Fast start ends in loss

~ After scoring four runs in the first, Southeast suffered an 11-5 loss to top-seeded Samford.

PADUCAH, Ky. -- Southeast Missouri State scored as many runs in the first inning off Josh Ehmke as any Ohio Valley Conference team had reached the Samford ace for in an entire game this season.

But that 4-0 advantage the Redhawks racked up against the OVC pitcher of the year was gone by the time Thursday night's second inning rolled around.

And once Ehmke was given the lead, the Bulldogs and their junior left-hander rolled to an 11-5 victory in a winner's bracket semifinal of the OVC tournament.

Top-seeded Samford, the OVC regular-season champion, advanced to tonight's winner's bracket final against second-seeded Jacksonville State.

As for the Redhawks -- seeded sixth in the six-team tournament -- they now face an uphill climb as they try to battle their way through the loser's bracket of the double-elimination event.

Southeast, which upset third-seeded Eastern Illinois in Wednesday's opening round, plays fifth-seeded Austin Peay at 11 a.m today.

A victory would send the Redhawks back out on the field at 2:30 p.m. against fourth-seeded Eastern Kentucky, while a loss would end their season.

In order to capture the tournament title, Southeast would have to win twice today, twice Saturday and once Sunday.

"It's really tough, but you know that when you go into the tournament," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said. "Tonight was a really crucial game."

Said pitcher Jamie McAlister, "From now on, it's one and done. We just have to try and fight our way through the loser's bracket. We just have to take it one game at a time."

Southeast (22-32) felt confident entering its contest against Samford (33-23). Not only had the Redhawks won five of six games for the first time all year, they played the Bulldogs extremely tough during their regular-season series.

The Redhawks dropped two of the three games, but could easily have won all three as one loss came by a run and the other defeat was in 15 innings.

"I really thought we had a pretty good shot, with the way we had been playing," Hogan said. "But I also knew Samford has a really good team."

The Redhawks had to be feeling especially good after they scored four times -- on three hits and three walks -- in the top of the first inning against Ehmke, who was 8-0 in OVC play this year while never allowing more than four runs.

But Samford came right back with six runs in the bottom of the first, as Southeast starter Phillip Riley retired just one batter before being replaced by Derek Herbig.

The Bulldogs scored three more runs in the second to knock out Herbig. McAlister stopped the bleeding with strong relief work, but by the time the Redhawks got their next hit off Ehmke -- in the seventh inning -- they trailed 10-4.

Ehmke (11-2) gave up a fifth run in the seventh, after which he was removed following 147 pitches. He allowed five hits and walked eight while striking out 11.

"You have to give Ehmke credit," Southeast catcher Levi Olson said. "He stayed in it and pitched well."

Added Hogan: "Ehmke threw a great game after the first inning. He held us down. We had him on the ropes, but he's really good. And for them to come back and get the six after we scored the four, that kind of took our starch out of us."

Samford outhit Southeast 14-6, with nine of the Bulldogs safeties coming in the first two innings. Samford belted three home runs.

John Morgan, Bear Burnett and Luke Peavy all had three hits for the Bulldogs. Morgan, Parker Gargis and Louis Rojas each homered.

Olson had two doubles -- he has 20 this season -- and drove in two runs for the Redhawks.

Riley (3-5) was charged with six runs (five earned) on four hits in just 1/3 of an inning.

Herbig gave up three runs and four hits in 1 1/3 innings.

McAlister pitched the final 6 1/3 innings for the Redhawks, allowing two runs and six hits.

Riley had the big blow of Southeast's opening inning, a two-run single with two outs.

Gargis had the key hit of the Bulldogs' opening frame, a three-run homer that tied the contest. Peavy's two-run double put Samford ahead to stay.