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SEMO BB suffers long night vs. grounded Skyhawks
Saturday, May 14, 2022
Southeast Missouri State senior pitcher Austin Williams throws in a game earlier in his career at Capaha Field. He was one of three Redhawk pitchers utilized in a 10-3 loss to UT Martin on Friday.
Semoball.com file art
Andy Sawyers has been on a baseball diamond since he was barely taller than a Louisville Slugger bat, so he knows enough that a team is only as good as its pitching.
He also knows that every opponent is a worthy one, regardless of its record.
Sawyers’ players learned both those lessons on Friday, as the Ohio Valley Conference cellar-dwellers – UT Martin – came to Cape Girardeau and annihilated the Redhawks 10-3 at Capaha Field.
“Everyone is capable,” Sawyers said in advance of the three-game series with the struggling Skyhawks (11-32, 4-18 OVC), who had dropped six consecutive games in the league and seven overall before Friday.
With the score tied at three in the sixth inning, UT Martin began to get to SEMO starter Jason Rackers and the offensive onslaught continued with Redhawk reliever Austin Williams.
The Skyhawks opened that critical inning with consecutive singles off of Rackers, when Sawyers brought in Williams, who allowed a pair of singles, a double, and a walk before getting out of the inning.
By the time the damage was done, UT Martin led 7-3.
The Skyhawks added three more runs in the ninth off Williams for the final margin.
Rackers ultimately allowed five earned runs on seven hits, while Williams gave up four earned runs on six hits, as the duo did combine for 13 strikeouts.
The loss was just the second in 23 games at Capaha Field for SEMO this spring.
“We have been so good at home,” Sawyers said. “Capaha has been good to us.”
Not only was the game demoralizing from that standpoint, but also as it relates to SEMO’s opportunity for a second consecutive OVC regular-season championship.
Entering the night, the Redhawks (31-17, 13-6) was tied for first place with Belmont (33-17, 14-5) with (now) five league games remaining. However, the Bruins eeked out ahead in the standings with a 9-5 win over Eastern Illinois in Nashville.
The Redhawks’ pen was critical in a Tuesday win over Missouri State but failed them on Friday, which has been a rarity this spring.
“I said before the season that I wasn’t sure how our starting pitching was going to be,” Sawyers said, “but I think we’re going to have an elite bullpen. It’s not perfect, especially in an offensively talented conference. But our bullpen has been pretty stinking good all year long.”
Redhawk junior Brett Graber paced the SEMO offense with a pair of hits and a walk, while Tyler Wilber (one hit, two RBI), Ty Stauss (one hit, one run, one RBI), Jevon Mason (one run, two walks), and Lincoln Andrews (one run, two walks) each contributed.
The two teams will play Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.).