INDIANS SPLIT PAIR WITH RACERS

MURRAY, Ky. -- Southeast Missouri opened Ohio Valley Conference play Saturday with a split against Murray State.

After Murray State captured the opener 5-4, Southeast bounced back to win the nightcap 3-2.

Southeast improved to 4-10 on the season while Murray State fell to 9-8.

Starting pitcher Dave Siboda (1-4) went the distance for Southeast in the opener. Siboda gave up 10 hits, struck out six and didn't walk a batter. Two of the hits were home runs.

Jeff Bebej and Kyle Yount each went 2-for-3 as the Indians mustered eight hits overall off two Murray pitchers.

Murray State broke a 1-1 deadlock with two runs in the third and added two more in the sixth for a 5-1 lead. Southeast chased the Racer starter in a three-run seventh, but saw the rally fall short.

In the nightcap, former Cape Central High School standouts David Michel and Talley Haines hurled the Indians to victory. Michel was credited with his first win of the season after opening with four losses. He allowed seven hits in 5.2 innings, walking two and striking out two. Haines earned his first save with 1.1 innings of hitless relief.

Southeast's offense consisted of just five singles. The Indians took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning and posted two more runs in the fifth for a 3-0 lead. Murray State countered with single runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings.

The teams conclude their three-game weekend series today at 1 p.m.