INDIANS SWEEP ASIDE IOWA STATE

Southeast Missouri State University's baseball Indians -- who might be better known as the "Comeback Kids" so far -- won both ends of a Sunday doubleheader at Capaha Field to sweep the three-game weekend series against Iowa State.

The Indians needed late-inning heroics to pull out a 3-2 first-game victory, much like the series opener on Saturday when the Indians rallied from a three-run deficit to defeat the Cyclones 5-4 in extra innings.

Southeast then won Sunday's nightcap in more conventional fashion, prevailing 3-0.

The Indians are off to a 3-0 start while the Cyclones are 0-6.

Indian senior first baseman Shane Allen provided the game-winning hit for the second straight day when he lofted a fly ball over the drawn-in Cyclone outfield to plate Zach Borowiak during the bottom of the seventh inning of Sunday's opener.

Allen, not off to a great start at the plate, is only 2-for-12 but his hits have been timely.

Of his winning hit, Allen said, "If I can't get a lot of 'em, I'll just get 'em at the right time, I guess."

Iowa State drew first blood when T. J. Bohn blasted a leadoff solo home run in the top of the second inning to stake the Cyclones to a 1-0 lead.

Indian starter Todd Pennington, working nicely on the cool day, breezed until the top of the fifth when he walked leadoff hitter Brandon Cashman.

Greg Lunski relieved and promptly issued a walk to Adam Christ, the first batter he faced, before settling down and getting the next two Cyclone hitters out.

With runners on first and third and two outs, it appeared Lunski was going to get out of the inning unscathed when he caught Christ leaning and made a throw to second baseman Clemente Bonilla to trap the runner.

However Bonilla's throw back to first sailed high and allowed the Cyclone runner on third to score for their second tally.

The Indians got one back in the bottom of the fifth when designated hitter Brad Beatty -- a true freshman -- ripped an opposite-field homer over the 380-foot sign in left-center field to narrow the gap to 2-1.

In the bottom of seventh -- the last inning of regulation -- the first two Indians were retired, before Bonilla came to the plate with the Indians' last hope.

Bonilla, in a quality at-bat in which he fought off a couple of tough pitches, stroked a double down the right-field line to keep the inning alive.

Next up, shortstop Borowiak blistered a line single to right field to score Bonilla with the game-tying run and set the table for Allen's game-winning hit.

"Errors cost ballgames and when I made that one I felt bad and was really disappointed that it would be on my back if we lost the game," said Bonilla. "When I got a chance to get up there with two outs, I was just trying my best to hit the ball hard and get on base. It worked out."

Lunski got the victory as he worked three hitless innings. Pennington allowed just three hits in four innings.

In the second game, starting pitcher Brad Purcell and reliever Andy Davidson combined on a four-hit shutout to lead the Indians.

Purcell, a junior-college transfer who is one of two Australians on the Indian squad, picked up the win, allowing three hits in six innings of work. Davidson finished up in the seventh.

Offensively on the day, it was the hot-hitting keystone combination of Bonilla and Borowiak which did the most damage.

Borowiak went 3-for-3 with two RBI in the nightcap and he had four hits in the two contest. Bonilla was 2-for-3 in each game.

So far in the young season, Bonilla is batting .750 (6-for-8) and Borowiak is at .600 (6-for-10).

Commenting on his hot streak, Borowiak said, "Its feels great, but it really doesn't matter as long as we win."

Said Southeast coach Mark Hogan, "I'm really proud of our club. It's (comebacks) not easy to do. It's early yet, but the character and courage of these guys has been great. They hang in there and get things done late."