Gamecocks slam Redhawks

~ Southeast suffered its worst loss in OVC tourney history.

PADUCAH, Ky. -- Jacksonville State has had the most success of any team in the Ohio Valley Conference baseball tournament since the Gamecocks joined the league in 2004.

Southeast Missouri State could not alter that trend Thursday afternoon, and as a result the Redhawks find themselves facing a serious uphill climb in their quest for their first OVC tournament title since 2002.

The second-seeded Gamecocks routed the third-seeded Redhawks 15-2 in a winners bracket semifinal at Brooks Stadium.

Southeast (32-23) falls into the loser's bracket, where the Redhawks will play an elimination game at 2:30 p.m. today against the winner of an earlier elimination contest.

The Redhawks, who beat Murray State in Thursday's opening round, will need to post four straight victories to win the championship.

"It was just one of those days," Southeast senior shortstop Robby Moore said. "They hit the ball real well and pitched real well.

"But in my opinion, if any team can come back and win the tournament, it's us because our pitching is so deep."

Southeast suffered its most lopsided OVC tournament loss since joining the conference in 1992.

The squad's previous largest OVC tourney setback was a 14-2 defeat at the hands of former league member Middle Tennessee State in 1992 -- before coach Mark Hogan took over the program.

"It was just their day. They were really on," Hogan said.

Jacksonville State (32-25), which had a first-round bye, advances to tonight's winners bracket final.

In just their fourth season in the OVC, the Gamecocks have an all-time league tournament record of 11-3. They captured tourney titles in 2004 and 2006 and lost in the 2005 championship game.

"They have a super club and a super program," Hogan said.

Southeast and Jacksonville State played a tight three-game series in Cape Girardeau in early April. The Redhawks posted one-run and two-run wins and dropped a one-run affair.

There was nothing remotely close about Thursday's matchup.

The Redhawks grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning as sophomore Matt Wulfers walked and scored on sophomore Daniel Schuh's double.

That was about the extent of the good news for Southeast.

Jacksonville State went ahead to stay with a two-run second and made it 5-1 with a three-run fourth.

Any hopes the Redhawks had of a second straight comeback from a four-run deficit evaporated in the sixth as the Gamecocks exploded for 10 runs on nine hits for a 15-1 advantage.

"That was an outstanding inning," Jacksonville State coach Jim Case said in stating the obvious.

The Redhawks tacked on a meaningless tally in the seventh.

Southeast senior left-hander Asif Shah, who entered with a 2.85 ERA that ranked fourth in the OVC, suffered through his shortest outing of the season.

Shah (7-3), who was removed after allowing a leadoff walk in the fifth, gave up five runs and eight hits in four-plus innings. He walked two and did not strike out a batter.

"I felt OK. I didn't really feel bad," Shah said. "I just wasn't being real consistent and they have a really good offensive team."

Lance Rhodes was tagged for six of the runs and six of the hits in Jacksonville State's 10-run sixth.

Four more Southeast relievers saw action to close out the game.

"The way the game was going, we thought it was best to go with the pitching we did," Hogan said, referring to saving some of his better hurlers for the potentially grueling road that awaits the Redhawks.

Jacksonville State left-hander Tony Drinkard (7-3) allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings.

"He was outstanding, as you would expect," Hogan said.

Drinkard continued Southeast's struggles against left-handers this season.

The Redhawks entered the contest hitting just .248 against southpaws, compared to .286 against right-handers.