Redhawks open OVC with road sweep of Eagles

The last time the Southeast Missouri State baseball team had swept an Ohio Valley Conference road series was back in 2005, at Tennessee Tech.

Southeast now can add another three-game OVC road sweep to its resume -- and in a familiar setting.

The Redhawks capped an impressive start to their league schedule with Sunday's 7-4 victory over host Tennessee Tech.

That came after Southeast won both ends of Saturday's doubleheader in Cookeville, Tenn., 14-2 and 4-3.

Southeast improved to 13-8 overall and joined Eastern Illinois as the only OVC teams to sweep their conference-opening series.

"It's so hard to sweep a conference series on the road," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said. "You go on the road, you'd love to win two out of three.

"Our guys played great and I'm really proud of them. To get all three is just an exciting start to the conference season."

The Redhawks entered the series struggling on the mound, having allowed 46 runs in their previous three games and sporting a 6.97 ERA.

Southeast's pitching was strong all weekend, allowing just nine runs after the Eagles (10-8) had been averaging more than seven runs per game.

"Our pitching was great this weekend," said Hogan, whose squad led 7-2 on Sunday before allowing two ninth-inning runs. "They really bounced back after a rough few games."

The Redhawks have been searching for a No. 3 starter for OVC play and may have found one Sunday.

Senior Todd Strahlendorf began the season as a candidate for that role, but had been limited to just 3 2/3 innings because of a strained groin.

Strahlendorf, pitching for the first time in 15 days, worked the first four innings Sunday. He allowed a two-run homer in the opening frame but retired the final 11 batters he faced.

Strahlendorf gave up two hits and no walks while striking out five. He received credit for the win in his first decision of the season.

"Todd was really sharp," Hogan said. "You couldn't really ask him to do much more."

Junior college transfer John Salazar followed with 3 2/3 scoreless innings. He allowed three hits, struck out four and walked three.

"He really threw well," Hogan said.

Junior Kirk Boeller, a Notre Dame Regional High School product, replaced Salazar with two on and two out in the eighth inning.

Boeller retired the first batter he faced to escape that jam, then was pulled after allowing a double and walk with one out in the ninth inning.

That's when things got interesting as the Redhawks tried to protect their 7-2 lead.

Junior left-hander Andy Stephens from Scott City walked the first batter he faced to load the bases, and then gave way to senior Ryan Poole.

Poole allowed a flare single that made it 7-3 and kept the bases full. He retired the next batter on a ground ball that brought in a run and left runners on second and third. Both Tech runs in the inning were charged to Boeller.

A.J. Kirby-Jones, one of the top sluggers in the OVC who homered earlier in the day, was intentionally walked to load the bases.

On to the mound came junior catcher Jim Klocke, among the OVC's top hitters who has also emerged as one of the league's premier closers in his first season as a pitcher.

Klocke notched his OVC-leading fifth save of the season -- and second of the series -- by getting Ben Burgess on a ground ball to second base.

Klocke recorded the final six outs of Saturday's 4-3 nightcap.

"He's just a machine," Hogan said.

Southeast scored a run in the top of the first inning, but Tech moved on top in the bottom of the frame on a two-run homer by Kirby-Jones, his eighth of the season.

The Redhawks took the lead for good with a three-run second inning.

An RBI single by freshman shortstop Kenton Parmley tied the contest. The go-ahead run scored when Klocke drew a bases-loaded walk.

Senior left fielder Justin Wheeler provided some breathing room with a three-run homer in the fifth inning.

It was Wheeler's second home run of the series and team-leading eighth of the year, which is tied for the most in the OVC.

Southeast finished with eight hits, led by junior center fielder Nick Harris, who went 2-for-4.

"It was just a great weekend for us," Hogan said.

Southeast has a nonconference game Tuesday night at Arkansas State. The Redhawks resume OVC play this weekend with a home series against Tennessee-Martin.