Indians' pitching squelches MU again

Missouri entered Tuesday's game against Southeast Missouri State University ranked 19th nationally in runs scored with more than eight per game.

The Tigers also carried a .310 team batting average.

But they were no match for Southeast pitchers Donnie Fuller and Mark Frazier, who combined on a seven-hitter as the Indians won 5-2 in front of an announced crowd of 867 at Capaha Field.

Southeast, which won both meetings with MU this season, improved to 26-15 with their ninth victory in 10 games. The Tigers fell to 23-25.

"This is a great win," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said. "It was a tremendous performance by our entire ballclub."

Fuller (1-1) earned his first collegiate victory. He worked five shutout innings, then gave up a leadoff walk in the sixth, after which Hogan summoned Frazier from the bullpen.

Frazier got into trouble immediately after replacing Fuller, allowing a double and two walks as MU scored -- the run was charged to Fuller -- to pull within 3-1. And the Tigers still had the bases loaded with one out, but Frazier escaped the jam and allowed only an unearned run the rest of the way as he notched his fourth save of the season.

"What a tremendous job Fuller and Frazier did," Hogan said. "Missouri has nine hitters in the lineup as good as anybody we have faced. You cannot make a mistake against them."

Fuller gave up three hits while striking out three and walking three. The junior-college transfer from California came to Southeast this year amid high expectations but struggled early. However, he has found his form in recent outings and has allowed just two runs in his last 10 innings.

"I was rough for me early," Fuller said. "But I've stuck with it and they've kept giving me a chance. I'm getting more comfortable and this is a great defense to play with."

Frazier, a senior who has been among the Indians' most valuable pitchers this year while filling a variety of roles out of the bullpen -- he has three wins to go along with his four saves -- allowed four hits, with four strikeouts and four walks. He wriggled out of one jam after another over the final four innings, forcing the Tigers to strand seven runners.

"Fuller threw fabulous and I love Frazier in those situations because he keeps his composure even when he gets in trouble," Hogan said.

The Indians had 11 hits off four MU hurlers. Denver Stuckey stayed hot by going 3-for-5, making him 10-for-19 in his last four games. Stuckey also turned in two more stellar defensive plays at third base, diving to catch a line drive and diving to snare a ground ball that he turned into a force out.

"Denver is the freak over there," Fuller said with a laugh.

Said Stuckey, "Mizzou is the trademark school in the state. Any time you beat them, it's a good feeling."

Zach Borowiak, Vern Hatton and Tristen McDonald all added two hits for the Indians. Hatton drove in two runs.

Hatton's two-out double in the third inning scored Stuckey, who had singled, to put Southeast up 1-0. The Indians made it 3-0 in the fifth. Stuckey doubled and scored on Clemente Bonilla's double. Bonilla came home on Borowiak's single.

Leading 3-1, the Indians got two insurance runs in the seventh, on RBI hits by Hatton and McDonald.

Jayce Tingler and W.T. Hoover each had two hits for MU. Tingler extended his hitting streak to 24 games.

mmishow@semissourian.com

(573) 335-6611, extension 132