EIU rallies in ninth to defeat Southeast

CHARLESTON, Ill. — After exchanging a pair of lopsided victories Saturday, Southeast Missouri State and Eastern Illinois waged a down-to-the-wire thriller.

Unfortunately for the Redhawks, they came up on the short end of Sunday's Ohio Valley Conference baseball series finale.

The host Panthers scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to stun Southeast 6-5 and capture the series.

Southeast (19-20, 9-10) dipped into sixth place in the 10-team OVC, although the Redhawks are just one game out of third place in the scrambled middle of the conference pack.

EIU (20-24, 11-10) moved into a three-way tie for third place. The top six finishers qualify for the OVC tournament.

Southeast reliever Todd Strahlendorf replaced starter James Leigh in the fifth inning and proceeded to dominate the Panthers for 3 1/3 innings, allowing just one hit.

With the Redhawks leading 5-3, Strahlendorf attempted to close out the victory.

Curt Restko led off the bottom of the ninth with a single, and Strahlendorf walked No. 9 hitter Bart Thyer on four pitches.

Brett Nommensen's third double of the day drove in Restko and cut the deficit to 5-4.

With runners on second and third, Strahlendorf retired Jordan Tokarz on an infield pop up before intentionally walking Zach Skidmore to load the bases.

Tristan Facer then delivered a ground-ball single into left field, bringing the tying and winning runs home as Strahlendorf (3-2) took the tough-luck loss.

Perhaps the key to the game was the brilliant relief work by EIU's Brian Morrell, who came on with nobody out in the third inning and Southeast on top 4-0.

Morrell worked the final seven innings, allowing just four hits and one run. He struck out eight and walked one. His performance allowed the Panthers to rally from a 5-1 deficit after 4 1/2 innings.

Leigh, who recorded his fifth straight no-decision, allowed just three hits in 4 2/3 innings, but he was hurt by three walks in the fifth that helped EIU score twice to pull within 5-3. Leigh exited after striking out two and walking four.

Southeast had eight hits, but only four after the third inning. Matt Wagner went 3-for-4, and Nick Harris added two hits.

EIU finished with seven hits, led by Nommensen's three doubles. Facer drove in four runs.

The Redhawks started strong with three first-inning runs, getting RBI hits from Harris and Wagner.

Southeast added single runs in the third and fifth but was blanked over the final four innings.

The Redhawks' Tyrell Cummings had his 18-game hitting streak snapped.

Southeast won Saturday's doubleheader opener 16-7, with EIU taking the nightcap 15-3.

The Redhawks return to action this weekend with a three-game home series against Eastern Kentucky, which is right behind Southeast in the OVC standings.