Southeast baseball team ends 10-game losing streak

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team had plenty to be happy about Saturday.

Not only did the Redhawks end their school-record 10-game losing streak but senior standouts Kenton Parmley and Trenton Moses tied notable school records.

Southeast beat host Eastern Illinois 12-5, evening the three-game Ohio Valley Conference series after the Panthers took Friday's opener 5-1.

The Redhawks (8-20, 1-4) and Panthers (10-14, 2-3) will close out the series at 1 p.m. today in Charleston, Ill.

"It's been a really rough stretch for us," said Southeast coach Mark Hogan, whose squad had lost 16 of its previous 18 contests. "I couldn't be prouder of the club today. It was great to get the losing streak over."

Southeast Missouri State pitcher Michael Patman delivers to an Eastern Illinois batter during Friday’s game in Charleston, Ill. (WAYNE McPHERSON ~ Special to the Southeast Missourian)

Parmley, by hitting safely both Friday and Saturday, increased his hitting streak to 35 games dating back to last year.

Parmley tied former major-leaguer Kerry Robinson, who compiled his record 35-game hitting streak in 1995.

Moses extended his streak of reaching base safely to 48 straight games dating back to last year.

Moses tied Eric Horstman, who set the record by reaching base safely in 48 straight games in 2005.

"It's a great accomplishment for both those guys. They've tied two of our former tremendous players," Hogan said. "They've had fantastic careers for us and they're having unbelievable seasons."

Moses, an All-American who entered the weekend leading the OVC in most of the major offensive categories, saw his hitting streak end at 18 games Saturday as he went 0 for 2 with three walks.

Taking advantages

Southeast finally gave junior pitcher Shae Simmons some run support as he notched his first win of the season despite having been impressive in five of his previous six starts.

Simmons (1-4) allowed three runs and eight hits in seven innings while throwing a career-high 139 pitches.

Simmons struck out six and walked four. He allowed all three of the runs and four hits in the third inning.

"He threw wonderful," Hogan said. "He's had other games he deserved to win."

Three of Southeast's seven hits were home runs. The Redhawks took advantage of three EIU errors that led to eight unearned runs.

"We played well and capitalized on their mistakes," Hogan said.

The Redhawks trailed 3-0 after three innings but took control by scoring three times in both the fourth and fifth innings. They knocked out left-hander Christian Slazinik (4-3), who was the OVC's leader in wins and ERA (1.98).

Sophomore Derek Gibson's solo homer in the fourth inning, his second of the season, extended his hitting streak to 12 games.

After an error, senior Taylor Heon belted his first career homer for the Redhawks, a two-run shot that tied the contest at 3-3.

Moses and senior Kody Campbell drew fifth-inning walks before redshirt freshman Andy Lennington's three-run blast, his second of the season and career, put Southeast up 6-3.

EIU, trailing 7-3, scored two eighth-inning runs off junior college transfer reliever Dylan Lynn.

Senior left-hander Ryan Prickett, relieving Lynn with a runner on and one out in the eighth, ended the frame with a double play.

Southeast broke things open with a five-run ninth inning, the key blows being Gibson's two-RBI single and juco transfer John Logan Zink's two-RBI triple.

Prickett finished up with a perfect ninth to record his first save of the season.

Southeast was outhit 10-7. Parmley and Gibson both had two hits for the Redhawks. Gibson matched Lennington with three RBIs.

Friday's matchup

Southeast was no match for Mike Hoekstra (2-2), who lowered his ERA to 2.22. He allowed five hits while striking out eight, walking none and hitting a batter.

"A real masterful effort. He was great. We were outmatched today," Hogan said.

Hoekstra carried a three-hit shutout into the ninth inning before Southeast scored its only run and got three of its seven baserunners.

Parmley and senior Jesse Tierney, who made his first start in more than a month due to a finger injury, both singled to start the game.

Hoekstra then retired 15 straight batters and 24 of the next 26, the only Southeast baserunners during that stretch coming when sophomore Cole Bieser reached on a one-out error in the sixth inning and Gibson led off the eighth inning with an infield single.

Southeast finally knocked Hoekstra out of the game in the ninth inning. Parmley was hit by a pitch leading off. Moses singled with one out and Campbell followed with an RBI single.

Keith Koser relieved and struck out the next two batters for his third save of the season.

Southeast sophomore starter Christian Hull (2-4) took the loss, allowing four runs and 11 hits in six innings. He struck out two, walked two and hit two batters.

Hull gave up single runs in each of the first two innings before EIU reached him for two sixth-inning runs. The Panthers went ahead 5-0 with a run in the eighth inning.

EIU finished with 14 hits, getting a 4 for 4 performance from Ryan Dineen. Dineen and Ben Thoma both homered for the Panthers. Dineen is 7 for 8 in the series.