Late innings again haunt Redhawks

Southeast Missouri State's late-inning trouble reared its ugly head again Sunday.

Jacksonville State scored four runs in the top of the ninth to stun the host Redhawks 8-7 and lift the Gamecocks to an Ohio Valley Conference series victory, after the squads had split Saturday's doubleheader.

"It's a tough time for us right now," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said. "But I'm not going to give up on our guys."

The Redhawks fell to 9-16 overall and 2-4 in OVC play as they suffered their ninth loss in the past 12 games. The Gamecocks, who beat Southeast in last year's OVC tournament championship contest, are 11-14 and 4-2.

"We've been struggling, and this is a big lift for us," JSU coach Jim Case said.

During last weekend's OVC-opening series at Murray State -- in which Southeast lost two of three -- the Redhawks held late leads in both of the defeats. And even in the one win, Murray rallied late to tie before Southeast won in extra innings.

In the opener of Saturday's doubleheader, JSU scored three ninth-inning runs to break a tie.

It certainly didn't help Southeast over the weekend that All-American closer Brad Smith was not available, as he is bothered by tendinitis, an ailment that might have affected Smith when he blew two save opportunities in the past couple of weeks.

"It's tough without our closer," Hogan said. "Our problem right now is closing games out. That's why closers in the major leagues make big money.

"We were very fortunate last year with Smith, who was pretty well automatic."

The Redhawks appeared to have everything set up for a key win that would have lifted them to the .500 level in OVC play.

Starter Ryan Forsyth took advantage of some early run support and worked six effective innings, as Southeast led 6-3.

Freshman left-hander Casey Johnson replaced Forsyth in the seventh after the first two batters reached. A run came home that was charged to Forsyth, but Johnson halted further damage and then pitched a scoreless eighth. The Redhawks entered the ninth ahead 7-4.

But that's when all heck broke loose. Brian Haskins led off with a double and Jason Horn walked. An RBI double by Matt Page made it 7-5 and left runners on second and third with nobody out.

Brent Lawson, primarily an outfielder who has been strong in relief lately, replaced Johnson. Winston Pearson hit a routine ground ball that would have scored a run anyway, but shortstop Ernie Bracamonte threw wild to first for an error, which also allowed the tying run to come home and sent Pearson to second.

Austin Stein bounced to first for the initial out, sending Pearson to third. It looked like Lawson might escape further damage when Clint Carroll struck out. But Jake Ball tripled to plate Pearson with the go-ahead run. Two of the inning's four runs were unearned.

"We kept fighting and made it so there was a lot of pressure on the play," Case said, referring to Bracamonte's error. "It's a huge win for us."

Southeast got the potential tying run to second with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but Lee Drinkard was able to close the door. Drinkard (3-1), JSU's fourth pitcher of the day, got the win. He worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings.

Lawson (1-1) was the tough-luck loser.

"Forsyth gave us all we could ask for; Johnson gave us two good innings; and Lawson did a good job," Hogan said. "It's just another tough loss."

Southeast had nine hits, led by Bracamonte and Eric Horstman with two each. Horstman now has a 17-game hitting streak.

Chris Gibson had Southeast's biggest blow of the game, a three-run double in the second inning that was part of a four-run frame as the Redhawks grabbed a 4-1 lead.

Pearson, Stein, Ball and Horn all had two of JSU's 11 hits. Stein belted a mammoth home run to right in the third inning.

"I've been in this game long enough and I don't think it will continue this way," Hogan said. "I thought we did a lot of positive things this weekend. It's a shame we don't have more to show for it."

Southeast returns to action Tuesday with a 3 p.m. non-conference game at St. Louis University, followed by Wednesday's 6 p.m. non-league home contest against the University of Missouri.