May 21, 2004

Game one box score
Game two box score

MARTIN, Tenn. - From the first pitch of the game, the Southeast bats caused havoc to the Tennessee-Martin pitchers as the Indians combined for 21 runs in a doubleheader sweep of the Skyhawks. Southeast (26-25, 15-10 OVC) won the first game 9-2, and took the second game 12-4.

Eric Horstman lined the first pitch of the game into right field to start the Southeast offensive show. The Indians leadoff hitter promptly stole second and third base before being hit in by junior Franie Montiel's RBI groundout to give Southeast a 1-0 lead over UTM (15-38, 6-20 OVC). Southeast would add another run on back-to-back doubles by Montiel and junior first baseman Freddy Lopez. For Montiel it was his team-leading 20th double of the season. For Lopez it was his sixth consecutive at bat to reach base after getting on base all four plate appearances Wednesday night at Missouri and walking in the first inning. He would make it one base eight consecutive times before he was finally retired in the ninth inning of game one.

Southeast starter Anthony Maupin (7-6) allowed a solo home run to UTM third baseman Brian Berryman in the bottom of the third, but Southeast tacked on three more runs in the sixth inning to begin putting the game away. In that frame, Lopez and senior third baseman Gary Gilbert led off the inning with back-to-back walks. They each advanced on a wild pitch and were hit home on an Eric Hoffman single. Hoffman would later come around to score on a Brent Lawson single which the center fielder misplayed.

With a 5-1 lead, Maupin walked the leadoff man in the eighth inning, who eventually came around to score on a fielder's choice. But that was all the scoring the Skyhawks would do against the 6-foot-7 right hander.

Southeast, on the other hand, was just getting started offensively. In the top of the ninth, Montiel led off with a home run to right center field for his third long ball of the season. Gilbert followed with a one-out solo blast a right field. Then, following a two-out walk to catcher Brady Noll, junior second baseman Bo Jenkins homered to left field for his sixth tater of the year. Jenkins has been hitting the ball particularly well since Southeast's series with Morehead State. Since May 8, Jenkins is hitting .325 with three home runs, six doubles, 11 RBIs and a .700 slugging percentage. The three-homer inning put Southeast up 9-2 and Maupin shut down the Skyhawk batters in the ninth to pick up the win. Maupin allowed just two runs on nine hits while striking out three in his team-best sixth complete game this year.

The Indians combined for 13 hits in the opener as Horstman led the way with a 3-for-5 performance with a triple, two stolen bases and a run scored. Jenkins and Montiel each went 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs. Lopez was 2-for-3 with a home run, a double, two walks, a run and an RBI. Gilbert, who had four hits Wednesday at Missouri, went 2-for-4 in game one with a home run, a walk, a run, and two RBIs.

Game two was much of the same. The Indians jumped ahead in their opening at bat with a pair of runs in the first inning. With the first two batters retired, Montiel and Lopez reached on back-to-back singles. They later scored on RBI-singles from Gilbert and Hoffman.

The Skyhawks took their only lead of the day in the bottom of the second inning as they scored four runs off Southeast starter Derek Herbig (4-4). Tennessee-Martin put together four hits and used a pair of walks, including one with the bases loaded, to take a 4-2 lead. However, Herbig would allow no more runs, going five innings for his fourth victory of the season. He struck out seven UTM batters while walking three and giving up seven hits. Freshman Matt Carter closed out the final two innings for the Tribe. Carter, who pitched a scoreless seventh inning against Missouri, has not given up an earned run in his last four outings. He allowed just one hit while striking out one in his two innings of work.

In the top of the third, down 4-2, Southeast loaded the bases with no outs. Gilbert scored Bracamonte with an infield single, but Tennessee-Martin starter Dustin Summers retired the next three batters to get out of the jam. Summers, however, couldn't get out of the fifth inning.

Gilbert led of the fifth with a double down the right field line. Hoffman followed with a single, and was pinch run for with Aaron Fangman. Jenkins followed with a double that scored Gilbert and Fangman to give Southeast the lead for good. He later came around on an Andres Fernandez RBI single. Horstman doubled to knock Summers out of the game, but Bracamonte welcomed relief pitcher Adam Ledlow with a three-run home run over the center field fence to put the Indians up 9-4.

In the sixth, Fangman led off with a walk and was hit to third on a Jenkins double. Fangman scored on a Bryan Kurt RBI groundout, and Jenkins came around on a wild pitch to make it 11-4.

The Indians tacked on the final run in the top of the seventh when Montiel led off with a single and was hit home by Mike Fitch. Fitch, who leads Southeast with 13 games started on the mound, tripled to right center in what was his first at bat of the season to drive in the final run of the game.

Southeast combined for 18 hits in game two, as seven Indians batters had multiple hits. Lopez and Gilbert each went 3-for-4 with a run scored. Gilbert also drove in two, giving him 32 RBIs on the season. Horstman, Bracamonte, Montiel and Jenkins all went 2-for-5. The latter three scored two runs apiece, while Horstman scored one. Bracamonte drove in three and Jenkins drove in two. Hoffman ended the day 2-for-3 with one run driven in.

Southeast will play its final game of the season tomorrow at 1 p.m. at UT-Martin. After the game, Southeast will find out which team it will play in the OVC Tournament next week.