Versatile SEMO pitcher finding some rhythm (of late)

Southeast Missouri State pitcher Noah Niznik celebrates with his teammates in the dugout last season in a game against Southern Illinois at Capaha Field.

Semoball.com file art

As yet another memorable baseball season unfolds this spring for Southeast Missouri State, the Redhawks’ power-stroking offense will get a lot of adulation tossed its way, and with very good reason.

SEMO (30-12) is leading the Ohio Valley Conference in RBI (312) and is second in home runs (75) and total bases (728). But the Redhawks’ pitching has been solid this spring, as well, particularly its bullpen this past weekend, as SEMO climbed back into first place in the league (13-5) with a three-game series win at Belmont.

The Redhawks will visit Missouri (24-17) on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

In Friday’s 5-4 win in 10 innings over the Bruins, relievers Blake Cisneros and Austin Williams were able to lift starter Jason Rackers after he allowed four Belmont runs in seven innings. However, on Saturday, it was starter Tommy Windt (one earned run allowed in five-plus innings of work), who was strong, while reliever Kyle Miller (four earned runs in 2 1/3 innings) struggled in a 5-3 loss.

With first place in the OVC riding on Sunday’s game, the Redhawks got a good day – though a long one – out of its bullpen to win easily 11-4, as junior Noah Niznik, Cisneros and Williams curtailed Belmont over the final six innings.

For Niznik, it was a positive outing – his second straight – in a season(s) of inconsistency.

“Noah is a young man, who for two-and-a-half years, was our best pitcher,” veteran SEMO coach Andy Sawyers said earlier this spring. “He had a great freshman year (in 2019) and was off to a great start.

“He got off to a great start last year. But he really struggled down the stretch last year.”

That has been the storyline through parts of this spring, as well, though not all outings, much like Sunday’s relief appearance showed.

Niznik has started 10 games this season, with Sunday’s game being just his second relief appearance.

He has allowed 59 hits in 45 innings with 37 earned runs allowed and 39 strikeouts.

“He lost his command for the first time in his life,” Sawyers said of 2021, “and when he lost his command, he struggled.”

This season has been a “you never know” type of year.

He opened with a poor outing against nationally-ranked Dallas Baptist (three innings, six hits allowed, three earned runs), but bounced right back by allowing just one earned run in six innings against Bellarmine.

He threw in seven outings this spring, with really just one good day, which was against Southern Illinois Edwardsville (one earned run in 4 2/3 innings), before stringing together consecutive good outings at Southern Illinois last week and then against Belmont.

“He lost his confidence,” Sawyers said, “and for a young man, who has always been good, I don’t think that he handled not being good very well. It got in his head, and it got away from him.”

SEMO plays a challenging schedule, but there aren’t many teams it will see better than the Salukis and Bruins, and Niznik was really good against both.

He worked 1 1/3 innings against Southern Illinois and didn’t allow a hit or a run while striking out three.

On Sunday, he threw 50 pitches (Sawyers got 90 pitches out of his bullpen) and allowed just one earned run in 2 2/3 innings while walking one and striking out three.

Belmont got just three hits off of Niznik.

Rackers, Windt, and Niznik have been the go-to starters through OVC play this spring, while junior Bryce Grossius has worked a lot of starts in out-of-conference play.

Niznik has now shown the versatility to fill either role, as the regular-season winds down for SEMO.

Following Tuesday’s game, the Redhawks will travel to Oklahoma State for three games Friday through Sunday.

SEMO returns to Capaha Field on May 10 at 5 p.m. against Missouri State.