Redhawks lose opener in OVC tournament

~ Southeast faces elimination after a 9-5 loss to Tennessee Tech.

PADUCAH, Ky. -- Southeast Missouri State's free-fall continued Wednesday.

It's going to be extremely difficult for the Redhawks to recover from their latest setback.

Fourth-seeded Southeast fell into the Ohio Valley Conference tournament losers bracket as fifth-seeded Tennessee Tech held for a 9-5 victory.

The first-round defeat at Brooks Stadium was Southeast's fifth straight and eighth in its last nine games.

More importantly, the Redhawks now face the task of winning six straight games to claim the title in the six-team event.

"We've got a lot work to do," senior first baseman Matt Wagner said.

Southeast's daunting mission begins at 11 a.m. today against third-seeded Morehead in an elimination contest.

"All we can do is just take it one game at a time," senior right fielder Tyrell Cummings said.

The Redhawks (26-24), making their record 15th straight OVC tournament appearance, lost in the opening round for the first time since 2005.

Southeast was primarily done in Wednesday by one big inning, strong pitching and shaky defense as three errors led to four unearned runs. The Redhawks also were hurt by six walks.

"They had a really good day and they capitalized on our mistakes," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said. "That was the bottom line."

Tech (27-22-1) broke open a scoreless tie in the top of the fifth and chased Southeast ace James Leigh in the six-run uprising that featured just three hits, one on a bunt.

A walk, a bunt single and an error by Leigh on a sacrifice brought in the game's first run and left men on second and third.

Tech slugger A.J. Kirby-Jones, the OVC home-run leader with 17, was intentionally walked to load the bases. Ben Burgess made Southeast pay with a grand slam.

"The slam was huge," Hogan said. "We walked Kirby-Jones, as we said we would, and what a huge pick me up for them with the slam."

After an out, one more walk ended the day for Leigh, who was replaced by senior Todd Strahlendorf. Tech scored one more run in the inning, charged to Leigh.

Leigh (7-3), a senior left-hander, allowed seven hits and four earned runs in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked four.

"Baseball's like that sometimes," Leigh said. "You're doing well, and then you stumble in one inning."

Southeast showed some life at the plate in the sixth inning after Tech ace Lee Henry (8-2), who entered second in the OVC with a 2.88 ERA, blanked the Redhawks on three hits through five frames.

"He completely neutralized us," Hogan said.

The Redhawks compiled four of their 11 hits in the sixth, when they scored three runs on two homers.

Cummings belted a two-run shot, his ninth of the season, while Wagner had a solo blast, his 13th that ties senior left fielder Justin Wheeler for the team lead.

Tech, which began the OVC schedule by losing all three games against Southeast at home before winning nine of its final 14 OVC games, took advantage of two errors to score three seventh-inning runs -- only one earned -- on just one hit to make it 9-3.

"They got three runs in the seventh without hitting the ball out of the infield," Hogan said. "That pretty well sums it up for us."

Southeast got a homer from junior center fielder Nick Harris -- his sixth-- leading off the ninth. Harris led Southeast with three hits.

Cummings later added a two-out, RBI single and the Redhawks still had two runners on before the rally died.

"They just came out and put it on us," Cummings said. "Down 6-0, it's tough to come back."

Strahlendorf was strong in relief, allowing four hits and one earned run in 4 2/3 innings.