PINE BLUFF, Ark. - Joey Lucchesi was the story of the day Friday afternoon after tossing seven perfect innings with 11 strikeouts. The Redhawks shut out the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions (0-5) in a 10-0 performance.

Southeast won its second-straight game, improving to 2-3 on the young 2016 season.

Lucchesi earned his first victory of his senior campaign, improving to 1-1 in his second start. He pitched seven innings, retired 21-straight batters, fanning 11 along the way.

"Joey was very sharp with his fastball location the first time through the lineup and then started mixing really well and settled in to go seven solid innings," head coach Steve Bieser said. "I would have really liked to see him go after a perfect game but it is just too early in the season to push his innings and pitch count."

The offense combined for 10 runs on 13 hits while the defense played an errorless game. Designated hitter Kylar Robertson finished the day going 4-for-5 with two runs, two RBI, and two doubles. Robertson's performance is coming off the heels of a five-RBI day on Monday against Alcorn State.

Bieser added, "Offensively, we got off to a slow start and missed some key opportunities early but then we came up with some big hits in the eighth to put us up by 10."

A leadoff hit batsman in the in the second led to two runs for the Redhawks. Dan Holst was plunked to lead off the inning. Holst stole second and scored on a double knocked down the left field line by Robertson to give the Redhawks a 1-0 lead. Robertson scored on a two-out error by the shortstop to widen the early Redhawk lead to 2-0 in the second.

The 2-0 lead stood until the seventh frame. Scott Mitchell began the inning with a double to left. Mitchell was bunted over by Trevor Ezell, Branden Boggetto drew a walk and stole second, and both runners scored on a double by Garrett Gandolfo to extend the lead to 4-0.

The Redhawks blew the lead wide open in the eighth inning. Southeast sent 12 men to the plate and scored six runs in the frame. The inning started with a base hit by Robertson and a walk and one-out hit batsmen by Hunter Leeper and Ezell. After a popout by Boggetto, Gandolfo singled to right to plate Robertson. Ryan Rippee stepped in a drilled a bases-loaded, two-out triple that plugged the right-center gap to put Southeast up 8-0. Rippee trotted home on an RBI base hit by Holst. With two on and still two out, Robertson drove in Holst in his second at bat of the inning to bring the tally to 10-0. UAPB used three separate pitchers in the inning.

Lucchesi had his perfect outing cut short after the extended top of the eighth inning. Alex Siddle made his 69^th appearance on the mound to start the bottom of the inning. The Golden Lions used back-to-back singles to break up the Redhawks perfect game bid to lead off the inning. Siddle worked out of the jam to preserve the shutout.

Jared Waldhoff pitched the ninth inning to secure the 10-0 victory for Southeast Missouri.

Gandolfo, Rippee, and Holst each had two hits on the day. Gandolfo and Rippee each drove in three runs Friday afternoon while Holst and Mitchell each had one.

Siddle and Waldhoff each pitched a scoreless inning in relief Friday to combine with Lucchesi for the shutout.

Anthony Bowmaker (0-1) suffered the loss for the Golden Lions. Bowmaker worked six innings, allowed two runs on three hits, striking out three Redhawks.

The Redhawks and Golden Lions are slated to play game two Saturday at 1 p.m. Reigning Ohio Valley Conference Co-Pitcher of the Week Clay Chandler will start for Southeast on the mound.