March 7, 2005

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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo (Monday, March 7, 2005) - First baseman Jordan Payne had two hits in his previous 16 at bats when he stepped up to the plate in the sixth inning with the bases loaded and two outs. With Southeast down 2-1 to South Dakota State, Payne came through with a clutch line drive single to left field that scored Brent Lawson and Bo Jenkins for the tying and go ahead runs. Southeast would go on to win the ball game, 7-2.

Delayed for 30 minutes due to rain, the game started out as a pure pitcher's duel through the first five innings. After going down in a quick 1-2-3 first inning, the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State (1-5) scored the first run of the ball game in the second inning when Pat Ferrell opened up the inning with an infield single. Two more consecutive singles from Tyson Fisher and Nick Adams brought Ferrell around the bases to score.

The Redhawks (4-7) bats were quieted by Jackrabbits starter Francisco Torres for only two hits through the first four innings, but they managed to knot the ballgame up at one run in the fifth frame. Bo Jenkins, 2-for-3 on the day with three runs scored, led off the inning with a single to left. He moved to second on Eric Horstman's sacrifice bunt. Horstman reached base on the play as the pitcher overran the bunted ball. After Payne failed to move the runners of on a bunt foul third strike, Ernie Bracamonte loaded the bases with a single through the left side. Frank Montiel drove in Jenkins with a sacrifice fly to right field.

South Dakota State didn't waste any time recapturing the lead in the top of the sixth. After senior Greg Geary reached base with a single, Ferrell was retired on strikes. Fisher moved Geary to third with a single of his own. After a strikeout of Nick Adams, Geary was able to score on a wild pitch.

Redhawks starter Casey Johnson, pitching in his first career collegiate start, got out of the inning allowing only the one run. The freshman would end the game after the top of the sixth with a solid outing under his belt. Through six innings of work, Johnson allowed only two runs on seven hits, and he struck out six while only walking one. Unless the Southeast bats rallied in the bottom half, though, he would leave without the possibility of his first win.

The Southeast bats did pick him up in the bottom half of the frame. Pinch-hitting for Bryan Kurt, Brent Lawson showed good patience to walk to lead off the inning. Freddy Lopez and Levi Olson were then both quickly retired as they both flied out to left. Jenkins rolled a ground ball through the middle of the infield to keep the inning alive. After Horstman loaded the bases with a free pass, Payne came through under pressure with a single to left to put Southeast up by one and make Johnson the pitcher of record.

The two RBIs from by Payne would be all that the Redhawks would need, as the Redhawks bullpen was perfect. Jamie McAlister came in from the bullpen to pitch two innings of lights out baseball; he retired all six batters he faced, and struck out three of them. Brad Smith came on for an inning of work in the ninth to close the game, retiring the side in order thanks to an outstanding diving stab by Horstman at third base to get Mintken to line out to end the game.

Smith's appearance was not a save situation as a result of an eighth inning explosion by the Redhawks lineup. The `Hawks scored four runs in the inning, as Jenkins, Horstman, Bracamonte, and Montiel all crossed the plate as insurance runs for Southeast.

The Redhawks take a day off and will be at home again on Wednesday to face-off against the local rival Salukis of Southern Illinois - Carbondale at 3 p.m..