BATON ROUGE, La. (Interstat) — The Miami (Ohio) Redhawks opened their season with a dominant 11-1 victory over the Southern Jaguars on Friday afternoon at Alex Box Stadium/Skip Bertman Field, capitalizing on early offense and a relentless running game.

The Redhawks set the tone immediately in the top of the first inning against Southern starter Bobby Spencer. After a walk and a fielder’s choice, designated hitter Evan Appelwick launched a two-run home run through the left side, giving Miami a lead it would never relinquish. The Redhawks added another run in the second inning without the benefit of a hit, as an error by Spencer allowed a run to score.

Miami broke the game open with a three-run third inning. Izzy Gonzalez led off the frame with a solo homer to left center. Later, with the bases loaded, Appelwick drew a walk to force in a run, ending Spencer’s outing. The Redhawks sent nine men to the plate in the inning, taking a 6-0 lead.

The most pivotal sequence of the game came in the top of the seventh inning, as Miami extinguished any lingering momentum after Southern had scored its lone run. The Jaguars had broken through in the sixth on an RBI single from Rashard White, Jr., scoring Jermaine Radcliffe, who had tripled. The Redhawks responded immediately in their next at-bat. Pinch-hitter Hayden Christian delivered an RBI single, and two batters later, Dillon Krupinski reached on another costly error by a Southern pitcher, this time by reliever Caden Brown, allowing another run to score. The inning stretched the lead to 8-1 and highlighted Southern’s defensive struggles.

Miami added three unearned runs in the eighth inning, again fueled by a Southern error. Christian provided the key blow with a two-run single, part of a afternoon where the Redhawks consistently took extra bases, finishing with seven stolen bases.

Redhawks starter Cooper Byers earned the win, allowing one run on five hits over 5 2/3 innings. He struck out five. Southern used five pitchers, with Spencer taking the loss after surrendering six runs, five earned, on six hits in 2 2/3 innings.

Offensively, Miami racked up 14 hits. Christian, in a pinch-hit role, drove in three runs. Appelwick finished with three RBIs, while Gonzalez and Krupinski each had two hits. For Southern, White, Jr. collected three of the team’s six hits and drove in its only run.

The victory improved Miami’s record to 1-0, while Southern fell to 0-1. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Miami entered the game with a 73.70 percent probability to win.

The two teams are scheduled for a doubleheader on Saturday to continue the series. Miami will then travel to Port Charlotte, Florida, for a series of neutral-site games next weekend, while Southern will host New Orleans on Wednesday before heading to Vero Beach, Florida, for tournament play.