April 25, 2007

Box Score

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - (Tuesday, April 24, 2007) In the first game of a two-game midweek series, the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks baseball team lost 12-6 to Memphis Tuesday. The Tigers scored eight two-out runs in the third inning that proved to be the difference in the game.

After rain showers delayed the start of the game for 34 minutes, senior Brent Lawson (Laguna Niguel, Calif./Dana Hills HS) made his first start on the mound since April 21, 2004, against Southern Illinois when he was a freshman at Southeast. After a promising first inning in which he retired the side in order, the right-hander gave up one run in the second and was charged with six more in the third inning.

Memphis center fielder K.K. Chalmers hit a home run to lead off the third. After loading the bases, Lawson gave up consecutive two-out doubles. Junior Lance Rhodes (Sikeston, Mo./Saint Louis) entered the game in relief of Lawson, but he proceeded to give up three more runs to score before recording the final out as shortstop Michael Murray hit a three-run homer, his first of the season.

Southeast (25-16) took a two run lead in the first inning, highlighted by freshman Nick Harris' (Alabaster, Ala./Thompson) team leading fourth triple that drove in the first run of the game. Senior Asif Shah (Cincinnati, Ohio/Wabash Valley CC) drove Harris in from third.

After falling behind 10-2, the Redhawks slowly climbed back into the game with a pair of runs in the third and fourth innings.

Senior Phillip Riley (Memphis, Tenn./Jackson State CC), playing against several former high school and community college teammate, drove Harris across the plate in the third inning with a sacrifice fly to center. Another run scored in the frame on a Memphis error.

In the fourth inning, senior Robby Moore (Rombauer, Mo./Jefferson CC) scored when Shah grounded into a fielder's choice, and senior Omar Padilla (Point Reyes Station, Calif./Santa Rosa CC) scored from third on a wild pitch.

Shah's two runs batted in, though he did not record a hit, increased his season total to a team-high 42.

The Redhawks' four runs over the two innings cut the deficit to five - Memphis designated hitter Joey Lieberman hit a solo home run in the top of the fourth for the Tigers' 11th run of the game - but they would not get any closer.

The Redhawks have allowed double-digit runs in each of the past two games, the first back-to-back double-digit runs allowed by Southeast pitchers this season.

Memphis reliever Neil Schenk pitched three scoreless innings for the Tigers and allowed only one hit. He was awarded with the win, improving to 2-0 on the year.

Dylan Cupples and Matt Yokley combined for two and two-thirds innings to finish the game, and Southeast was unable to plate any more runs by the game's end.

Lawson, making just his fourth appearance of the season, fell to 0-2 on the year.

Harris reached base in every plate appearance Tuesday and was 2-for-2 at the dish for Southeast with a triple, double and two runs scored. He has scored seven times over the past two contests after scoring just once in the previous seven games. The freshman leads the Ohio Valley Conference with 46 runs scored.

Lieberman had three hits for the Tigers, including the solo homer and a double, while right fielder Josh Irvin was 2-for-5. Irvin had a double and a game-high three RBIs.

Southeast and Memphis are scheduled to complete the two-game midweek series Wednesday at 4 p.m. The game be heard live on ESPN 1220 AM KGIR or via webcast available at www.espn1220.com.