May 8, 2005

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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - (Sunday, May 08, 2005) Southeast recorded season highs in runs and hits in the final game of a weekend series against the OVC leading Morehead State Eagles on Sunday. The Redhawks plated 16 runs on 18 hits in a 16-4 beating of the Eagles. The win gave the Redhawks their second conference series win of the season.

The Southeast (18-28, 9-12 OVC) lineup was productive all the way down, as every Redhawks batter reached base at least one time. Even senior pitcher Bill Clayton joined in on the hit fest, driving a single to left in his first career at bat.

Morehead State (26-21, 14-6 OVC) didn't help them self, either. The Eagles committed five errors, and pitchers issued three walks, plunked Redhawk batters three times, and also balked once.

The Eagles never got on track on the mound or in the field, and Southeast starter Derek Herbig didn't let them get anything brewing at the plate. Herbig pitched eight innings and improved to 4-2, allowing only a run in the third inning and another in the eighth to an Eagles team that led the conference with 344 runs scored coming into today's game.

SEMO got the ball rolling in the second inning with 10 batters in the inning. Freddy Lopez reached on a lead off walk and Brent Lawson singled up the middle. James Clayton doubled in the first Redhawk run of the game, and Lawson scored on Levi Olson's sacrifice fly. After Jordan Payne's single, Bo Jenkins hit a sacrifice fly to send Clayton across the plate.

With two outs in the inning, Eric Horstman singled to left putting runners on first and third. Coach Mark Hogan signaled for the double steal, and Payne successfully stole home as Horstman drew the throw down to second base. Following Brady Noll's base on balls, Frank Montiel compelted the five run inning with a single that drove in Horstman.

Morehead State scored a run in the third, but Southeast took it back in the fourth after capitalizing on the Eagles' mistakes. Payne reached base on an error by third baseman Zac Carr, and Horstman was hit by a pitch after Jenkins struck out. A balk by starter Lance Johnston moved both runners to scoring position, and Noll drove a single to center to bring Payne across the plate for the second time.

Noll's single ended the day for Johnston, and the Redhawks gave reliever Ryan Perkins a hard time as well. They added four more runs in the fifth, again starting off with a walk this time by Lawson. Clayton knocked his second double of the game to right center to bring Lawson around to score all the way from first. Payne singled to send Clayton to third. Jenkins laid down a bunt that scored Clayton, and he reached first base on an error by the pitcher. Another double steal resulted in Payne and Jenkins in scoring position, and Horstman's single down the line in right brought both of them across the plate.

Rob Saunders was the next Morehead State pitcher to try his hand against the Redhawks in the sixth inning, but Southeast continued to fly high as they scored two more in the frame. Lawson, Clayton, and Olson strung together three singles with one out. Olson picked up the RBI as Lawson crossed the plate. Clayton scored the second run on another Morehead State miscue when Jenkins reached on an error by the shortstop.

With only 12 runs on the board, Southeast sealed the game up in the bottom of the eighth with a two out rally that resulted in four unearned runs. After the fourth Morehead State pitcher Greg Wood retired both Clayton and Olson, Payne started things rolling when he reached second base after a throw that third baseman Chris McCaslin airmailed over the first baseman's head.

Jenkin's single brought Payne around to score, and Horstman's single to right sent Jenkins to third. Noll followed suit and drove in a run, then Montiel was hit by the pitch to load the bases. Coach Hogan then sent Bill Clayton up to bat for the first time in his collegiate career. Clayton ripped a single down the left field line and picked up two RBIs as Horstman and Noll each crossed the plate.

With Bill's 2 RBI single in the eighth, the Clayton brothers went 5-for-7 at the plate today. Younger brother Jim had two doubles, three runs scored, and drove in two. He now leads the team in slugging (.437), and his six doubles in conference play leads the team.

Horstman kept all three of his current streaks alive today. In his 103rd consecutive start, he went 3-for-4 at the plate to extend his hitting streak to 16 games. He has also reached base safely in 38 consecutive games. Horstman scored twice and drove in two runs today. He also swiped his team leading tenth bag of the season.

Jenkins has a hitting streak of his own, as well. Going 1-for-3 today, Jenkins has hit safely in seven straight. Today he drove in three, scored twice, and stole his fourth base of the season.

Payne scored four of the Redhawks' 16 runs today, tying a season high set by Keith Wollis against Murray State on March 25. Payne was 2-for-5 at the plate, reached twice on an error, and also stole two bases.

Andrew Johnson gave up two painless runs in the ninth and closed up the game to give the Redhawks the win in the series finale.

Southeast will continue conference play next weekend in Cookevill, Tennessee as they take on Tennessee Tech. The two teams will match up in a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m., and a Sunday afternoon game to wrap up the series.

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