Redhawks' troubles persist in 11-2 rout

Southeast suffered its fourth straight series loss in OVC play. ~

Southeast Missourian

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -- After two tight games Saturday, Southeast Missouri State was resoundingly sent to its fourth consecutive Ohio Valley Conference series loss.

Austin Peay jumped on the visiting Redhawks early and often Sunday, romping 11-2 to take two of three in the weekend set.

The Redhawks (13-21, 4-8), who have dropped two of three in all four of their OVC series so far, remained eighth in the 10-team conference. The Governors (21-14, 7-5) are in third place.

Southeast, which won the opener of Saturday's doubleheader 6-4 before dropping the nightcap 5-3, fell behind 6-0 after two innings Sunday, and the Redhawks trailed 9-0 after five innings.

After scoring five runs in the first inning of Saturday's opener, the Redhawks were limited to just six runs over the final 24 innings of the series.

Andy Johnson (0-3) did not make it out of the second inning Sunday and took the loss. Johnson, who left with the bases loaded and nobody out, was charged with five runs on three hits, with one strikeout, two walks and a hit batter.

Ryan Forsyth gave up four runs (three earned) and six hits in 3 2/3 innings, with one strikeout and two walks. Josh Parham allowed two runs and two hits in 1 2/3 innings, walking one.

The Redhawks' final two pitchers came away unscathed. Brent Lawson retired both batters he faced, while Bill Clayton gave up two hits in a scoreless inning. It was just Clayton's second appearance of the year after offseason surgery.

Shawn Kelley (3-2) limited Southeast to seven hits and two runs in seven innings. He struck out seven and walked one.

Eric Horstman had three of Southeast's eight hits, while Freddy Lopez added two hits.

Cody Youngblood, Jake Peterson, Tommy Smith, Jeremy Cabbage and Brett Luther all had two of the Govs' 13 hits. Cabbage, who drilled a two-run, walk-off homer to beat Southeast in Saturday's nightcap, added another home run Sunday.

Austin Peay used three hits to score two runs in the first inning, then scored four runs on just two hits in the second to go up 6-0. Southeast helped the Govs with three walks and two hit batters.

Three runs in the fifth made it 9-0 before Southeast finally broke through with a run in the sixth, as Horstman's double plated Jordan Payne, who had doubled.

The Redhawks made it 9-2 in the seventh when Levi Olson's double scored Lopez, who had singled. But Austin Peay completed the rout with its final two runs in the bottom of the seventh.

Southeast's Ernie Bracamonte went 0-for-4 to end his 15-game hitting streak.

The Redhawks have a nonconference game Tuesday night at Arkansas State before hosting Eastern Illinois this weekend in a three-game OVC series.