SALUKIS' BLOOPERS NOT FUNNY TO INDIANS

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- As has been the case most of the season, the baseball gods evidently weren't watching over Southeast Missouri State University's Indians Wednesday.

In a toe-to-toe battle against regional rival Southern Illinois, the Indians appeared on the verge of posting a big victory as they led 5-3 with two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning.

But two bloop hits later, the Salukis had pushed across three runs to stun the Indians 6-5 in front of nearly 400 fans at Abe Martin Field.

SIU, having its best season in years, improved to 21-7. Southeast, which has been hampered by a variety of injuries to key players all season, fell to 12-17.

"Snakebit, odd luck, tough luck, whatever you want to call it," said Southeast coach Mark Hogan. "Unfortunately so far this year, the breaks have been that way.

"But we played a great game. Our guys left it all on the field. I feel good about it, but I hate that we lost."

With two outs and runners on first and second in the bottom of the 11th, SIU's Scott Boyd blooped a ball to short right-center field. Center fielder Jeremy Johnson just missed making a diving catch as Steve Ruggeri and Joe Schley crossed the plate to tie the game. Boyd stopped at second with a double.

Then Jeff Houston blooped a fly ball down the left field-line that fell safely as Boyd dashed home with the winning run.

"I'm sure it was tough (on Southeast) to go up by two and then the way we scored," said SIU coach Dan Callahan, who added with a smile of Boyd's double, "I guess you could say it was a bloop."

"It was a great college baseball game," Hogan said.

Southeast had snapped a 3-3 tie in the top of the 11th. After SIU failed to turn a routine double play that would have ended the inning, freshman Clemente Bonilla Jr. and Johnson ripped RBI doubles.

It took a brilliant defensive play by the Indians to force an 11th inning.

SIU had rallied from 3-1 down with two in the eighth on solo home runs by Houston and Jeff Stanek against Southeast ace Ryan Spille, who was on in relief.

The teams went to extra frames tied 3-3. In the bottom of the 10th, SIU's Marty Worsley ripped a shot into the right-field corner that looked like it would score Houston easily from first.

But right fielder Kenny Gaebler came up with the ball quickly and threw to second baseman Kyle Yount, who in turn fired a strike to catcher Dan Berry. In a bang-bang-play, Houston was called out at home to end the inning.

"That was a major league play," said Hogan.

Jerry Wolsey (0-1) took the loss. Starter Daniel Rodriguez (one run in five innings) and Dan Huesgen (1 2/3 scoreless innings) both sparkled on the mound.

Jake Alley (2-1), a freshman out of Anna-Jonesboro High School who is having a big rookie season as the Salukis' closer, got the win by pitching the last three innings.

Bonilla, having a strong freshman season for Southeast, had two hits, as did Phil Warren. Southeast had 10 hits.

Yount had a hit to push his career total to 183, tying the school record.

Houston, Schley and Kyle Kohlberg all had three of SIU's 16 hits.

Southeast will host Belmont in a doubleheader Saturday.