MTSU CRASHES SE's OVC PARTY; OVC HOST ENDS YEAR WITH LOSS TO MTSU

The Ohio Valley Conference baseball tournament being played at Capaha Field in Cape Girardeau did not exactly go as the host team had planned.

Southeast Missouri State University came into the six-team tourney confident of defending its title.

Instead, the second-seeded Indians were eliminated in two games. Fourth-seeded Middle Tennessee dealt Southeast its final blow Friday afternoon with a 6-4 victory in a loser's bracket game.

That setback came on the heals of Thursday night's 13-6 loss to third-seeded Eastern Kentucky in a winner's bracket semifinal.

So the Indians, who overcame several critical injuries to place second in the OVC's regular season and earn the right to host the tournament for the second year in a row, end the campaign with a 27-27 record.

"It was a disappointing tournament for us, but I'm grateful for what the kids were able to do this season," said Southeast coach Mark Hogan. "They faced a lot of adversity this year but they hung in there and got second in the league and hosted the tournament, which are great accomplishments.

"We just didn't have it in this tournament, but this is really an outstanding group of kids and they've got a lot to be proud of."

The Indians simply ran into too much offense and solid starting pitching during their two tournament games. In Thursday's contest that didn't end until just after midnight, Southeast was peppered for 14 hits and five home runs. Friday, the Indians were tagged for 14 more hits.

"We ran into two teams that really hit the ball well," said Hogan.

Against Middle Tennessee Friday, the Indians trailed 6-0 after seven innings as Raiders' left-hander Kris Lammers had limited Southeast two only two hits.

But the Indians very nearly pulled off a miraculous comeback. Consecutive one-out solo homers by Kevin Meyer and Brad Hoehner in the eighth made it 6-2.

Then in the ninth, with one out, Phil Warren walked and Jeff Bourbon drilled a two-run homer -- his 12th of the season -- making it 6-4. With two outs, Meyer and Hoehner singled to make things extremely interesting. But Brad Howard, the Raiders' fourth pitcher, came on to strike out Clemente Bonilla Jr. looking and end Southeast's season.

"I knew we'd make a run," Hogan said. "We almost made a heck of a comeback but we just fell short."

Josh Pride, the OVC Player of the Year, had three hits for the Raiders. Bryan Peck had two hits, including his 17th homer of the season. Ty Curley, Justin Links and Kyle Thomas added two hits apiece. Peck and Thomas both drove in two runs.

Bonilla, Meyer and Hoehner all had two of Southeast's eight hits.

Lammers (5-3) gave up five hits and two runs in 7 1/3 innings to notch the win. He struck out two and walked one.

Dan Huesgen (8-5) took the loss. He allowed 12 hits and all six runs -- but only three were earned -- in 6 1/3 innings. He fanned four and did not issue a walk. Freshman Brandon Smith fanned three and allowed two hits in 1 2/3 innings.

Thursday night, Eastern Kentucky knocked out Southeast ace Ryan Spille with a seven-run second inning and the Indians never recovered.

"They really blitzed us," said Hogan. "They have an outstanding hitting ballclub and they really jumped on us."

Spille (10-4) gave up seven runs (six earned) and eight hits in just 1 2/3 innings. He walked two and did not collect a strikeout.

Chad Bogenpohl allowed two runs and three hits in 4 1/3 innings. He fanned four and walked none.

Allen Landgren gave up four runs -- all of them unearned -- and three hits in three innings. He fanned one and walked none.

Left-hander Corey Eagle (8-4) limited the Indians two only two hits through six innings. He wound up allowing seven hits and six runs in eight innings.

"Both left-handers (Lammers and Eagle) were really tough on us," said Hogan. "Both threw very well."

Sean Murray belted two home runs among his three hits and he had four RBIs to pace the Colonels. Lee Chapman got his 20th homer while Jason Sharp and J.D. Bussell also homered. Chapman had three hits and three RBIs while Sharp, Bussell and Tom White all added two hits. Bussell contributed three RBIs.

Jeremy Johnson, the OVC batting champion, had three of Southeast's nine hits. Darin Kinsolving hit his 14th homer of the season, a three-run shot in the eighth. But it was much too little too late for the Indians.

"I'm grateful to the seniors (the Indians lose 10)," said Hogan. "They gave us our first OVC (tournament) championship and it was a real pleasure to work with them.

"And we've got a lot to be excited about for the future. We return a lot of key players and we'll add some very good recruits."