one, walked one and gave up one hit.

Senior Bobby Hurst finished up with 1 1/3 perfect innings for his second save of the season. He struck out two in the ninth.

Southeast outhit UALR 8-6. Evans went 2 for 3 with two RBIs. Boggetto went 2 for 4 and scored two runs.

The Redhawks begin Ohio Valley Conference play this weekend with a three-game series at first-year league member Belmont, the defending Atlantic Sun Conference regular-season and tournament champion.

Contests are set for 4 p.m. Friday, 1 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.

Belmont is picked to finish second in the 11-team OVC after going 39-24 last year. Southeast was selected eighth in the league's preseason poll.