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MOREHEAD, Ky. – Southeast Missouri put together four multi-run innings and never trailed as the Morehead State baseball team fell 14-6 to the Redhawks in an Ohio Valley Conference series finale Monday at Allen Field.
SEMO, which won a series over MSU for the first time in four seasons, improved to 9-8 overall and 4-2 in the league. Morehead State slipped to 10-6 overall and 3-3 in the conference.
The Redhawks scored three times in the first, four in the second, three in the seventh and added four more in the ninth to go along with 15 hits. The top six SEMO batters recorded multi-hit games.
"After two nine-inning games (on Sunday), our pitching was naturally going to be a little thin," Head Coach Mike McGuire said. "That's why we needed a good start, but we didn't get it today."
SEMO touched up Eagle starter Matt Anderson for six earned runs in just 1.1 innings. He was pinned with the loss to fall to 1-1. Right-handed reliever Blake Smith didn't allow a hit from the third through sixth frames, and MSU trailed just 7-6 heading into the seventh. But, SEMO generated five runs off closer Craig Pearcy, who entered in the seventh and left in the ninth.
"I think Blake came in and did a great job of keeping it close and giving us at least a chance," McGuire added. "The ball game was closer than the final score indicated. SEMO is very good offensively, and we let it get away from us in the end."
The visitors put up 15 hits, including three from third baseman Andy Lenington. Left fielder Trevor Ezell, second baseman Jason Blum, designated hitter Garrett Gandolfo, first baseman Ryan Rippee and right fielder Dalton Hewitt all recorded two hits. Rippee and Gandolfo drove in three runs each. Center fielder Clayton Evans homered in the ninth inning.
Joey Lucchesi struck out seven in 5.2 innings for the win to improve to 2-0.
MSU senior right fielder Brandon Rawe was 3-for-4, while freshman third baseman Evan Warden notched a 3-for-5 effort with two RBI. Senior shortstop Robby Spencer launched a three-run homer, his third four-bagger of the year, in the first to tie the game 3-3. Sophomore center fielder Ryan Kent, who reached base 10 times in the series, was 2-for-6.
Senior first baseman Kane Sweeney extended his reached-base streak to all 16 games but saw his 10-game hitting streak zapped with an 0-for-3 batting line.
Morehead State steps out of OVC play for a Tuesday matchup at home with East Tennessee State. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. ET. Michael Gustin will have free audio play-by-play on MSUEagles.com and the Eagle Empire app.
"We did get off to a nice start this year, and we are all happy about that," McGuire said. "But as a team and as a program, we still have a lot of room to grow and get better. That's the good thing about college baseball though is you get to come right back out tomorrow and forget about today."
