CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri (10-5, 1-2 OVC) is shut out in the double-header against UT Martin (6-9, 2-1 OVC). The Redhawks drop the Ohio Valley Conference opener to the Skyhawks with 0-3 and 0-1 losses on Sunday at Capaha Field.
Despite the losses this weekend, Southeast is off the the best start since 1983, where SEMO went 10-1 out of the gate. SEMO was the first OVC team to reach 10 wins this season.
In game one of the double-header,
Noah Niznik tied a career-high seven strikeouts. He finished with one walk and an 0.78 ERA on the day.
He was relieved by
Aaron Stretch who tied a career-high five strikeouts in 2.1 innings pitched.
UT Martin's starting pitcher, Sam Folks, pitched a complete game, allowing just four hits and striking out only three Redhawks. Folks did not allow a run on the day and recorded the first UTM shutout of the day.
Alex Nielsen made a diving catch in the bottom of the first to get the force out at second in the top of the first, preserving the scoreless.
Southeast recorded four hits against Folks, who was throwing a no-hitter through five innings.
Brett Gonzalez hit a leadoff single to right field, but was left on base. Gonzalez would go 2-for-3 in the first game after hitting back-to-back singles to the outfield.
The Redhawks would strand 12 runners on base in the two games, five in the first and eight in the series finale.
The second game of the day was restricted to only seven innings due to OVC rules.
Daniel Bergtholdt started the game on the mound for Southeast. He finished five full innings with one run, four hits and three strikeouts.
Nathan Bock came in for SEMO for the final two innings, allowing no hits and recording three strikeouts.
Devon Wilson went 2-for-3 in the final game, with a single and a double to left field.
David Hussey went 6.1 innings for UTM and allowed seven hits and struck out four Redhawks.
This is the first time the Redhawks have been shut out against UTM since March 26, 2006 when the Skyhawks won 1-0. This is also the first series SEMO has dropped to UT Martin since 2010.
SEMO will return to Capaha Field to host Illinois State Tuesday (Mar. 12) for a 2 p.m., CT first pitch.
