Semoball

Southeast Missouri State baseball stumbles in season opener, falls at College of Charleston

Southeast Missouri State's Trevor Ezell stands safely on second as the ball gets past College of Charleston's Luke Manzo on Friday in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.
Andrew J. Whitaker

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team jumped out to an early lead but couldn't hold on and lost its season opener on Friday afternoon.

The Redhawks scored three runs in the first inning but were shut out for the rest of the game, falling 6-3 to College of Charleston at Patriots Point Stadium in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.

The Cougars (1-0) scored two runs in the sixth to take the lead for good.

Southeast (0-1) started strong. Leadoff hitter Trevor Ezell, who missed most of last season with injury, drove the first pitch he saw through the right side of the infield for a single. Two consecutive hit batters loaded the bases with one out for Tristen Gagan. The senior first baseman drew a walk to drive in Ezell, and Hunter Southerland capped the scoring with a two-RBI double to right-center field.

Ezell led the Redhawks at the plate, going 2-for-4.

College of Charleston responded in the second with two runs. Danny Wondrack got it started with a leadoff triple, and the next batter, Bradley Dixon, drove in Wondrack on a sacrifice fly. Ari Sechopoulos tacked on another run with a two-out solo home run off SEMO starter Joey Burris. That drew the Cougars within 3-2.

The hosts tied the game with a run in the fifth, with Sechopoulos again providing a key hit. The eight-hole hitter led off the frame with a double, before advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt and coming around to score on a sacrifice fly by Dupree Hart.

The Cougars then took advantage of Southeast miscues to take the lead for good in the sixth. Luke Morgan reached base to start the inning thanks to an error. Logan McRae followed with a single and Morgan then came around to score on K.J. Byrant's double down the left field line. McRae later scored on a passed ball for a 5-3 Cougars lead.

College of Charleston tacked on an insurance run in the eight, thanks to a one-out RBI single by Bryant, solidifying the final scoreline.

Sisk got the victory on the mound, giving up just two hits and two walks in six innings while striking out six. The Cougars out-hit the Redhawks 10-4 and had five players with two hits apiece compared to just Ezell for SEMO.

Burris surrendered three runs on five hits and struck out two in five innings. Christian Vick took the hard-luck loss, giving up two runs, both unearned, on two hits in two innings.

Nathan Bock pitched the eighth and gave up one run on three hits and a walk.

Southeast returns to the field at 1 p.m. Saturday for the second game in three-game series against College of Charleston.

— From staff report

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