INDIANS SQUEAK A SWEEP; SE CAPS PERFECT WEEKEND AGAINST EAGLES 3-2

After winning a pair of lopsided games Friday, Southeast Missouri State University took a different -- albeit just as successful -- approach Saturday to compete a three-game weekend sweep of Morehead State.

In front of a season-high crowd of more than 1,300 fans on a picture-perfect afternoon at Capaha Field, the Indians captured a 3-2 nail-biter as they extended their winning streak to eight games.

Southeast, closing in on the program's Division I school record of 32 victories, improved to 28-10 overall and 12-2 in Ohio Valley Conference play.

The Indians remained in first place in the league by percentage points over Eastern Kentucky, which completed a three-game sweep of Eastern Illinois and is now 15-3.

Morehead fell to 17-21-1 overall and 2-13 in the OVC.

"It was a tremendous weekend for us," said Southeast coach Mark Hogan, whose squad posted 11-1 and 7-0 romps in Friday's doubleheader. "It was a very tight game, but it's challenging for us to win different ways.

"We had a great battle today and you've got to tip your hat to Morehead State's pitchers. They really did a good job."

But the Indians' won the pitching war on this day as Tommy Thomas and Jeffrey Hilz combined for a gem.

Thomas, the starter, improved his record to 5-1. In his first outing since coming within two outs of a no-hitter against Tennessee-Martin last Sunday, Thomas struggled some early as the Eagles scored two runs on six hits over the first three innings.

But Thomas was in control after that. He wound up going eight-plus innings, allowing eight hits while striking out 10 and walking four.

"This is a huge win for us," said Thomas. "It keeps us on top in the league and lets us continue to hold our own destiny. We're playing real well as a team and it's fun to be a part of it."

The defining moment for Thomas took place in the top of the fifth inning. With the score tied 2-2, the Eagles threatened to go ahead as they loaded the bases with nobody out.

Thomas, however, buckled down and fanned the next three hitters he appeared to have some extra juice on several of his pitches during that time to escape the jam unscathed.

"When I struck out those three guys, that really gave me momentum and I gained my confidence," Thomas said.

Said Hogan, "Tommy did a great job with the bases loaded. He must have hit in the 90s (miles per hour) with some of those pitches. It was power against power and he laid every ounce he had out there."

Thomas, a right-hander, appeared to be headed for his first complete game of the season, but he walked pinch-hitter Jason Kennedy on four pitches to begin the ninth.

Hogan then decided to call on Hilz, the Indians' left-handed relief ace who is the OVC's earned-run average leader.

Brandon Hignite, the first batter to face Hilz, sacrificed pinch-runner Roy Gentry to second. But Hilz, as Thomas had done earlier, buckled down, striking out Sam Hoehner and Cary Page to nail down the victory.

Hilz, who earned his third save to go along with a 6-1 record, lowered his ERA to 2.03. Not bad for a hurler who was recruited to be a starter out of Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff.

"You learn to like it when you do well," said a grinning Hilz when asked how he feels about his first-year role as a reliever. "It's always an advantage to pitch a lot. Everybody has a role on the team and this is mine."

Said Hogan, "Hilz did a great job. He's been doing it for us all year."

While Thomas was a bit disappointed he didn't finish the game, he certainly didn't mind seeing Hilz come on to close things out.

"I was wanting to finish, but I could feel myself running out of gas," said Thomas. "When you have Hilz in the game, you feel pretty good."

Offensively, the Indians had just six hits against Morehead freshman hurlers Chad Parsons and Matt Soale. But Southeast, which had 19 hits during Friday's twin bill, made the most of its limited offense.

Freshman shortstop Zach Borowiak had an RBI single in the first inning to put the Indians ahead 1-0.

After the Eagles grabbed a 2-1 lead in the third on RBI hits by Page and Mike Reichert, the Indians tied it in the bottom of the third as Jeremy Johnson belted a monster home run well over the right-field fence.

Johnson, who went 5-for-6 with three homers, seven runs scored and seven runs batted in during the series, now has 12 home runs on the season.

A senior right fielder, Johnson also moved to within two RBIs of becoming the school's all-time leader in that category. He trails former Southeast star Steve Williams, who had 167 RBIs from 1981-84 and threw out the ceremonial first pitch Saturday.

The Indians scored the final run of the game in the sixth, and it was unearned. Denver Stuckey led off with an infield single and Kevin Meyer, bunting for a sacrifice, wound up beating that out for an infield hit. On the play, Soale, in his first inning of work, threw wild past first, allowing Stuckey to advance to third on the error.

Charlie Marino then grounded into a double play, but it was good enough to score Stuckey with the winning tally.

Meyer was the only Southeast player with two hits. Hignite paced the Eagles with three hits and Reichert added two.

Southeast will return to action Monday when Belmont visits Capaha Field for a 2 p.m. non-conference doubleheader.