INDIANS STOLL TO VICTORY; SOUTHEAST POCKETS 6-5 WIN ON BASES-LOADED WALK

A cold, windy afternoon at Capaha Park Saturday kept Becky Spiers and other fans under wraps at the baseball game between Southeast and Northern Illinois.

To Southeast Missouri State University's baseball players, the only thing more soothing than a warm blanket and a mug of hot chocolate after their game with Northern Illinois on Saturday, was the satisfaction of a 6-5 extra-inning win at home.

The Indians (3-8) snapped their five-game losing streak with a bases-loaded walk by Kevin Meyer in the bottom of the eighth inning.

"They are going to be able to wake up and have relief that the losing streak is over," said Southeast coach Mark Hogan. "We've played some games close like this, but it seemed like nothing was going our way. Maybe we can get a streak going in the other direction."

The Indians were supposed to play a doubleheader, but the umpires didn't arrive on time. The confusion was probably caused by a scheduling adjustment made earlier in the week. The first game was originally slated for 3 p.m. but, because of the cold conditions, was moved ahead to 1. The officials apparently were not aware of the change and the two teams decided to play one seven-inning game and play a doubleheader today. The first game will start at 1.

Five of Southeast's losses this year have come by two runs or less. The Indians won despite losing a 5-4 lead in the seventh.

After six innings of pitching 80-plus mph fastballs in 30-degree weather, preseason All-American Ryan Spille was lifted. He allowed eight hits and four earned runs while striking out five.

Chad Bogenpohl, a senior pitcher from Oak Ridge, came on in relief and gave up the tying run without giving up a hit. He walked the second batter he faced, Bob Dobbertin, who then stole second and advanced to third on a groundout. Dobbertin scored on a wild pitch.

"This wasn't a good day to pitch and get loose," Hogan said. "It wasn't a good day for baseball, but sometimes in the Midwest you have to play under these conditions."

Bogenpohl (1-0) regrouped, however, and picked up the win.

The game appeared to be heading into the ninth inning.

With one out, Kenny Gaebler drew a walk. No. 8 hitter Dan Berry flied out to center, leaving Southeast's ninth-inning chances to No. 9 hitter Clemente Bonilla Jr.

Northern Illinois pitcher Don Rodman quickly got out in front 0-2, but Bonilla fouled off a pair of pitches and ultimately worked his way aboard with a walk.

Leadoff hitter Jeremy Johnson then walked on four straight pitches to load the bases and set up Meyer's game-winning RBI and Rodman's fourth walk of the inning.

Northern Illinois jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI single by Jason Schmitt.

Southeast bounced back in the third inning on back-to-back RBI singles by Johnson and Meyer.

In the top of the fourth, Northern Illinois added two more on Ben Manning's two-run blast into the teeth of a biting northern wind. The towering drive put the Huskies ahead 3-2. Northern Illinois added one more in the top of the fifth on an RBI single by Josh Huisman.

Southeast right-fielder Phil Warren provided a two-run blast of his own in the fifth to knot the game at 4-4.

The Indians went up 5-4 in the sixth when Dan Berry spanked a two-out RBI double to deep center.

Like the umpires, an argument could be made that neither team's defense showed up.

The two teams made eight errors, five by the Indians.

"I'm a little concerned about our defense," Northern Illinois coach Frank Del Medico said. "We failed to turn two double plays in key spots."

There were several outstanding defensive plays made, though. There were two exceptional diving plays made in the outfield, one by Johnson and the other by Northern Illinois' center fielder Manning.