Murray State, rain undermine Redhawks

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team saw one bad inning and Mother Nature conspire to prevent its bid for an Ohio Valley Conference series sweep.

Murray State scored six fourth-inning runs to grab a 6-2 lead Sunday in Murray, Ky.

Rain soon began to fall and play was stopped in the top of the sixth inning when lightning hit the area.

When rain and lightning continued, the game was officially called after a delay of 1 hour, 35 minutes. The Thoroughbreds were awarded a 6-2, five-inning victory.

That came after Southeast swept Saturday's doubleheader 5-4 and 17-7.

The Redhawks fell to 27-16 overall and 10-6 in OVC play as they lost for just the second time in their last 13 games. MSU improved to 15-25 and 6-7.

Southeast remained second in the nine-team OVC but fell one game behind Austin Peay, which finished a series sweep at Morehead State.

The squads began the day virtually tied for the top spot, with Austin Peay percentage points ahead. Southeast now trails the Govs by two games on the loss side.

After three scoreless innings, Southeast struck in the fourth on a two-run, two-out homer by junior third baseman Trenton Moses.

It was the ninth home run of the season for Moses, who has 42 RBIs. He entered Sunday's game second in the OVC in batting average, tied for second in RBIs and tied for fifth in homers. Moses, who went 2 for 2, now is hitting .396.

MSU's fourth featured seven hits. Elliot Frey delivered the big blow, a two-run double. The Thoroughbreds had only one hit in the other four innings.

The Redhawks loaded the bases with one out in the fifth inning but failed to score.

Southeast had runners on first and third with nobody out in the sixth inning when play was stopped.

The Redhawks, after getting 23 hits in Saturday's doubleheader, managed just four hits Sunday.

Senior Jon Dicus (3-4) took the loss. He allowed seven hits and was charged with all six runs in 3 2/3 innings. He carried a one-hitter into the fourth inning.

Sophomore Shae Simmons from Scott City relieved Dicus in the fourth. Simmons gave up a hit before recording the final out. Simmons worked a perfect fifth.

Luke Shuemaker (3-4) pitched four innings for the win.

Southeast returns to action Tuesday with a 6:35 p.m. nonconference game at perennial national power Arkansas. The squads also will play at 6:35 p.m. Wednesday.