SE BATS AWAKE, BEAT PANTHERS 11-10

Trailing 8-2 to Eastern Illinois after the first three innings Saturday night at Capaha Field, it appeared the Southeast Indian baseball team was on their way to another OVC series-opening loss.

But the Indian bats awoke for seven runs in the fourth to take the lead and Lamonte Collier's solo home run in the fifth -- the fourth homer of the game for the Indians -- proved to be the winning run as Southeast prevailed 11-10.

The win marked the first time this season Southeast opened a conference series with a victory as they improved to 9-18 overall and 4-6 in the OVC. Eastern dropped to 10-16 and 3-4.

"Our players understand our backs are against the wall in league play," said a relieved Mark Hogan. "It feels good to get the first win for once."

Troy Pehle, following a shaky start, pitched five strong innings in relief of starter Jason Swearingen for the win. Pehle (3-2) entered the game with two outs in the third with the Indians trailing 5-2 and promptly served up a three-run home run to the Panthers' Justin Stone to put Southeast in an 8-2 hole.

"(Trailing) 8-2 was a sting," Hogan said. "If we would have had another bad inning we would have probably lost."

But the Indians battled back with a run in the third before exploding for the seven runs in the fourth. All of the Indian runs in the fourth came with two outs.

Collier got things rolling with a bases-loaded single to plate two runs and chase Panthers' starter Brian Prina. John Larson took the mound following Prina and was quickly abused by the Indians.

Mike Miller greeted Larson with a ringing double to left to score two more runs and make the score 8-7. Miller went 3-for-3 with a home run, two doubles and four RBI before leaving the game with a hand injury in the fifth.

With Miller on second, the Indians dropped the bomb on Larson with back-to-back home runs by Brian Pepper and Kyle Yount. Pepper lofted a pitch to right and then Yount drove a Larson pitch into a strong wind in left to put Southeast ahead 10-8.

Collier added a solo home run to right field to put the Indians up 11-8. Collier, entering the game batting .405, went 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored.

"I was feeling less pressure with the other guys hitting behind me," said Collier, who earlier in the season was the Indians' only consistent offensive presence. "Hitting is contagious on our team. All it takes is one person to get us going."

Eastern, which had three home runs, threatened in the eighth with a two-run home run by Josh Zink off Pehle, but Dan Huesgen came on in relief to record the final four outs for the save.

The two teams return to action today with a noon doubleheader.