Box Score

Richmond, Ky. (April 13, 2003) - For the second-straight game, the Eastern Kentucky Colonels came from behind to defeat the Southeast Missouri State Indians and give the Tribe its first conference series loss in two seasons. Southeast falls to 17-10, 3-2 OVC, while EKU moves to 13-15, 3-2 OVC.

Southeast got on the board first as Denver Stuckey led off his third straight game with a single. He moved to third as a taylor-made double play went array and David Lawson advanced to second on the play. Zach Borowiak then grounded out to shortstop as Stuckey scored.

That would be the last run the Tribe would score until the seventh inning. Eastern got three runs in the second off Indian starter Jon Nourie. That looked like more than enough for Colonel starter Brian Engle, as he mowed down the Indians not allowing a hit after the second inning.

However in the Tribe's half of the seventh, with Eastern up 4-1, Seth Moulton doubled to right center with one out. Aaron Fangman then flied out to right field moving Moulton to third. Stuckey walked and Eric Hoffman was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Brian Hopkins then came up to the plate and cranked his third homer of the weekend, a grand slam to right center to put the Tribe up 5-4.

That wouldn't hold as EKU got the lead back in the eighth. Greg Estep doubled to right center to start the inning off of Indian reliever Ryan Forsyth. That brought Tribe coach Mark Hogan to the mound to make a pitching change. After pitching seven innings the day prior, Indian ace Tim Alvarez was called upon to stop the rally.

Alvarez would get the first batter he faced out as Derrick Bussell sacrificed the runner to third. That brought up the conference's hottest hitter in Josh Anderson. Anderson swung at the first pitch and grounded it to second, but Indian second baseman Justin Christian threw to the plate to try and cut off the tying run. Catcher Tristen McDonald, however, took the throw in front of the plate and relayed it to first, but overthrowing first base and sending the ball into right field. The run scored tying the game and Anderson moved up to third.

Everybody in the stadium knew the suicide squeeze was coming and the Indians were ready as Alvarez delivered the pitch outside to the batter Jonathon Woodard. Woodard couldn't get the bunt down and Anderson was hung up between third and home. McDonald ran Anderson back to third, but threw the ball into left field for his second throwing error of the inning, as the Colonels took the lead. They would get two more in the inning as they won 8-5.

Alvarez picked up his first loss of the season after pitching only a third of an inning. Nourie pitched six and a third allowing seven hits, and three earned runs while striking out seven and walking three. Hopkins had the big blow for the Tribe with his grand slam in the seventh.

Southeast now prepares for two non conference match ups this week as they play host to Arkansas State on Tuesday at 3 p.m. and then travel to Middle Tennessee State on Wednesday at 3 p.m. They then play host to another conference series this weekend as Eastern Illinois comes to Capaha. The two teams will play two on Friday beginning at 1 p.m. and one on Saturday at 1 p.m.