Feb. 21, 2004

Box Score

Norman, Okla. - Never known to shy away from the "big boys," the Southeast Missouri State baseball team opened up its season against one of the biggest. The Indians squared off against the Oklahoma Sooners Saturday afternoon for a double header only to lose both ends of it. The Tribe faced one of top pitchers in the nation in the first game, as OU's David Purcey (2-0) pitched seven innings to lead Oklahoma to a 7-1 victory over Southeast. In the second game, Southeast jumped to one-run leads in the top of the first and second innings, but couldn't hold on as the Sooners took the second game 11-5.

The Indians were scheduled to play one game each Saturday, Sunday and Monday in Norman, Okla. However, due to possible inclement weather later in the weekend, the teams doubled up Saturday's games and are scheduled to play the final game Sunday at 2 p.m., with Monday as the rainout date if necessary.

In the first game Southeast managed only three hits against Purcey. However, in the third inning, trailing 1-0, Southeast tied it on an RBI single by junior Ernie Bracamonte, which scored junior Brady Noll who had reached earlier on a double.

In the bottom half of the inning, junior right-hander Mike Fitch couldn't hold off the Sooner bats as OU went up 3-1. Fitch would give up a total of five runs before being lifted in the fifth inning. Junior Derek Herbig pitched just an inning and a third in relief of Fitch and gave up two earned runs. Freshman Matt Carter closed out the game for Southeast and pitched two shutout innings with two strikeouts.

In the second game, the Indian bats came alive; unfortunately for Southeast so did the Sooner bats. Southeast combined for 14 hits in the 11-5 defeat and actually outhit OU which only had 12 hits. Thanks to four Indian errors, the Sooners scored four unearned runs. Junior Anthony Maupin took the loss (0-1) as he managed only two and one-third innings. Ryan Forsyth and Gary Gilbert gave up a combined five runs in relief before handing it over to Carter, who again closed out the game with a scoreless eighth inning.

In game two, junior Eric Horstman was 4-for-5 with a triple and a stolen base. Bracamonte was 2-for-4 as were senior Gary Gilbert and junior Bo Jenkins.

Southeast is scheduled to wrap up its series with OU tomorrow at 2 p.m. The Tribe will then head to Arkansas State for a 3 p.m. matchup on Wednesday.