The Redhawks baseball team is currently sitting at 30-12 after going 2-1 in a three-game series at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. Pitcher Blake Cisneros has been a contributing factor in a majority of these competitions thus far, pitching 17.1 innings and facing 78 batters.

In his senior campaign, Cisneros has allowed 14 hits, six runs and just one homerun. Throughout his career at SEMO, Cisneros has a 6-6 overall record and has pitched 76 innings and allowed 76 hits.

“I'm a lot more comfortable now, being in my senior season,” Cisneros said. “You just realize how much more the little things matter when you get older than when you were younger.”

Cisneros’ first win of the season came on Feb. 19 when the Redhawks faced Dallas Baptist University in Dallas. While pitching, he didn’t allow any hits or runs and earned one out.

“I just want to put my team in the best position to win,” Cisneros said.

Senior catcher Andrew Keck has been playing with Cisneros for four years at SEMO, but coming to Cape Girardeau wasn’t the start of their journey together. Both natives of St. Louis, Keck and Cisneros have been playing baseball together for approximately 10 years now.

“He’s a good guy, fun to hang out with and fun to be around, but knows when to be serious,” Keck said. “He’s a pretty intense, fierce competitor when he gets on the mound.”

The left-handed pitcher’s second win was in the final matchup of a three-game series against Bellarmine University February 27. Cisneros pitched one inning, allowing no hits and just one run while facing six batters.

“If they want me to come in and get an out here or there or go two innings, it doesn’t matter,” Cisneros said. “Just whatever it is, I just try to get that job done for the team.”

His performance in 2021 laid out the platform for his 2022 season. In 2021, Cisneros earned the final two outs of the Redhawks’ run in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Tournament. He also struck out two batters in two scoreless innings in his first National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Regional appearance at the University of Mississippi.

Cisneros currently sits on 18 strikeouts this season, and his main goal for this season is another regular-season OVC title.

Cisneros and the Redhawks will be back in action Tuesday, May 3 as they travel to Columbia, Missouri to play the University of Missouri at 6pm.