BASEBALL INDIANS ROLL TWICE

Northern Illinois proved the perfect antidote for what ailed Southeast Missouri State University's baseball team.

Southeast hobbled into the weekend lugging a 2-8 record, but its three-game sweep of the Huskies -- capped by 10-0 and 7-2 victories Sunday at Capaha Field -- added up to "a really tremendous weekend" for Southeast coach Mark Hogan and the relieved Indians.

As the losses had piled up, "the pressure mounts, and it's not a good feeling," Hogan said. "When you're struggling, everything is so magnified that it's ridiculous.

"But the ballclub was much more relaxed in a baseball way. It's really good to get a few (wins) under our belt and get a steak going the other way. We just played well."

In a sharp improvement over the woes of previous games, several Indians produced sterling performances Sunday.

In the opener, first baseman Jeff Bourbon, the No. 9 hitter, tied a team record with three doubles. Bourbon, a sophomore who entered the game hitting .237, added a solo home run as he went 4-for-5.

In addition, Dan Huesgen glimmered in his nine shutout innings. The junior righthander permitted five hits and struck out seven in a breakout outing, his first victory in four decisions.

"I told myself before the game, `shutout,' " Huesgen said. "I wasn't thinking of anything else.

"We've been struggling a lot lately -- hitting, pitching, defense, everything. Today (Sunday) we all came together and we clicked, and that's how we should be doing all year long."

Center fielder Jeremy Johnson, at .439 the only Indian who entered the weekend batting above .355 and one of three above .286, went 3-for-4 with five RBIs. Phil Warren also had three hits, and Clemente Bonilla Jr. and Kevin Meyer each had two. Southeast racked up 16 hits.

Another dominant pitching performance lifted Southeast in the nightcap. Lanson Debrock, a junior righthander from Notre Dame, held the Huskies scoreless for six innings and allowed six hits in gaining a seven-inning complete game. Debrock improved to 1-1.

Leading 1-0 on Warren's fourth-inning homer, Southeast's five-run fifth was the difference. Key hits included Bonilla's two-run single and Johnson's two-run homer.

Johnson finished the day with seven RBIs.

Southeast will be back in action Wednesday, hosting Arkansas State at 3 p.m.