CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (4/15/12) - The Southeast Missouri State Redhawks jumped out to a 4-0 lead after three innings and went on to defeat the Arkansas State Red Wolves 5-3 Tuesday afternoon at Capaha Field.
After SEMO built a 5-2 lead after six innings, Arkansas State (21-17) managed to get the tying run to the plate in the seventh, and the go-ahead run to the plate in the eighth, but the Red Wolves could managed just one run in the late innings, allowing the Redhawks (12-26) to hold on for the win.
Freshman Will Spitzfaden went 7.2 innings to get the win for SEMO. Spitzfaden gave up ASU's three runs on six hits, walked two and struck out one.
"They did a very good job early in the game, in the first three innings, and that was important for them to be able to string it along," said ASU head coach Tommy Raffo. "Their big guy, Moses, had four RBIs and that was essentially their run production for the game. Give them credit, they got a home victory."
The Redhawks took advantage of an ASU error to score a run in the second, then made it 4-0 in the third when third baseman Trenton Moses hit a three-run home run.
A two-out, two-run home run from ASU left fielder Logan Uxa in the fourth cut the Redhawks' lead in half at 4-2, but SEMO added a run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly from Moses to bump its lead to 5-2.
The Red Wolves chipped away in the eighth, getting a single run when third baseman Claude Ferguson delivered a two-out, RBI double to left-center, but SEMO sophomore Christian Hull came on to strike out ASU pinch hitter Michael George to end the inning. Hull retired ASU in order in the ninth to earn his first save of the season.
Sophomore Cody Woodhouse (1-1) took the loss on the mound for ASU, surrendering four runs on five hits in two innings. Woodhouse, once of six pitchers to see action for the Red Wolves on the day, walked one and struck out one.
Uxa, Johnson and second baseman Zach Maggio all had two hits to lead ASU on the afternoon. Moses went 2-for-4 with four RBIs to lead SEMO.
The Red Wolves will be back in action April 20 when they open a three-game Sun Belt Conference series in Boca Raton against the Owls of Florida Atlantic. FAU leads the Sun Belt with a conference mark of 12-3, with ASU two games behind in second place at 10-5. Friday's series-opener is set to get underway at 5:30 p.m. (CT). Saturday's game is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. (CT) and Sunday's game three is set for noon (CT).
GAME NOTES
- Junior Zach Maggio extended his team-high hit streak to six games with a single in the fourth.
- Junior Logan Uxa's home run in the fourth was his team-best sixth of the season. The home run also gave him his 28th and 29th RBIs of the season - also a team high.
