Southeast Missouri State baseball team looks to keep Murray State on OVC skid

~ Murray State has lost 12 consecutive conference games entering this weekend's series

The Murray State baseball team was looking like an early Ohio Valley Conference contender when the Thoroughbreds won six of their first nine OVC games.

Since then the bottom has fallen out for the Thoroughbreds, who figure to be in desperation mode when they host Southeast Missouri State for a three-game series beginning today at 3 p.m.

MSU (18-27, 6-15) has lost 12 straight OVC games as the Thoroughbreds have fallen to 10th place in the 11-team league. Only the top six finishers qualify for the OVC tournament.

"They've lost some tough games, like we have, but they're a good team and they'll be a tough opponent for us," Southeast coach Steve Bieser said.

Southeast had also been struggling, losing seven of its last eight contests overall before Tuesday's big 9-7 win at Missouri that broke a six-game mid-week nonconference losing streak for the Redhawks.

The Redhawks (21-25, 12-12) have lost five of their last six OVC games, dropping them into sixth place.

Southeast, with six league contests left, is still in solid position to extend its OVC record of 18 straight conference tournament appearances, but several other squads have narrowed the gap on the Redhawks.

"We've got to pick up some more wins in conference," Bieser said. "If we take care of our business we'll be in good shape."

MSU, which has nine conference games remaining, built its early OVC success against teams that are currently toward the bottom of the standings.

Nine defeats during the Thoroughbreds' 12-game OVC losing streak have come against three squads among the league's current top four -- they were swept by first-place Jacksonville State, second-place Tennessee Tech and fourth-place Austin Peay, along with eighth-place Eastern Illinois.

The Thoroughbreds' 290 batting average ranks second in the OVC, and they have scored the second-most runs (289) despite having a league-low eight homers.

Top hitters are juniors Brandon Eggenschwiler (.353) and Ty Stetson (.340). Senior Mike Kozlowski is MSU's biggest power threat with team highs of 16 doubles, two homers and 40 RBIs.

MSU's 5.68 ERA ranks seventh in the league. Top starters have been juniors Cashtyn DeLeeuw (3-1, 3.92) and Cameron Finch (4-3, 4.08), who pitched the eighth no-hitter in school history earlier this season when he beat SIU Edwardsville 1-0.

Southeast is fourth in the conference with a .285 batting average -- led by junior Derek Gibson's league-leading .373 mark, including .412 in OVC play, which ranks second -- and sixth with a 5.34 ERA.

The Redhawks were swept by Jacksonville State last weekend. All three games were tied in the final inning before the Gamecocks pushed across the winning runs.

"Every game was right there to be won or lost. We found a way to lose it, something we have to correct," Bieser said.

Southeast will look to get back on track in conference play against the Thoroughbreds.

"We want to make sure we play well, hopefully get everything ready for the conference tournament," Bieser said.

Academic honors

Junior Derek Gibson, sophomore Jason Blum and sophomore Dalton Hewitt are among eight OVC players named first-team Capital One Academic All-District by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

To be eligible for nomination, a student-athlete must have reached sophomore academic standing and have at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average. Each will have his name appear on the national ballot for consideration for Academic All-American.

Blum has a perfect 4.00 GPA majoring in finance. Hewitt has a 3.80 GPA in finance. Gibson has a 3.75 GPA in biomedical science/pre-dentistry.

They are also Southeast's top three hitters. Gibson leads with a .373 average, followed by Hewitt (.328) and Blum (.316).