Feb. 23, 2008

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By Tyler Koonce, Baseball Contact

PINE BLUFF, Ark. - Led by junior college transfers Tyrell Cummings (Muskogee, Okla./Seminole State JC) and Justin Wheeler (Lakewood, Calif./Golden West CC), Southeast defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 13-2, Saturday afternoon at Taylor Memorial Field. Cummings drove in four runs on two RBI doubles to right-center field while Wheeler went 2-4 with a three-run home run off the scoreboard in left field during the top of the fifth inning. The Redhawks (1-1, 0-0) pounded out 12 hits while the Golden Lions (1-1, 0-0) struck out 12 times to Southeast pitching.

James Leigh delivers a pitch during his first career victory Saturday. He registered career highs with five innings pitched and nine strikeouts, allowing only two hits and one earned run. (Ralph Fitzgerald/Pine Bluff Commercial)

Redshirt junior James Leigh (Bryant, Ark./Texarkana CC) earned his first career NCAA victory, registering career highs with five innings pitched and nine strikeouts. He allowed only two hits and one earned run.

Southeast wasted no time in taking an early lead in the top of the first inning. Making his first career start at shortstop in place of the injured Nick Harris (Alabaster, Ala./Thompson), Tony Spencer (Hillsboro, Mo./Mineral Area CC) drew a leadoff walk. Cummings moved him over to second with a groundout and Jim Klocke (St. Louis, Mo./St. John Vianney) followed suit, advancing him to third. Wheeler follwed with a walk before Matt Wulfers (Cape Girardeau, Mo./Missouri) legged out an infield single to the second basemen that scored Spencer and gave the Redhawks a 1-0 advantage. The following hitter, Matt Wagner (Wahoo, Neb./Nebraska), reached on an error, allowing Wheeler to cross the plate.

After Leigh held the Golden Lions scoreless in the bottom of the first, Southeast hitters were at it again. Blake Slattery (Cape Girardeau, Mo./Cape Central) led off and reached on an error in the top of the second. Spencer followed by laying down a perfect bunt single along the third base line. After both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch, Cummings delivered his first of two doubles to right-center that both drove in two runners. The Redhawks added another run after Cummings stole third and was driven in on an RBI groundout by Klocke.

UAPB scored a single run in the bottom of the second after Marcus Rodgers doubled to right field, was sacrificed to third on a bunt by Ernest Horton and then came home on a passed ball.

Leigh continued to pitch well and the Redhawks offense exploded in the top of the fifth. Wagner led off with a single to left field. He advanced to third when Zachary Blemker doubled down the right field line and scored on a wild pitch. Spencer hit an infield single to second base to drive in Blemker. After a pitching change, Cummings struck again with his second 2-run double to right-center, scoring Spencer and Slattery, who had reached on a hit by pitch. Following a Louie Haseltine (St. Louis, Mo./De Smet Jesuit) walk, Wheeler blasted the first Southeast home run of the season with a 3-run blast off the scoreboard high above the 16-feet wall in left field. Following the 7-run outburst, the Redhawks held a 12-1 lead.

Pine Bluff would score only one more run on the day, in the bottom of the fifth, when Sean Prater notched his first collegiate hit, stole second base, advanced to third on a wild pitch and crossed the plate on an RBI groundout by Reggie Barker.

Corey Harness (Spring, Texas/Klein Collins) relieved Leigh and pitched two perfect innings in his collegiate debut. He kept batters off-balance with his movement and registered his first two strikeouts of his career in two innings on the mound. Brad LaBruyere (Cape Girardeau, Mo./Cape Central) also made his first NCAA appearance, pitching a scoreless eighth inning where he induced an inning-ending double play. Daniel Schuh (Jacksonville, Fla./Bishop Kenny) finished the game with a scoreless ninth.

Spencer led the offensive attack with a game-high three hits and three runs to go along with two RBIs. Cummings scored twice in addition to driving in four. Wheeler, Blemker and Slattery also scored two runs.

Starter Justin Clark took the loss for UAPB after giving up five runs, three earned, on four hits in two innings. He registered one strikeout.

The teams will conclude the 3-game series Sunday at 1 p.m. from Taylor Field. Todd Strahlendorf (Rohnert Park, Calif./Santa Rosa JC) will make his first career start for the Redhawks.