Bears end Redhawks' four-game win streak

Southwest Missouri State cruised to a 10-2 victory over Southeast.

Southeast Missourian

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Southeast Missouri State's offense had been on a tear, but the Redhawks were cooled off Tuesday night as they saw their four-game winning streak end.

The Redhawks, after scoring 62 runs in their previous four outings, managed just two against host Southwest Missouri State, which rolled to a 10-2 victory.

SMS, despite being last in the Missouri Valley Conference, posted its seventh straight victory and improved to 22-29.

Southeast fell to 21-29 heading into today's noon finale of the two-game nonconference series at Hammons Field, also the $32 million home of the Class AA Springfield Cardinals.

The Redhawks actually had only two less hits than the Bears, who outhit Southeast 11-9. But the Redhawks stranded 11 runners, compared to just four for SMS.

With Southeast not wanting to go deep into its pitching staff due to a crucial three-game Ohio Valley Conference series Friday and Saturday against Tennessee-Martin, starter Casey Johnson was allowed to work into the sixth inning.

Johnson (1-6) allowed 10 runs and 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings, with two strikeouts and three walks.

Josh Parham and Matt Carter finished up with scoreless relief. Parham retired all five batters he faced, while Carter hit a batter in the eighth for his only runner allowed.

Jordan Payne continued his recent hot hitting for the Redhawks as he went 3-for-4, giving him 12 hits in his last 17 plate appearances.

Eric Horstman also continued to surge at the plate, going 2-for-5 as he extended his hitting streak to 20 games. He has reached base safely in 42 consecutive games.

Brent Lawson got his fourth home run of the season for Southeast, a solo shot in the eighth inning that rounded out the Redhawks' scoring.

SMS belted three home runs, including Chris Taylor's two-run shot in the first inning that was part of a three-run outburst as the Bears grabbed an early lead.

It was 6-0 when Southeast finally broke through in the sixth inning as Payne, who had singled, eventually scored on a wild pitch.

The Bears broke things wide open with a four-run bottom of the sixth, getting two-run homers from Tim Rafferty and Kirk McConnell.

Adam Pummill went 3-for-4 to lead the Bears. Rafferty and McConnell both added two hits.

Five SMS pitchers saw action, with freshman left-handed starter Chris Mackey (1-0) recording his first collegiate victory. He allowed three hits and no runs in three innings, with one strikeout and three walks.

Noteworthy

* Ernie Bracamonte, Southeast's senior shortstop who suffered a hamstring injury May 7 against Morehead State and had basically missed the next five games except for one pinch-hitting appearance, returned to the lineup Tuesday as the Redhawks' designated hitter. He went 0-for-2 before being replaced.

* Southeast received good news regarding the wrist injury that freshman first baseman James Clayton suffered Saturday at Tennessee Tech. The wrist was feared to be broken, but tests revealed a sprain. Clayton did not play Tuesday.