Redhawks' five-game winning streak ends at Central Arkansas

~ Central Arkansas surprised the OVC front-runner with an 8-7 victory

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team had its five-game winning streak snapped by an unlikely source.

Central Arkansas, the last-place squad in the Southland Conference, beat Ohio Valley Conference leader Southeast 8-7 on Tuesday night in Conway, Ark.

Southeast (25-15, 10-4 OVC) and UCA (13-27, 4-17 Southland) close out their two-game series at 3 p.m. today.

The Redhawks, who entered the contest fourth nationally with a .357 batting average, continued to thrive offensively as they had 16 hits. But Southeast, averaging nearly nine runs per game, stranded 11 on the bases.

UCA, which came into play batting just .274 and averaging less than six runs per game, also had a strong night offensively with 13 hits.

Senior All-American Jim Klocke went 4 for 4 with a home run, double, three runs batted in and three runs scored to lead the Redhawks.

Junior Tim Rupp had three hits for Southeast, while sophomore Kenton Parmley, junior Michael Adamson and junior Casey Jones all added two hits. Junior Blake Slattery from Central High School had two RBIs.

Haseltine hits 16th HR

Jones extended his hitting streak to 14 games, while junior Louie Haseltine extended his hitting streak to 16 games with a homer leading off the ninth inning that pulled Southeast within 8-7. It was Haseltine's team-high 16th home run.

Haseltine and Jones have the two longest current hitting streaks in the OVC. Jones ranks eighth nationally with a .448 batting average.

By far the bright spot on the mound for Southeast was senior Kirk Boeller, a Notre Dame Regional High School graduate.

Boeller, the Redhawks' third and final pitcher of the game, allowed one hit in 3 1/3 shutout innings. He struck out three and walked one.

Senior Kyle Gumieny, tied for the OVC lead in wins, suffered his first loss of the year.

Gumieny (7-1), who recently was moved to the bullpen, allowed three runs and five hits in three innings. He struck out two and walked two.

Junior Corey Harness, Southeast's starter, lasted just 1 2/3 innings. He was touched for five runs and seven hits. He struck out two and walked two.

Southeast came out strong at the plate as the first four batters of the game all hit safely.

Parmley led off with a single, Adamson singled, Klocke delivered an RBI double and Jones followed with an RBI single for a quick 2-0 lead.

The Bears answered with two runs in the bottom of the first and scored three in the second for a 5-2 advantage.

Southeast never regained the lead, although the Redhawks did forge a 5-5 tie on Klocke's two-run homer in the fourth.

UCA went back ahead 8-5 with a three-run fifth and the Bears were able to hold off Southeast the rest of the way.

The Redhawks made it 8-6 in the seventh but left the bases loaded in the eighth.

After Haseltine's leadoff homer in the ninth, Southeast put a runner on with one out but did no further damage.

Michael Pair and Blake Roberts both had three hits and two RBIs for UCA.

Michael Wild (3-6), UCA's second of three hurlers, allowed three runs and nine hits in five innings for the win.

Bobby Pritchett recorded the final three outs for his second save of the season.