Weekend sweep eludes Redhawks

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team had a good weekend, although not quite as good as it could have been.

Northern Illinois avoided a four-game sweep by pounding the Redhawks 17-10 on Sunday at Capaha Field.

Southeast, which won the first three games of the series, is 10-6. The Huskies are 5-12.

"I told the guys we had a good weekend. We had a chance to have a great weekend," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said. "It's hard to take four from any club."

Hogan praised the Huskies for bouncing back from an especially tough loss in the third game of the series.

Southeast Missouri State pitcher John Salazar tags out Northern Illinois' Justin Behm in a rundown between home and third base during the third inning.

Southeast capped Saturday's doubleheader sweep on senior left fielder Justin Wheeler's three-run, walk-off homer for an 11-10 victory.

"I admire the way they came out and played today after a really tough loss Saturday," Hogan said.

The Redhawks' explosive offense was good enough to give the squad a chance to post a rare four-game sweep.

Southeast banged out 14 hits, including six doubles and two home runs. The Redhawks finished the set with 58 hits and 44 runs.

But NIU, which had been struggling offensively, improved at the plate over the weekend.

The Huskies had 16 hits Sunday, including four homers, three doubles and a triple. They ended the series with 53 hits and 38 runs.

Southeast's defense put the team in an early hole Sunday as NIU scored three unearned runs in the top of the first inning to put the Huskies ahead for good.

NIU's next three runs, in the fourth inning, were also unearned.

"It could have been a different game if we had played better defense," senior second baseman Tony Spencer said.

Junior college transfer John Salazar, who had been solid in limited relief appearances, was tagged with the loss in his first Southeast start.

In 3 2/3 innings, Salazar allowed seven hits and six runs, but all were unearned. He struck out six and walked two.

"He pitched good enough," Spencer said.

NIU piled on Southeast's bullpen the rest of the way.

Junior catcher Jim Klocke led Southeast with three hits.

Wheeler, who had two hits, homered for the third time in the last three games. He has six homers on the season, trailing only senior first baseman Matt Wagner (seven) in that department.

Also getting two hits for Southeast were sophomore third baseman Trenton Moses from Advance and freshman shortstop Kenton Parmley.

Senior right fielder Tyrell Cummings barely kept his season-long hitting streak going.

Cummings doubled in the ninth inning in his final at-bat. He is the only Southeast player to hit safely in all 16 games.

Justin Behm homered twice and had five RBIs for the Huskies.

"It would have been good to get all four, but three out of four is nice," Spencer said.

Southeast, which played 12 of its first 16 games at home, doesn't have another home contest until March 28.

The Redhawks visit Missouri State for a two-game set Tuesday and Wednesday.