Southeast breaks record in 25-2 loss

~ The Redhawks' team ERA took a beating at Murray State on Friday.

Southeast Missouri State's hot start in Ohio Valley Conference play was interrupted with a record-setting thud.

Murray State destroyed the Redhawks 25-2 on Friday in the opener of a three-game series in Murray, Ky.

According to Southeast's media guide, the Redhawks allowed the most runs in a game in program history. The previous record came in a 24-2 loss at Eastern Kentucky in 1997.

Southeast matched the school's most lopsided loss, 23-0 to Tampa back in 1988, also according to the media guide.

The squads were scheduled for a doubleheader, but because of rain that delayed the start by nearly two hours, a noon doubleheader will be played today.

Southeast fell to 18-12 overall and 8-2 in OVC play as the Redhawks remained second in the nine-team league, one-half game behind Eastern Illinois.

MSU improved to 19-12 overall and 2-4 in the OVC.

The Thoroughbreds romped despite playing without one of the conference's premier hitters.

Junior Wes Cunningham, first-team all-OVC last year, entered the series fifth in the OVC with a .452 batting average while also ranking high in RBIs with 34.

Cunningham missed the contest with a wrist injury, but that didn't slow down MSU's offense as the Thoroughbreds piled up 26 hits, including nine doubles and a triple.

Senior left-hander James Leigh, Southeast's top starter, lasted only four innings as he suffered his first loss.

Leigh (5-1) allowed 10 hits and six runs. He struck out four and walked two.

The score was 6-1 when Leigh departed, and MSU broke things wide open as Southeast dipped deep into its bullpen to try and save as many key pitchers as possible for today.

Senior right-hander Daniel Schuh gave up eight runs, six earned, in the fifth inning as the Thoroughbreds went up 14-1. He allowed two more runs over the next two innings.

Juniors Kirk Boeller and Josh Syberg combined to give up nine runs in the eighth inning.

While MSU's offense thrived, Southeast's bats did little against junior Chris Craycraft, who also beat the Redhawks last year.

Craycraft (5-2) allowed four hits and no earned runs in eight strong innings that featured eight strikeouts and two walks.

Southeast finished with just four hits, led by freshman Kody Campbell, who went 2-for-3, including a double.

The Redhawks will be hard-pressed to win their fourth straight OVC series to start the season as they face one of the league's premier pitchers in today's opener.

Junior left-hander Daniel Calhoun is 6-1 with a 1.91 ERA. He entered the series leading the league in wins, strikeouts (51) and complete games (4), while ranking second in ERA.

Southeast will counter with senior Todd Strahlendorf (1-0, 6.32) in the opener, while junior Kyle Gumieny (1-2, 5.75) will get the ball in the nightcap.

MSU's other starter for today is undetermined.