Redhawks catcher Liam Forsyth earns his wings with home run

In most cases, all it takes is one swing of the bat to establish one's self as a Divison I college baseball player.

For Southeast Missouri State catcher Liam Forsyth, that moment came on Tuesday against a team that came within a game from eliminating a school that went on to win the College World Series.

Forsyth was one of three Redhawks to hit a home run during a 17-6 landslide victory over Evansville on Tuesday, March 11, at Capaha Park. He struggled to get on first base in the first two at-bats but hit paydirt in the sixth inning to help force a mercy rule.

"I was just looking to hit the ball hard, to be honest with you," Forsyth said. "I thought it was gonna be off the wall, but as soon as I was getting to second base, I saw (the outfielder) staring up at the wall, and just kept running the bags."

Forsyth's home run came after the Redhawks were just teeing off the Purple Aces' midweek pitching. Mikey Rocha and Caleb Corbin each hit a home and three RBI, Bryce Cannon drove in four runs and Cole Warehime continued his torrid season with five runs batted in.

"I truly believe that hitting is contagious," Forsyth said. "Like you see your boys out there putting up good at-bats, putting good swings on balls, and hitting balls hard. I really think it's contagious."

Forsyth is almost a month into his first season as a Division I athlete at SEMO. While different from his time in the junior college ranks, he said he likes the way the practices and games are structured. He is the backup catcher behind Shea McGahan but that also makes him the Sunday catcher, which comes with a much heightened responsibility at SEMO.

Most college baseball teams send their top starter out on Fridays and by the time Sunday comes around, it's either their third best-starting pitcher or a cavalcade of bullpen arms, and may the best bats win. SEMO head coach Andy Sawyers flipped the script and sent out their most accomplished pitcher to pitch on Sundays, a day that the Redhawks remain undefeated.

In Dow on the mound, Sawyers firmly believes the Redhawks, "have the best Sunday starter in our league, hands down." Part of that success involves Forsyth behind the plate working well with the college veteran.

So far so good, since he called Dow's first career complete-game shutout against Purdue Fort Wayne on March 2.

"It's fun working with a guy that takes his game to this level, puts in that much preparation, and obviously has been here for a couple of years," Forsyth said. "It's been nice working with him and seeing how he goes about the game and gets his stuff in order."

A native of Heyward, California, Forsyth spent the previous two years at Chabot College and was a key part of a conference championship in 2023 before finishing as co-champion in 2024. He was a first-team all-conference selection and won the 2024 Gold Glove Award

Sawyers is well connected to the junior college circuit in California and brings in talent from the Golden State on a yearly basis. Eight different players are California natives and starting pitcher Sam Heyman came from the same JUCO as Forsyth.

"I feel like that kind of built the pathway from Chabot to SEMO," Forsyth said.