Southeast Missouri State baseball team claims weekend series with 26-7 rout of IPFW

It didn't take the Southeast Missouri State baseball team long to bounce back from Saturday's disappointing loss.

The Redhawks scored 10 runs in the first inning and crushed visiting IPFW 26-7.

Sunday's finale of a three-game series at Capaha Field was stopped after 6 1/2 innings following an agreement between the coaches.

Southeast, which took two of three from the Mastodons, improved to 3-4. IPFW, from Fort Wayne, Ind., fell to 2-4.

"It's always nice to have a day like this, get the bats rolling, get the confidence up," Southeast All-American senior third baseman Trenton Moses said.

Southeast Missouri State’s Kenton Parmley singles in two runs against IPFW during the first inning Sunday at Capaha Field. (Fred Lynch)

The Redhawks were stinging after Saturday's 6-4 loss that featured just four hits by IFPW, which only needed three hits to score its six runs in the seventh inning.

Southeast took out its frustrations Sunday, scoring at least five runs in each of the first four innings to build a 26-1 lead.

"We kind of felt like we let it get away yesterday," said Southeast senior Kody Campbell, who normally plays first base but started Sunday at catcher. "It's nice to put a big number up."

It was the second-biggest number in school history. Southeast fell one run short of the 27 runs scored during a win over NAIA Freed-Hardeman in 2007.

Southeast banged out 18 hits, including three home runs and seven doubles. The Redhawks also took advantage of 10 walks.

"I was proud of the way we swung the bats," said Southeast coach Mark Hogan, whose squad raised its average 36 points to .316. "We had good offensive production up and down the lineup. It was good to see us bounce back."

Southeast received hits from 10 players, including all nine of Sunday's starters.

Moses and Campbell both homered, the team-leading second of the season for each.

Junior college transfer second baseman John Logan Zink got his first Southeast homer.

Moses, who also doubled, went 3 for 4 with six RBIs and three runs scored. He's batting a team-high .440.

Campbell added a double and drew three walks. He drove in three runs and scored three times.

"We haven't really put it together yet," Campbell said about Southeast's offense. "Hopefully this will be the start of something."

Senior shortstop Kenton Parmley went 3 for 4 with four RBIs and scored five runs to tie Southeast's single-game record.

Redshirt freshman Andy Lennington doubled twice and went 3 for 5 with six RBIs.

"The guys in front of me were getting on base," Lennington said.

Lennington, who has played a variety of positions so far, ranks second on the squad with a .412 average.

"It's finally good to get in there and play some games," said Lennington, who was forced to watch the action last year during his redshirt season.

Lennington started at first base Sunday and later moved to right field. He started at shortstop Saturday.

"He's just an excellent athlete. We saw it last year," Hogan said.

Zink had two hits, two RBIs and three runs scored.

Sophomore center fielder Cole Bieser scored four times and drove in two.

Redshirt freshman left fielder Jason Blum contributed three runs and two RBIs, while redshirt freshman right fielder Dalton Hewitt scored three times.

The Redhawks put the Mastodons in a deep hole by sending 15 batters to the plate during the bottom of the first. The inning featured six hits, five walks and an error.

"That was a pretty solid inning," Moses said. "Any time you get 10 runs in an inning, it's really good."

Lennington had a two-run double and a two-run single in the frame that also included a two-RBI double by Blum and a two-RBI single by Parmley.

"I don't [ever] remember scoring 10 runs in the first inning," Hogan said. "They weren't cheap either."

Southeast made it 15-0 in the second inning. Moses belted a three-run homer, and Zink added a two-run shot.

The Redhawks plated six runs in the third inning and rounded out the scoring with a five-run fourth inning.

Juco transfer left-hander Zack Smith notched his first Southeast win in his second solid start.

Smith (1-1) went four innings, allowing two hits and one run while striking out six and walking five.

"He's got a really good arm. I thought he competed well," Hogan said. "He's a classic lefty. He's got so much movement, he literally had trouble throwing because of the wind."

Three relievers finished off the rout.

Southeast continues its 11-game homestand when NAIA Hannibal-LaGrange visits at 3 p.m. Tuesday. The squads will play again at 2 p.m. Wednesday.