Saint Louis University blanks Southeast Missouri State baseball team

~ The Redhawks' Derek Gibson saw his hitting streak end at 29 games

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team had scored 27 runs in its previous two games, both Ohio Valley Conference wins at Tennessee-Martin.

Those hot bats were silenced Tuesday night against one of the nation's better pitching staffs in the Redhawks' final nonconference game of the season.

Saint Louis University, which sported an Atlantic 10 Conference-leading 3.26 ERA entering the contest, shut out visiting Southeast 4-0 in a game that took just 1 hour, 46 minutes.

Three SLU hurlers limited the Redhawks to seven hits to help the Billikens (30-14) sweep the season series from Southeast (16-30). SLU beat the Redhawks 22-11 on March 6 in Cape Girardeau.

There was one major offensive highlight for Southeast. Senior shortstop Kenton Parmley's eighth-inning single gave him 287 career hits to tie the school record set by Jeremy Johnson from 1997 through 2000.

Parmley extended his streak of reaching base safely to 62 consecutive games. He recently had his school and OVC record 47-game hitting streak snapped, which is tied for the third-longest in NCAA Division I history.

Southeast All-American senior third baseman Trenton Moses, who had two hits, has reached base safely in a school-record 66 straight games. Neither the OVC nor NCAA keeps a record for that category.

The Redhawks did see one notable streak end. Sophomore left fielder Derek Gibson went 0 for 4 to snap his 29-game hitting streak.

The Bills were limited to seven hits, but two of their runs were unearned on two key errors by the Redhawks.

"Tonight was pretty much a pitching night," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said. "We made a couple of mistakes, and they capitalized. That was the difference in the game."

Senior Zack Smith (1-0), who had pitched just 13 innings all year, worked the first five innings for the victory.

Smith, who was touched for five runs over two innings during the earlier meeting with Southeast, allowed five hits. He struck out three and did not issue a walk.

True freshman James Norwood pitched two one-hit innings before senior closer Travis Parker worked the final two frames. He allowed one hit.

Parker has not allowed an earned run over 29 2/3 innings this year.

Southeast true freshman left-hander Will Spitzfaden gave up just an unearned run through the first five innings.

Spitzfaden was lifted after allowing a single and a walk to begin the sixth inning. Both runners scored, and the runs were ruled earned although they might have been avoided if not for an error.

Spitzfaden (1-2), who took the loss, gave up four hits and one walk.

Senior left-hander Ryan Prickett, who relieved Spitzfaden, was charged with an unearned run in the sixth inning.

Junior college transfer left-hander Ryan Kendall and sophomore left-hander Christian Hull both pitched a scoreless inning.

Gibson honored

Gibson was named National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association national hitter of the week Tuesday, one day after he received the OVC player of the week award.

Gibson batted .571 with three home runs, three doubles and 13 RBIs last week. He slugged 1.143 during the week.