Indians make wait pay off in OVC win over Murray St.

It didn't go as planned, but the result was just fine for Southeast Missouri State University's baseball team.

The Indians' scheduled doubleheader against Murray State was changed to a single game after rain pushed back the start more than two hours, from 2 p.m. to about 4:15. It was the Indians' Ohio Valley Conference opener.

But the Indians were able to get a jump in the three-game series and won 7-2 in front of an announced crowd of 425 at Capaha Field. The squads will play the doubleheader at noon today.

"It was a little bit different than we planned, but we really needed to get this game in and it's great to win the first one," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said.

The Indians improved to 8-10. The Thoroughbreds, who opened their OVC schedule last weekend, fell to 8-11 overall and 2-2 in the OVC.

Southeast ace Brad Purcell struggled with his control but was still more than strong enough to raise his record to 3-2. The senior right-hander had a one-hit shutout through five innings before leaving in the eighth. In 7 1/3 innings, he allowed six hits and one run, with six walks and no strikeouts.

"I didn't have my best stuff, but the defense played astounding," Purcell said. "I just got ground balls and they took care of it."

Purcell got strong relief help from James Beever and Andy Davidson. Beever replaced Purcell in the eighth with the bases loaded, one out and the Indians leading 5-1. Beever got a strikeout and ground ball to end the rally.

"I was very pleased," Beever said. "I'm just trying to be consistent."

In the ninth, with the Indians ahead 7-1, Davidson came on and got out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam by retiring three straight batters, with a run scoring on a ground out.

"Purcell really battled and we got great relief work," Hogan said. "I was really proud of our defense because the conditions weren't that good."

Vern Hatton and Denver Stuckey both drilled two-run homers to pace Southeast's offense.

Hatton, the Indians' home-run leader last year with seven, had been without a homer this season before connecting off Kyle Perry with two outs in the fifth to break a scoreless tie. Clemente Bonilla walked ahead of Hatton's blast to left field.

"It's about time," Hatton said, smiling. "I think I gave a grunt to it and that's what did it."

Stuckey's second homer of the year, in the eighth and also to left field, put the Indians ahead 7-1.

Hatton, Stuckey and Ryan Govek all had two of Southeast's nine hits. Brian Hopkins added an RBI triple.

Billy Moore and Garner Byars each had two of the Thoroughbreds' eight hits.

Perry (2-4) allowed seven hits and four runs in six innings.

mmishow@semissourian.com

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