Scintillating sweep

~ The Redhawks followed a 7-6 victory with a 7-5 winin the nightcap.

Southeast Missouri State's Redhawks are fairly certain of one thing.

Last year, they would not have won the type of games they captured Saturday during a scintillating doubleheader sweep.

The Redhawks kicked off Ohio Valley Conference play with a pair of comeback victories over visiting Tennessee-Martin, 7-6 and 7-5 at Capaha Field.

"I definitely don't think we win these games last year," senior Dustin Pritchett said. "We're a lot more mentally tough than last year. We just stay in the games and keep battling."

Robby Moore received congratulations from his Redhawks teammates after scoring during the second game against Tennessee-Martin at Capaha Park on Saturday. (Kit Doyle)

That was apparent Saturday as the Skyhawks threatened to ruin Southeast's OVC-opening series for the second straight season.

A year ago, in late March in Martin, Tenn., the Skyhawks swept Southeast by scores of 3-2, 2-1 and 1-0.

The Redhawks never fully recovered. They ended up 4-9 in OVC games decided by three runs or less to finish tied for sixth place in the 10-team league at 11-16. It's the worst OVC showing for Southeast under 13th-year coach Mark Hogan.

"That first series really put us in a hole and we fought it the rest of the year," Hogan said.

Southeast at least made sure it would not get in an early hole this time by coming through in the clutch.

Southeast Missouri State relief pitcher Ivan Nails delivered a pitch against Tennessee-Martin in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader at Capaha Park. Nails picked up his first win at Southeast after the team rallied. (Kit Doyle)

The Redhawks never led in the opener until they scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth to end things.

In the seven-inning nightcap, Southeast was never ahead until scoring four times in the bottom of the sixth.

"Last year these were the games we lost," said Hogan, who improved his record at Southeast to 369-305, as he moved within four wins of tying the late Joe Uhls as the all-time winningest coach in program history.

"I'm proud of them for hanging in there. The hardest way to win is when things aren't going your way. These are character builders for a young club."

Southeast improved to 14-7 overall, and dropped UTM to 6-14.

"We've just got a different approach altogether this year," senior Asif Shah said. "We just come to the park believing we're going to come out on top no matter how late in the game it is."

The Redhawks needed that belief Saturday, as the Skyhawks surged ahead early and often in both games. Southeast did not help its cause by committing four errors, while UTM had no errors.

"We didn't by any stretch play our best games," Hogan said. "We won ugly."

In the opener, Southeast had seven of its 11 hits and five of its seven runs over the final three innings. The Redhawks trailed 6-4 entering the bottom of the eighth.

The nightcap saw the Redhawks get seven of their eight hits and all seven of their runs over the final two innings. They trailed 4-0 entering the bottom of the fifth and scored all seven runs with two outs.

"I don't know about last year, but we're so competitive this year," freshman Nick Harris said. "I know that players from last year want revenge for all the close games they lost. They've talked about it."

After pushing across a run in the bottom of the eighth in the opener to pull within 6-5, the Redhawks entered their final at-bat desperate to complete the comeback.

Things did not look good for Southeast when the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the ninth was retired.

But freshman Jim Klocke singled, and Harris did the same. Shah's single to right field scored pinch-runner Sean Zollner with the tying run and sent Harris to third.

Pritchett then put down a perfect squeeze bunt on the first pitch. Harris scored without a play as the Redhawks celebrated.

"The infield was playing back and coach just gave me the sign," Pritchett said. "I was lucky to get it down."

Things were just about as exciting in the finale.

Trailing 4-0, Southeast staged an improbable three-run rally in the fifth despite having the first two batters retired. Klocke had an RBI single and Shah delivered a two-run single.

UTM boosted its advantage to 5-3 with an unearned run in the sixth, but the Redhawks answered back in the bottom of the frame.

With one out, sophomore Daniel Schuh walked. With two outs, senior Omar Padilla doubled him home.

After Klocke walked, Harris blasted a double to the center-field wall. Padilla and Klocke scored to put the Redhawks ahead 6-5. Shah capped the four-run uprising with a single that scored Harris.

"I just wanted to stay back on the ball," said Harris, who is batting .345, which is second on the team behind Shah's .358. "I hit it real well."

Junior right-hander Ivan Nails, who retired one batter in the sixth, set UTM down in the seventh for his first Southeast win. The junior college transfer improved to 1-1.

Shah, the second-game starter, entered with an OVC-best 1.29 earned-run average. The left-hander allowed eight hits and five runs (four earned) in 5 innings.

Junior right-hander Dustin Renfrow, already a two-time OVC pitcher of the week who was second in the league with a 1.45 ERA, had a solid start in the opener. Renfrow allowed six hits and four runs (two earned) in seven innings.

Senior lefty Josh Parham (2-2) was credited with the first-game win despite allowing UTM two go-ahead runs in the eighth. Parham came back with a scoreless ninth to set the stage for the comeback.

"Our defense was a little shaky, but I thought overall our pitching was good," Hogan said.

Shah, Harris, Padilla and senior Robby Moore all had three hits on the day for the Redhawks. Shah drove in four runs.

Moore extended his hitting streak to six games and increased his average to .326, third-best on the squad.

Padilla homered in the opener, a two-run shot in the seventh inning that pulled Southeast into a 4-4 tie. He finished the day with three RBIs and is now batting .324.

Klocke, sophomore Matt Wagner and sophomore Matt Wulfers added two hits apiece for the Redhawks. Wagner (.310) is a fifth Southeast player hitting better than .300.

Lance Renton had a big day for UTM with five hits, including a homer and three doubles.

"Tennessee-Martin is a very tough ballclub. They keep fighting you," Hogan said. "We expected these kinds of games."

The Redhawks will send freshman lefty Josh Syberg (3-1, 2.60 ERA) to the mound today as they go for the series sweep.

"It would be great if we could pull it off," Hogan said.