Game One PDF Box Score
Game Two PDF Box Score
 
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – The Southeast Missouri baseball team opened the 2015 season Friday with a doubleheader split against Bowling Green (1-1). Bowling Green won the season opener 7-6 and Southeast won the nightcap 6-5.
 
Newcomer Ryan Rippee and veteran Branden Boggetto highlighted the day both by going 3-for-6 and driving in a combined nine runs (five by Rippee, four by Boggetto).
 
The Redhawks begin the season 1-1.
 
Bowling Green 7, Southeast Missouri 6
The Redhawks were the first to score in the 2015 season in the bottom of the first inning. Freshman Trevor Ezell drew a one-out walk and stole second to get into scoring position. Rippee then ripped a double to right in his first at-bat as a Redhawk to drive Ezell in and give Southeast a 1-0 lead.
 
A rough top of the third for Southeast allowed the Falcons to tie the game. After two errors put runners on first and second with one out, a two-base wild pitch by Alex Winkelman tied the game at a run apiece.
 
The Redhawks were quick to answer back in the bottom of the inning. Jason Blum and Ezell both singled to start the inning. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Brendon Neel. Rippee then hit a high fly ball to right center that the right fielder initially caught but proceeded to drop on the exchange. After tagging up, both runners scored but Rippee was ruled out on the play despite the dropped ball. It would go down as a two-run sacrifice fly to put Southeast back on top 3-1 after three innings.
 
In the top of the fourth, Bowling Green's Randy Righter launched a three-run home run to right field to give the Falcon's their first lead of the day, 4-3.
 
Boggetto retied the game with a single swing of the bat with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the inning, 4-4 after four innings.
 
The Falcons recaptured the lead in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Trey Keegan.
 
Southeast would retie the game in the bottom of the sixth with Dalton Hewitt's second career home run. 5-5 after six innings.
 
Greg Mosel entered the game to pitch for Winkleman in the seventh inning. With a runner on second, Brian Bien singled to score the runner and put Bowling Green ahead but was thrown out trying to stretch a double.
 
The Falcons added to the lead in the eighth on an RBI fielder's choice by Righter, his fourth RBI of the game. 7-5 Bowling Green after seven and a half innings.
 
Southeast narrowed the Falcon lead to a run in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Boggetto but that would be as close as the Redhawks would get to an opening day victory as they would fall 7-6 in game one.
 
Boggetto finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI. Rippee finished 1-for-2 with three RBI. The Redhawks were narrowly outhit 11-9 in the game.
 
Greg Basalyga was 3-for-4 in game one for Bowling Green and Righter was 2-for-4 with four RBI.
 
Winkelman pitched six complete innings, giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits. Winkelman fanned six batters and walked only one. Greg Mosel (0-1) suffered the loss after giving up the go-ahead run. Alex Siddle and Jacob Lawrence each pitched an inning in game one.
 
Falcon starter Andrew Lacinak pitched only four innings allowing four runs on five hits. Devin Daugherty (1-0) earned the victory. Daugherty pitched three innings and allowed only a single run. Jason Link earned his first save of the season.
 
Southeast Missouri 6, Bowling Green 5 (seven innings)
The Redhawk bat came out ready to play in game two. Blum hit a leadoff single to start the first inning. Ezell recorded his first career RBI on a double to left center. Ezell then came around to score on a single off the bat of Rippee. Southeast led 2-0 after one inning.
 
Bowling Green got on the board after scoring on Southeast's first error of the game, 2-1 Southeast after two and a half innings.
 
Southeast added a run in the fourth inning when Hewitt scored on a single to left center by Boggetto; 3-1 Redhawks heading to the fifth. 
 
A bases loaded sacrifice fly by Bein in the fifth narrowed the lead to a run. A wild pitch tied the game at 3-3 going to the bottom of the fifth.
 
The Redhawks answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. With two out and the bases walked full, Andy Lennington drove Blum in on a single to third base. Boggetto drew a bases-loaded walk to put Southeast ahead 5-3 after five innings.
 
Rippee drove in his fifth run of the day to tack on an insurance run for Southeast in the sixth.
 
The Falcons put up a pair of runs in the seventh inning but Brady Wright was able to fend of the surge to and hold on for his first save of the season.
 
Redhawk starter Travis Hayes (1-0) picked up the victory. Hayes pitched six innings, allowing three unearned runs on four hits. He walked three and struck out three.
 
Blum was 2-for-2 with three runs scored and a pair of walks in game two. Rippee was 2-for-4 with two more RBI. Boggetto was 1-for-2 with two RBI and a walk.
 
BGSU starter Trevor Blaylock (0-1) suffered the loss. Blaylock pitched four and a third innings, allowing four runs on five hits. He struck out five batters.
 
Not a single Falcon batter recorded more than one hit.
 
Southeast outhit Bowling Green 8-6 but committed four errors. The Redhawks had six total errors in the doubleheader.
 
The rubber game of the three-game series will begin at 12 p.m. Saturday at Capaha Field. Ryan Lenaburg and Zac Carey will get the start in game three.