Southeast Missouri State baseball team salvages finale of series vs. Murray State

~ Southeast beat the Thoroughbreds 7-4 to end its six-game losing skid in OVC play

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team finally got back in the Ohio Valley Conference win column Sunday.

Southeast broke a six-game OVC losing streak by beating host Murray State 7-4.

The Redhawks still suffered their third straight OVC series loss after MSU took the first two contests in Murray, Ky., 4-0 on Friday and 5-4 on Saturday.

Southeast, which won for just the second time in its last nine games overall, improved to 22-27. The Redhawks are 13-14 in OVC play and remain sixth in the 11-team league. The top six finishers qualify for the conference tournament.

"I thought this was definitely a game we needed to win today to keep us right where we need to be," Southeast coach Steve Bieser said.

The Redhawks, who outhit the Thoroughbreds (20-28, 8-16) 9-7, plated all seven of their runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Five of the runs scored on two-out hits.

Junior Matt Tellor, sophomore Dalton Hewitt and freshman Clayton Evans led Southeast with two hits apiece. Tellor and Evans both had two RBIs.

"Those two-out hits are how you win ballgames," Bieser said.

Junior Luke Shearrow had a second straight solid start for Southeast, allowing two hits and one run over the first four innings. He worked around four walks and a hit batter while striking out two.

"He did a good job. His pitch count was getting up there," Bieser said.

Senior Tony Zerrusen (1-2) then fired off four innings of relief to receive credit for his first win of the season. He allowed three hits and one run without a strikeout or walk. He hit one batter.

"He did a great job. We were riding him as long as we could ride him," Bieser said.

Senior closer Bobby Hurst worked the ninth inning in a non-save situation. He gave up two runs, allowing two hits, a walk and a hit batter. MSU had the tying run at the plate when the game ended.

Southeast went ahead for good with a two-run fourth inning that broke a scoreless tie.

Tellor singled with one out and freshman Branden Boggetto walked. Tellor advanced to third on a fly ball and Boggetto stole second. Evans delivered a two-RBI single.

The Thoroughbreds scored their only run off Shearrow in the bottom of the fourth, but Southeast answered back with a two-run fifth inning after the first two batters were retired.

Hewitt singled, sophomore Ryan Barnes walked and Tellor ripped a two-RBI double.

Southeast added three runs in the sixth inning to make it 7-1.

Sophomore Nolan Fisher was hit by a pitch, Evans singled and moved up to second when Fisher beat the throw to third. They both scored on a wild pitch when catcher Rick Linton was injured on the play. Linton could not get up to track down the ball and had to leave the game.

Hewitt added an RBI single with two outs to round out the frame.

MSU got its only run off Zerrusen in the sixth inning before scoring twice in the ninth.

Southeast played the series without sophomore third baseman Andy Lennington, who had started every game this year before missing the last four contests. He is expected to return soon from a pulled muscle near his right shoulder.

The Redhawks are back in action Tuesday, hosting Division II Missouri-St. Louis at 5 p.m. in the opener of a seven-game homestand to end the regular season.

Southeast plays its final three OVC contests this weekend when first-place Tennessee Tech visits Capaha Field for a three-game set beginning Friday.