Redhawks baseball yields home sweep to Austin Peay

Defending Ohio Valley Conference baseball champion Austin Peay came to Cape Girardeau in an unusual position.

The Governors, who have won three OVC regular-season titles in the past five years, entered a three-game series at Capaha Field in seventh place. Only the top six finishers make the conference tournament.

Sure, 12 OVC games remained in the season, so the Govs' situation was not dire.

But suffice to say, Austin Peay did not want to lose any more ground in the OVC race.

Mission accomplished at the expense of host Southeast Missouri State.

Austin Peay had the Redhawks in a hole for virtually all of Saturday's doubleheader and came away with a pair of one-run wins, 6-5 in the nine-inning opener and 7-6 in the seven-inning nightcap.

"It's huge to come up here and get two wins," Austin Peay coach Gary McClure said. "No question this is a big series for both teams."

The Govs (21-21, 9-8) moved up to a tie for third place in the 10-team OVC.

Southeast (17-18, 7-8) fell from fourth to seventh, although the Redhawks are only percentage points out of a tie for fifth.

"Losing two at home doesn't happen very often," said Southeast coach Mark Hogan, whose squad had a three-game winning streak snapped. "It stings pretty good."

Southeast was never ahead in the opener, and led for only two innings -- 1-0 after scoring in the opening frame -- of the nightcap.

The Redhawks managed to erase five-run deficits in each contest, but the Govs scored late runs in both games.

"It's tough," said Hogan of having to play from behind most of the doubleheader.

Although Southeast's pitching again was up and down in the two games, perhaps the biggest reason Austin Peay swept was that the Govs were able to handle the Redhawks' powerful lineup.

The Redhawks entered the day with an OVC-leading 45 home runs, along with 58 doubles.

Southeast had just one extra-base hit, that a second-game double by Nick Harris that caromed off the third baseman and could have been scored an error.

"Give them credit. They pitched tough," Hogan said.

On the other hand, Austin Peay -- with 27 homers entering the doubleheader -- belted three out of Capaha Field. The Govs added four doubles.

"I knew they could swing the bat," McClure said of the Redhawks. "When I saw all the home runs. ... I didn't like seeing that. Our guys did a good job."

Austin Peay reached Southeast ace Dustin Renfrow for three runs in the first inning of the opener, then added single runs in the second and fifth to lead 5-0.

Renfrow, who worked 7 2/3 innings, allowed only two hits after the second. He gave up five hits, but was charged with six runs and the loss. Renfrow (3-4) was hurt by five walks.

Southeast rallied with two in the fifth and three in the seventh for a 5-5 tie, but Tyler Farrar's one-out homer in the eighth put the Govs up to stay.

The nightcap followed a similar pattern.

After the Redhawks led 1-0, Austin Peay took control with a six-run third that not only knocked out Southeast starter James Leigh, but also reliever Ivan Nails.

Two unearned runs by Southeast in the fourth made it 6-3, and the Redhawks tied things with a three-run fourth.

After Southeast's Ryan Poole had stopped the bleeding with two scoreless innings, Austin Peay again broke through.

The Govs scored the winning run in the sixth after Southeast failed to turn a double play that would have ended the inning. Poole suffered the loss.

"We had a chance to turn the double play," Hogan said.

Daniel Tenholder nailed down both wins for the Govs, giving him an OVC-leading 10 saves. Tenholder worked the final inning of the opener and the final 1 2/3 innings of the nightcap.

Southeast outhit Austin Peay 18-13 -- Justin Wheeler had three hits in the opener and Tony Spencer did likewise in the nightcap -- but stranded nine runners in each game.

The Redhawks will try to salvage the series finale at 1 p.m. today.

"It's a big game, but they're all huge," Hogan said.