April 22, 2008

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By Tyler Koonce, Baseball Contact

JONESBORO, Ark. - Led by runs in four consecutive innings, Southeast Missouri State overpowered Arkansas State, 12-3 , Tuesday night at Tomlinson Stadium. The Redhawks (17-16) pounded out 17 hits to avenge a previous loss to the Indians (16-25).

In the top of the second inning, Southeast pulled ahead on an RBI single up the middle by Zachary Blemker that brought Justin Wheeler from second base. Freshman Blake Slattery followed with a two-run, opposite field home run off the top of the wall in right field. The blast marked the second consecutive game Slattery has homered.

The following inning, Wheeler increased the lead to four with a single through the right side to bring in Tyrell Cummings from second. Cummings had reached on a similar base hit three batters earlier.

After a walk to Trenton Moses, Blemker struck again with a two-run single to center, pushing the lead to 6-0. The redshirt senior infielder now has six runs batted in over his last three games.

Arkansas State got on the board in the bottom of the third on back-to-back opposite field doubles by Jett Jones and Derrick Coleman. Coleman came around to score the second run on a fielding error.

Cummings increased the lead to 7-2 with his third single of the night in the fourth. Tony Spencer came around to score after previously drawing a walk. Nick Harris then got in on the action with a run-scoring double down the left field line, scoring Cummings for the Redhawks eighth run of the night.

SEMO made it four straight innings with a run scored when Blemker came home on balk in the fifth.

Harris pushed the run total into double digits with an RBI single in the eighth. Cummings scored on the play after reaching on his fourth single of the game. Moses hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Louie Haseltine for the 11th run of the evening. On the next pitch, Harris stretched the lead to 12-2 when he scored on a passed ball.

ASU pushed a run across in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI groundout by Danny Riemenschneider.

Ivan Nails (2-3) earned the victory for Southeast and pitched four effective innings, giving up seven hits and two runs. He notched four strikeouts.

Ryan Poole, Brad LaBruyere, Andy Stephens and Josh Manning were all effective in relief.

Ryan Blackburn (0-1) took the loss for ASU, after going only 2.2 innings, giving up eight hits and six earned runs.

Cummings led the offense with four hits while Blemker and Harris each finished with three.

Coleman stood out for the Indians, going 3-4 with one RBI and one run scored.

The Redhawks return to Ohio Valley Conference play at home this weekend against defending league champion Austin Peay. The three-game series begins with a 1 p.m. Saturday doubleheader at Capaha Field.