Missouri answers Redhawks

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Missouri finally gained a measure of revenge against Southeast Missouri State.

The Tigers, who had already lost twice to the Redhawks this season, pulled away late for a 14-3 victory Wednesday on the final day of the Best of the Midwest Tournament.

Missouri, which entered the season ranked 10th nationally but had lost 11 of its past 13 games and is just seventh in the Big 12 Conference, improved to 19-20.

Southeast, after losing to Kansas 6-0 on Tuesday in the first game of the Best of the Midwest Tournament, fell to 15-24. The Redhawks are ninth in the 10-team Ohio Valley Conference.

The Redhawks, who beat Missouri 3-2 on March 29 in Cape Girardeau and 9-5 on April 12 in Columbia, looked like they might have a chance to make it three in a row over the Tigers.

Trailing 5-3 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Southeast loaded the bases with nobody out but failed to score.

Missouri answered with nine runs in the top of the ninth inning to turn a close game into a blowout.

The Tigers finished with 17 hits, all coming over the final five innings. They had four home runs, including two by Sikeston High School product Jacob Priday.

Evan Frey went 4-for-6 to pace the Tigers, while freshman Ryan Lollis had three hits, including his first collegiate home run. Lollis delivered four RBIs.

Southeast had seven hits, led by Levi Olson with two.

Phillip Riley started for the Redhawks and pitched three hitless innings with four strikeouts and one walk.

The Redhawks grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning against John Thies, a Central High School product who was one of seven Missouri pitchers in the game.

Olson led off with a single, went to third on Andrew Graham's double and scored on Aaron Rave's ground out. Thies was replaced on the mound, and Chris Gibson's two-out single scored Graham with the run being charged to Thies.

After Josh Parham worked a hitless inning for the Redhawks, Missouri reached him for Gary Arndt's three-run homer in the fifth that put the Tigers ahead 3-2.

Southeast tied the score in its half of the fifth as Jordan Payne doubled and scored on Daryl Graham's single.

Missouri regained the lead for good in the sixth as Priday ripped Jamie McAlister's first pitch for a home run.

The Tigers added a run in the eighth off Anthony Maupin to go ahead 5-3.

Southeast missed a golden opportunity in the bottom of the inning against freshman David Cales.

Olson singled, Andrew Graham was hit by a pitch and Rave walked to load the bases. But Cales struck out Andy Johnson, Gibson and Daniel Schuh to escape the jam.

Missouri then exploded for nine runs on nine hits in the ninth. Seven of the runs scored before an out was even recorded. Priday hit a two-run homer and Lollis added a three-run shot.

Michael Taylor gave up six runs and five hits without recording an out, while Matt Carter allowed three runs and three hits while retiring just one batter. Schuh, Southeast's seventh pitcher, recorded the final two outs of the inning.

McAlister suffered the loss and fell to 4-8. He allowed one run in two innings.

Junior All-American Max Scherzer started for the Tigers, making his first appearance on the mound since April 8.

Scherzer, a projected first-round pick in this year's amateur draft, has been out with arm problems. He struck out five in two hitless innings.

Southeast resumes OVC play this weekend with a three-game series at Eastern Illinois.