Redhawks squander chance at sweep

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team did just about everything right for most of 17 innings over the past two days.

That allowed the Redhawks to come tantalizingly close to an impressive two-game sweep of highly regarded Missouri State.

But the 18th and final inning proved the Redhawks' downfall.

MSU pushed across two unearned runs in the top of the ninth inning Wednesday to beat host Southeast 7-6.

The Bears (15-6) left Cape Girardeau thankful for a split, while the Redhawks (9-8) were left to ponder their near-miss, after they won Tuesday's series opener 6-2.

"We played so well for most of these two games," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said. "You hate to get to the ninth inning and not finish it off.

"Everything was set up for a great win. They snatched it from us. It was just one of those things."

MSU coach Keith Guttin knew his squad dodged a major bullet after the Bears scored their two ninth-inning runs without the benefit of a hit.

"We're fortunate to win," Guttin said. "SEMO played well. I think they'll do very well in the OVC.

"It didn't look real good for a while there. We didn't play very well [in the series], but give them credit."

Matt Wagner's three-run double with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning gave Southeast a 6-5 lead, which the Redhawks carried into the ninth.

Ben Woodbury led off the inning by reaching on an error as shortstop Nick Harris booted his routine ground ball.

James Leigh, one of Southeast's weekend starting pitchers, replaced Todd Strahlendorf on the mound.

Leigh appeared poised to add a save to his Ohio Valley Conference-leading four wins when Nolan Keane's bunt was caught in the air by Leigh, who doubled Woodbury off first.

Down to their last out, the Bears' Brayden Drake was hit by a pitch. Ben Carlson then walked on a controversial 3-2 pitch as it appeared he had gone too far, but the base umpire ruled on an appeal that Carlson was able to check his swing.

With Dallas Hord at the plate, Leigh uncorked a wild pitch that allowed the runners to move up to second and third.

When Hord sent a ground ball toward short, it looked like the Redhawks would nail down the victory. But the ball came up on Harris and bounced off his arm into the outfield for his second error of the frame -- and third of the game -- allowing both runs to score.

"You've got to make the plays," Hogan said. "We gave them five outs."

The Redhawks were retired in order in the bottom of the ninth.

"It's a game we should have won, but give them credit," Hogan said. "They put the ball in play.

"You just have to get over it, put it behind you."

Leigh suffered his first loss of the season, despite lowering his ERA to 0.72. He entered the week ranked eighth nationally in that department.

Despite the gut-wrenching loss, Hogan continued to see positive signs from the Redhawks, particularly from a variety of pitchers as the coach continues to try to sort out his staff.

Four Southeast relievers -- not counting Leigh -- combined for 5 2/3 innings of five-hit ball, allowing just one earned run.

Lance Rhodes was the most effective, as he worked three scoreless innings, allowing one hit.

"We found out more about our pitching," Hogan said. "These two games were good for us. We needed to play them."

Southeast had just six hits, led by Harris with a pair of doubles. Wagner had four RBIs.

Carlson went 3-for-3 to pace the Bears' 10-hit attack.

Southeast, 2-1 in the OVC, resumes league play this weekend with a three-game series at Tennessee-Martin. The teams play two games Saturday and one Sunday.