Harris drives in game-winner by getting plunked

Nick Harris took one for the team — literally — to help Southeast Missouri State salvage a split in Saturday's Ohio Valley Conference baseball doubleheader.

Harris, a sophomore shortstop, was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh and final inning of the nightcap against Murray State.

That allowed the Redhawks to squeeze out a 3-2 victory, after they dropped the nine-inning opener 5-3.

The squads will close out their three-game series at 1 p.m. today at Capaha Field.

"This was a huge bounceback right there," said senior right-hander Dustin Renfrow, who pitched a complete second game. "Our goal is to win every [OVC] series. We found a way to win."

Southeast is 12-10 overall and 4-2 in OVC play. The Redhawks are tied for first place on the loss side, but are in fourth place based on percentages. Murray State is 11-12 and 2-5.

"It really was big for us to win the second game," senior first baseman Matt Wagner said. "We were just trying to fight all day. We couldn't get much going [offensively]."

Murray State's Kyle Tiernan threw over Southeast's Jim Klocke to turn a double play during the ninth inning of the first game Saturday.

The Redhawks' normally potent bats were shut down most of the day by the Thoroughbreds' pitchers as Southeast managed just 11 hits in the two games.

"Give them credit, they did a good job," Wagner said.

Murray State threatened a sweep when it led 2-0 after four innings of the seven-inning nightcap.

Southeast designated hitter Kieran Bradford, a junior college transfer who has just 29 official at-bats this season, got the Redhawks on the board with his second home run of the year, a two-out, solo blast in the bottom of the fifth.

"He came up with a huge hit to get us going," Wagner said.

Wagner's two-out RBI single in the sixth inning tied the contest, setting the stage for the bottom of the seventh.

Freshman third baseman Trenton Moses was hit by a pitch from reliever Brad Rowland to start the frame.

Bradford sacrificed Moses to second, and senior Sean Zollner was sent in to run for Moses.

Junior Matt Wulfers, pinch-hitting, was walked intentionally, then senior Zachary Blemker also drew a walk to load the bases with one out.

Up came Harris, who was hit by an 0-1 pitch from Rowland to drive in Zollner with the game-winning run.

"One out, bases loaded, I was just trying to hit a deep fly ball," Harris said. "I was crowding the plate and he threw a slider inside.

"It's probably the easiest way to win the game. But this was a crucial game for us."

Renfrow, an all-OVC performer, gave up two second-inning runs, but blanked the Thoroughbreds the rest of the way. He allowed five hits, struck out seven and walked two as he improved to 3-1.

"Any time he steps on the mound, you've got confidence," Harris said.

Said Renfrow: "I just want to go out and give our guys a chance to win."

The nine-inning opener featured a complete-game performance from Murray State sophomore right-hander Chris Craycraft.

Craycraft, while not overpowering, allowed six hits. He struck out three and walked two.

"We were totally overmatched," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said.

Southeast sophomore left-hander Josh Syberg (0-3) took the loss, allowing eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. Two of the five runs he gave up were unearned.

Hogan thought Syberg, who struck out four and walked none, threw much better than the results showed.

"I thought he threw extremely well. There were not a lot of loud hits by either team," Hogan said. "It was that way all day. All the pitchers did very well."

Senior right-hander Lance Rhodes gave the Redhawks 3 1/3 innings of one-hit, shutout relief, but Southeast's bats could not make up the Thoroughbreds' four-run first inning outburst.

Murray State added its other run in the third.

Sophomore catcher Jim Klocke had two hits and two RBIs for the Redhawks, who brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning before Craycraft closed out things.

OVC wins leader James Leigh (5-1), a junior left-hander, will start for Southeast today.