SOUTHEAST ARMS SILENCE RAIDERS FOR OVC SWEEP

If you had told Southeast Missouri State University baseball coach Mark Hogan that his team would only get seven hits in two games Saturday, Hogan would have figured on a disappointing day.

But, thanks to some stellar pitching, the Indians were able to overcome their offensive futility and sweep a key Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader from Middle Tennessee State.

Nearly 600 fans on a brisk but sunny day at Capaha Field saw Southeast prevail 3-2 in eight innings and 2-0. The Indians improved to 6-1 in OVC play and 20-7 overall as they solidified their hold on second place in the nine-team league.

MTSU, the preseason OVC favorite, fell to 4-3 in the league and 16-16 overall. Eastern Kentucky leads the conference with a 9-1 record.

"If you had told me before the day we'd only get seven hits, I'd have said we'd get plugged," said a smiling Hogan. "But it's great to be able to win with our pitching and defense. We beat a very good ballclub twice today."

Pitching dominated virtually the entire way Saturday. MTSU got a pair of stellar complete-game performances from Dewon Brazelton and Jeff Parsons yet the Raiders had nothing to show for it.

"It's not a disgrace to lose to Southeast Missouri because they have a great ball team, but it's very disappointing to pitch as well as we did and play decent enough defensively, and we just can't buy a run," said MTSU coach Steve Peterson.

Said Hogan, "Middle Tennessee's pitchers threw great. They handled a good offensive club well and with ease in some cases."

But Southeast's hurlers were more than up to the task. Dan Huesgen and reliever Jeffrey Hilz did the job in the opener and then Lanson Debrock threw a complete-game gem in the nightcap.

"Our pitchers were all outstanding," Hogan said.

Said Peterson, "It was no surprise to me that their pitching was that good. We knew it was. And to beat good pitching, you have to get them when they make mistakes and we didn't."

In the opener, MTSU scored single runs in the second and third innings to lead 2-0, but then Huesgen settled down and kept the Raiders at bay.

The Indians got single runs in the fourth and fifth to forge a 2-2 tie and that's the way things stood heading into the seventh and final regulation inning.

MTSU threatened to take the lead in the top of the seventh as Wes Whitehead led off with a double and was sacrificed to third. In came Hilz, the Indians' relief specialist.

With Southeast's infield playing in, pinch-hitter Kyle Thomas hit a high bouncer up the middle that freshman shortstop Zach Borowiak jumped to snare and then threw a strike to catcher Jeff Bourbon, who put the tag on Whitehead in plenty of time.

It remained 2-2 until the bottom of the eighth, when a bang-bang play at the plate won it for the Indians.

With one out, Clemente Bonilla singled and moved to second on a wild pitch. Jeremy Johnson then singled up the middle, with second baseman Josh Renick able to backhand the ball on the outfield grass.

Bonilla never stopped running as Hogan waved him around third. Renick fired to catcher Josh Pride, who was ruled to have tagged Bonilla too late.

"I think my toe just snuck in there, but it was really close," said Bonilla. "It was definitely bang-bang."

Huesgen gave up seven hits while striking out three and walking three in 6 1/3 innings. Hilz (5-1), who has a team-leading 2.03 earned-run average, fanned one, walked one and gave up one hit over the final 1 2/3 innings to get the win.

"Huesgen settled down and Hilz got out of a really big jam," Hogan said.

Brazelton (3-2) allowed just five hits while fanning seven and walking four.

The story of the nightcap was Debrock, a Notre Dame High product who is having a big senior season.

Debrock was able to pitch out of early trouble as the Raiders stranded five runners over the first three innings.

But MTSU could not touch Debrock the rest of the way as he retired the final 13 batters. Debrock (6-3) finished with a four-hitter, with six strikeouts and two walks. It was his first career shutout and Southeast's first individual shutout of the season.

"I couldn't get ahead early with my breaking ball, but I was able to the last few innings," said Debrock. "Getting out of some of those early jams gave me confidence."

Said Hogan of Debrock, "If he's not the pitcher of the week in the OVC, then it's a crime."

Parsons (1-4) allowed just two hits. He fanned four and walked three.

Bourbon's RBI grounder in the second scored Kinsolving to give the Indians the only run they would need. In the third, Charlie Marino's single plated Kevin Meyer, who had doubled.

Six of Southeast's seven hits Saturday were singles. No Indian had more than one hit on the day.

Of MTSU's 12 hits Saturday, 11 were singles.

"It was that kind of day," said Hogan. "The pitchers dominated."

Southeast and MTSU will close out their three-game series at 2 p.m. today with a nine-inning contest.