April 7, 2001

Cape Girardeau, Mo. -- Southeast Missouri State already boasts a trifecta of Killer B's, now the Indian pitching staff can promote their Punishing P's. The duo of RHP Todd Pennington and RHP Brad Purcell both pitched complete game victories over the Colonels of Eastern Kentucky, as Southeast moved to 22-10 overall and improved to 6-2 in the Ohio Valley Conference during today's doubleheader. The Indians 22 wins are tops in the league.

Pennington, who pitched his finest collegiate games today with a career-best 13 strikeouts, overwhelmed the Colonels for most of the game and allowed just two hits..

In the sixth inning, Pennington loaded the bases on a strikeout-wild pitch combo and two walks. The first run crossed the plate at C Jeff Bourbon was unable to handle to a pitch and EKU first basemen John Myles scored to put the Colonels on the board. The final EKU run came the next inning after Robby Price led off the seventh with a homer to right-center.

The two runs were of little importance in the way of Pennington to notch his team-leading sixth win, as the Indian offense got behind the junior this weekend. Last weekend in Murray the Southeast bats fell silent as he registered his first loss of the season.

SS Zach Borowiak gave Pennington all the offense he'd need in the first inning after sending a three-run homer out of the Indian reservation.

For good measure, Southeast added five more runs in their last at-bat in the sixth. CF Vern Hatton, who was batting for the initial time in the game after not making his first start of the season, sent a long-ball to deep right-center to lead off the inning. 3B Denver Stuckey, 2B Clemente Bonilla and Bourbon each tallied a RBI in the inning. Stuckey scored the remaining run of the inning off an error.

Pennington (6-1) recorded his second complete game today. His ERA was slightly affected and now stands at 1.21. He entered the week with the 11th-best ERA in the nation.

EKU's Spencer Boley (2-2) was handed the loss. He surrendered 10 hits, seven earned runs, three walks and stuck out two batters.

In game two, Purcell was brilliant in the five-hit shutout -- his Division I first. Purcell gave up just two walks and stuckout four.

1B Shane Allen swung a big stick for the Indians in game two, as he led off the third with a homer to left and then sent another one yard in the fourth. Allen finished the day with three hits and three runs scored and two RBI.

Southeast gave the Australian native Purcell a comfortable 4-0 lead in the third. The inning began with Allen's bomb and then Stuckey doubled, stole third and came home on the wild pitch for the second run. Bourbon closed the inning with a two-run double down the leftfield line.

The Indians punched three more on the boards in the fourth. Allen first sent his second homer of the day out and then Bonilla notched an RBI-single. Borowiak recorded his fourth RBI of the day off a sacrifice to give Southeast its seventh and final run.

EKU led off the game with two men left on after reigning OVC Player of the Week Gabe Thomas grounded out. The Colonels left another pair on the fifth as well.

Dan Bachman (1-2), the current OVC Pitcher of the Week, recorded the loss for EKU. He allowed eight hits and all seven earned runs. Bachman walked four and struckout the same number.

Stuckey with two hits in both contests, extended his hitting streak to 16 games.

Bourbon continued to improve his ailing batting average with four hits today and is now up to .290 for the season. He also took over the team lead with 29 RBI.

Bonilla had two hits, both came in the nightcap, and two runs scored and RBI apiece. LF Brian Hopkins was 2-for-2 in game one with one run scored.

Southeast also stretched its doubles hit in a game to 28 games.

With the two losses today, Eastern Kentucky fell to 11-19 overall and 4-6 in the league.