March 5, 2005

Box Score

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (Saturday, March 05, 2005) - The Southeast Missouri baseball team dropped both games of a doubleheader against the Bradley Braves today, 1-0 and 6-1 at Capaha Field. Bradley pitching silenced the Redhawks offense, which had been hot of late. Southeast was held to only one run on ten hits over the course the two 7-inning games.

The opening game of the doubleheader was a pitching duel as Bradley (5-2) just edged out Southeast, 1-0. Southeast (3-6) starting pitcher Derek Herbig allowed the only run of the ballgame in the first inning. After leadoff hitter Brian LaJeone grounded out to short, Justin Carr and Ryan Curry hit back-to-back singles. Herbig then handed Brad Canada a free pass to first base on a walk. With the bases loaded, right fielder Joe Napoli drove in the lone run on a sacrifice fly to center.

Herbig left the game with one out in the second inning, and Joey Evans came on in relief. Evans was impressive again in his second straight outing, as he fought to keep the Redhawks in the game. Over five and two-thirds innings of work, Evans kept the game within one run and only allowed two base hits.

However, Braves starting pitcher Brandon Magee was too much for the Redhawks offense to overcome. With professional scouts looking on, the Bradley starer picked up the complete game shutout win with an overpowering outing. Only five Southeast batters managed to reach base as Magee handcuffed the Redhawks for two hits and struck out eight.

The second leg of the doubleheader was hardly any different for the Redhawks offense. Southeast dropped their second game of the day to Bradley, 6-1. Bradley pitchers held Southeast to only one run and struck out 10 more batters in the second 7-inning affair.

Bradley jumped on top quickly, as LaJeone, Ryan Kenny, and Rice strung together three consecutive singles to start the game. Game two starter Anthony Maupin was able to minimize the damage by quickly forcing Brad Canada to ground into a double play and Jon Smith then hit a laser back up the middle that Maupin was able to knock down and record for an out.

Southeast answered in the bottom half of the first with a leadoff single of their own from first baseman Jordan Payne. After Eric Horstman struck out, Ernie Bracamonte and Frankie Montiel both singled. Payne scored on Montiel's base hit, and that was all the damage the Redhawks would do in the inning and for the rest of the game.

The Bradley Braves were able to put the game away in the second inning as they showed Anthony Maupin a fate similar to the one for game one starter Derek Herbig. After Joe Napoli hit a grounder to short for the first out, Carr was walked and Curry was hit by a pitch. Following a fly out to center, Maupin walked LaJeone to load the bases with two outs. Maupin walked in a run with four balls to Kenny, then Rice singled up the middle to drive to runs across the plate. Maupin, like Herbig, would not finish the second inning as Jamie McAlister was brought in from the bullpen.

Southeast batters tallied up only five more hits over the course of the remaining six innings, while Bradley added runs in the fifth and seventh innings in their winning effort. The Redhawks did flash some good leather in the doubleheader, completing two games of error-free baseball and recording a double play in each of the two games.

The Redhawks will try to salvage the series against the Braves tomorrow afternoon at Capaha Park, the first pitch will be at 1 p.m.