Southeast Missouri State baseball team wins series against defending OVC champs

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team apparently liked Saturday's comeback so much, the Redhawks did it again.

Southeast rallied past visiting Austin Peay for the second straight day, notching a wild 14-8 win Sunday to post their third consecutive Ohio Valley Conference series victory.

This one was no doubt the sweetest because it came over the two-time defending OVC regular-season and tournament champion that swept Southeast in a three-game set last year in Cape Girardeau.

"To get two out of three against these guys is huge," winning pitcher Luke Shearrow said. "It's big momentum for us."

It was also extra sweet because the Redhawks had to come off the mat after losing Friday's series opener 9-4 and trailing 3-1 entering the eighth inning Saturday. They scored four runs in the eighth inning to win 5-3.

Southeast pitcher Luke Shearrow throws to an Austin Peay batter during Sunday's game at Capaha Field. (WAYNE MCPHERSON ~ Special to Southeast Missourian)

"It's always tough when you come out and lose Friday," junior center fielder Cole Bieser said. "We knew that's a great club, but we have a never-say-die attitude."

Southeast, which has won seven of its last nine OVC games, improved to 19-18 overall and 11-7 in conference play. The Redhawks scored a season-high run total and won a series from the Governors for the first time since 2010.

"It was a great win for us as a team," freshman shortstop Branden Boggetto said. "We stayed in it and battled all the way. We had faith we could come back."

The Redhawks strengthened their hold on fifth place in the 11-team league and narrowed the gap on fourth-place Austin Peay (26-11, 9-5), which leads Southeast by percentage points. The Govs have dropped their last two OVC series and six of seven games overall.

"Our guys are feeling good about themselves, but there's still a long way to go," Southeast coach Steve Bieser said. "This is a group that doesn't give up. They believe in themselves and what they're doing."

Sunday's contest at Capaha Field featured comebacks by both sides after Southeast scored four runs in the first inning.

Austin Peay put up the next seven runs to lead 7-4 after 4 1/2 innings.

Southeast surged ahead 8-7 after six innings, but the Govs forged an 8-8 tie by scoring on a wild pitch in the seventh inning -- the third Austin Peay run on such a play.

"It was crazy," sophomore DH Ryan Barnes said. "But we stayed with it the whole way."

The Redhawks finally went ahead for good with a six-run seventh inning that featured four hits, a walk, a hit batter and two of Austin Peay's five errors.

"We strung some hits together," Barnes said. "When you come out Sunday you know you have to score a lot of runs. That's what we did."

Freshman right fielder Clayton Evans began the uprising with a single to right field that was misplayed for an error, allowing him to go all the way to third.

Sophomore second baseman Jason Blum was hit by a pitch for the 17th time this year, moving him within one of the school single-season record.

Bieser's RBI infield single plated Evans with the go-ahead run.

Southeast didn't stop there. Junior first baseman Matt Tellor's one-out RBI single made it 10-8. A walk loaded the bases and two runs scored on an error. Another run scored on a passed ball, and sophomore catcher Dalton Hewitt completed the big inning with an RBI double.

"We really kicked it in there," Cole Bieser said.

The Redhawks banged out 17 hits, one short of their season high. Everybody in the lineup had at least one hit.

Barnes and Tellor both went 3 for 5. Barnes drove in three runs and Tellor scored three times.

Boggetto had two hits, including the day's only home run. His second homer of the season, a two-run shot in the fifth inning, cut Southeast's deficit to 7-6.

Sophomore third baseman Andy Lennington doubled twice and had two RBIs. Bieser and junior left fielder Derek Gibson both added two hits.

Gibson, who leads the OVC with a .380 batting average, extended his hitting streak to 17 games.

"We hit the ball up and down the lineup," said Steve Bieser, whose squad committed three errors.

Shearrow, a junior college transfer, continued his stellar work out of the bullpen after struggling as a starter early in the year.

Shearrow (3-2) held Austin Peay to an unearned run on three hits over the final 4 1/3 innings. He struck out six and did not walk a batter in winning his third straight decision.

"I felt really good," Shearrow said. "I felt when I went in, even when we were down, there was no doubt we would come back."

Senior Trevor Kill started on the mound. He allowed four runs and five hits in three innings.

Freshman left-hander Alex Winkelman gave up three runs -- two earned -- on just one hit in 1 2/3 innings before Shearrow took over.

"It's such a key for the entire team what Luke comes in and does," Steve Bieser said.

Austin Peay had nine hits and used seven pitchers after starter Ryan Quick lasted only one inning.

Southeast returns to action Tuesday, finishing up a five-game homestand with a 5 p.m. nonconference contest against Arkansas State. The Redhawks lost to the Red Wolves 9-8 on April 2 in Jonesboro, Ark.