SE COVERS BILLS WITH SIX RUNS

Saint Louis University has not had an impressive baseball season.

But something about Southeast Missouri State University's Indians must bring out the best in the Billikens.

Back on April 20, the Billikens rallied to beat the visiting Indians 9-7.

And Tuesday night at Capaha Field, SLU once again gave Southeast fits before the Indians squeezed out a 6-5 victory in front of more than 300 fans.

The non-conference triumph pushed the Indians above the .500 mark at 25-24 heading into tonight's 6 o'clock home game against Memphis. SLU fell to 13-36.

"It was an excellent game all around," said Southeast coach Mark Hogan. "Both teams played extremely well. They (SLU) have played two very good games against us."

It was perhaps poetic justice that Southeast pitcher Chad Bogenpohl gained the victory in relief.

Bogenpohl made his first start of the season in that April 20 game and pitched six dominating innings against SLU, striking out 11. When he left the contest, the Indians led 7-1 and Bogenpohl appeared headed for an easy victory -- only to see the Billikens rally.

Tuesday, Bogenpohl again dominated the SLU batters, allowing just two hits and one run over the final five innings. He fanned seven and walked one in improving to 4-2.

Bogenpohl, a senior right-hander who had been impressive in recent weeks, was happy to bounce back from Sunday's disappointing outing at Murray State.

"I didn't do well (Sunday) but tonight I had real good stuff, especially the last couple of innings," said Bogenpohl. "Even though it's not a conference game, it's still a good win for us."

Southeast starter Todd Pennington, a freshman, allowed three hits and four runs (three earned) in four innings.

"I thought Todd threw well. They (SLU) have a very good hitting team," Hogan said. "And Bogie had excellent stuff. He really looked good."

The Indians had 12 hits, including a 3-for-3 performance from Darin Kinsolving. Jeremy Johnson and Jeff Bourbon each had two hits, with Johnson belting his 10th home runs of the season. Steve Lowe drove in two runs.

SLU had only five hits but two of them went for homers, Nick Crocker's 14th and Jason Wood's third.

The Billikens went ahead 1-0 in the first without the benefit of a hit but Johnson's home run in the bottom of the frame tied things.

SLU grabbed a 4-1 lead with a three-run third, highlighted by Crocker's long two-run homer to right.

Southeast tied it again with a three-run fourth, sparked by Lowe's two-run triple.

The Indians went ahead 5-4 in the fifth as Johnson doubled and came home on Kinsolving's double.

SLU pulled into an eighth-inning deadlock on Wood's leadoff homer as Bogenpohl made one of his few mistakes of the night.

But the Indians came right back in the bottom of the eighth to score the winning run in an unusual manner. Kevin Meyer led off with a triple and came home when a swinging third strike to Jeff Bourbon got away for a wild pitch.

Even though the game wasn't an Ohio Valley Conference contest -- nor is tonight's matchup -- Hogan said it was still important as the Indians gear up for this weekend's huge OVC series against Tennessee Tech.

"This time of the year, it's really important to win," he said. "We're trying to get ready for the weekend and we need positive things to happen."