GOVS SHAKE INDIAN HEX, SWEEP DOUBLEHEADER

Austin Peay baseball coach Gary McClure wasn't exactly thrilled about coming to Cape Girardeau Friday.

No, McClure finds nothing wrong with the city itself. It's just that his baseball team hasn't had very much luck against Southeast Missouri State University over the past few years.

"We were 1-8 against them the last nine games," said McClure. "We've lost more one-run games than I can shake a stick at."

If McClure was shaking a stick Friday night, it was in celebration. The Governors wiped out their recent frustrations against the Indians with a huge doubleheader sweep at Capaha Field.

Austin Peay prevailed 7-2 and 8-6 to take over sole possession of first place in the Ohio Valley Conference with a 7-1 record. The Governors are 17-9 overall.

Southeast, the defending OVC Tournament champion, fell to 4-4 in league play and 11-16 overall.

"This feels great," said McClure. "It's a big series and to win the first two is really big for us."

Indians' coach Mark Hogan couldn't have agreed more.

"To sweep the defending (OVC tourney) champions in their home park is huge," he said. "Give them credit. They're the best ballclub in our league I've seen this year."

The way the Governors rallied to win the opener set the stage for their sweep.

In a brilliant pitcher's duel between two of the conference's top hurlers, Southeast's Ryan Spille -- last year's OVC Pitcher of the Year and an All-American -- carried a 2-1 lead into the top of the seventh inning.

But the Governors exploded for six runs on six hits to make a winner of George Sherrill (4-1). Spille (6-1) suffered his first loss.

"It was a great pitched game," said McClure. "Spille is the best in the league but George did a great job. He really had the hitters off balance."

Southeast's Darin Kinsolving, who had two home runs on the day, belted a two-out solo blast to right-center in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a 1-1 tie.

With Spille having allowed only two hits entering the seventh, the Indians appeared to be in good shape.

But it didn't take Austin Peay long to tie the score. Freshman shortstop Jess Sayre, a lefthanded batter facing the lefty Spille, led off the seventh with a monstrous homer to right field that tied the contest.

And that was just the beginning of a huge, decisive inning for the Govs. Buddy Dubois singled and was sacrificed to second. With two outs, leadoff hitter Greg Troy was intentionally walked and then a double steal put runners on second and third.

Ben Fuller, facing an 0-2 count, then laced a double to left-center, putting the Govs ahead 4-2. Three more hits followed as Austin Peay padded its cushion.

"He (Fuller) got a big blow," McClure said. "It makes you feel good when you come through after they walked the guy in front of you."

Sherrill, primarily a reliever who has been pressed into starting duty because of some injuries, allowed just three hits. He struck out three and walked two.

In the second game, Austin Peay grabbed a 6-1 lead after two innings and then hung on.

Dan Huesgen (2-4) took the loss. He allowed 12 hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Freshman Todd Pennington, who pitched last year for Cape Girardeau's American Legion team, had a strong relief performance with 2 1/3 innings of scoreless and hitless relief. He fanned three and walked one.

Klint Rommell (2-2), the second among three Austin Peay hurlers, got the win.

Kinsolving had another homer while Kyle Yount went 4-for-4 with a home run and three runs batted in.

The squads will conclude the three-game series at 2 p.m today.