SE SWEEPS SMS, EXTENDS WIN STEAK TO 8

Right now, it's hard to imagine Southeast Missouri State University's baseball team playing any better.

The Indians pushed their winning streak to eight games Sunday afternoon with an impressive doubleheader sweep of perennial powerhouse Southwest Missouri State.

Nearly 800 fans at sunny Capaha Field saw the Indians prevail 11-6 and 5-3 as they improved to 8-2 on the season.

SMS, which reached the NCAA regional finals last season and has qualified for regional play in four of the past five seasons, fell to 2-4.

"I have a lot of respect for their program and what coach (Keith) Guttin has done," said Southeast coach Mark Hogan. "We're just playing very well right now. I'm really happy with where the guys are at."

Southeast is clicking on virtually all cylinders. The Indians are batting .293 as a team; they're fielding a stellar .977, with just nine errors in 10 games; and their pitchers have a 3.24 earned-run average as they are allowing opposing batters to hit just .231.

And it's not as if the Indians are doing all of the above against a creampuff schedule. Southeast has already faced 1999 NCAA regional qualifiers SMS and Arkansas in addition to Big 12 Conference member Iowa State.

This weekend, the Indians travel to Mississippi for two games and they host Missouri next Wednesday. Both those squads also qualified for the regionals last season.

"That's probably the thing that's the most satisfying, the success we're having against the types of teams we're playing," Hogan said. "But we have to keep improving because it (the Indians' schedule) sure doesn't get any easier."

Sunday's sweep featured two different types of games, and two different types of Southeast victories.

In the opener, the teams traded a few leads before Southeast exploded for seven runs in the eighth inning to wipe out a 5-4 deficit.

In the nightcap, the Indians jumped out to a 4-0 first-inning lead and held off a late SMS charge.

"I thought they were two good ballgames," said Hogan.

Southeast had 22 hits in the twin bill, led by Kevin Meyer with four, three coming in the opener. Jeremy Johnson, Phil Warren and Charlie Marino all added three hits on the day. Johnson and Darin Kinsolving each belted his first home run of the season in the second game.

The hitting star for SMS -- and of the doubleheader -- was slugging first baseman Ryan Howard. The sophomore had a pair of two-run homers in the opener and a three-run shot in the nightcap.

"I think he bombed a couple against us last year," said an admiring Hogan. "He hit some tremendous shots."

Two Southeast Missouri high school products, Matt Gardner of Hayti and Greg Mathis of South Pemiscot, each added three hits for the Bears.

Trailing 5-4 entering the bottom of the eighth in the first game, the Indians took advantage of several defensive blunders by the Bears.

Bourbon, leading off in the eighth, lofted what appeared to be a routine pop fly between first and second. But second baseman Gardner inexplicably dropped the ball for an error. Bourbon then would have been out by plenty trying to take second, but Howard threw wild for another error as Bourbon raced to third.

Marino's pop-fly single to center scored Bourbon to make it 5-5. Marino was then thrown out trying to steal second, just the Indians' second unsuccessful theft attempt in 29 chances.

Zach Borowiak then sent a routine grounder to third for what looked like the second out. But third baseman Mike Collier allowed the ball to go past him for an error as Borowiak raced to second.

Shane Allen bounced to the pitcher for the second out. Meyer then singled off Howard's glove as Borowiak was held at third. Up stepped Clemente Bonilla, who laid down a perfect bunt down the left side. Bonilla easily reached on an infield single as Borowiak dashed home with the tie-breaking run.

"Their third baseman (Collier) had been playing me in all day, but he was back and I figured one run would win it," explained Bonilla, who added with a grin, "I didn't know we'd bang out eight more runs."

Actually, the Indians got five more runs, but that was plenty. Johnson added an RBI single while Warren had a two-run double and Bourbon delivered a two-run single to break things open.

Dan Huesgen pitched the first four innings, allowing six hits and five runs (four earned). He struck out four and walked five.

Jeffrey Hilz (3-1) came on and was extremely strong as he hurled the final five innings, allowing three hits and one run while fanning seven and walking two.

"He threw great. He's done that a few times already," said Hogan of Hilz.

The story of the second game was Lanson Debrock. The senior from Notre Dame High School continued his brilliant season with seven shutout innings. Debrock (2-1) allowed just three hits -- and only one in the first six innings while fanning six and walking none.

Debrock, who lowered his ERA to a minuscule 0.45, said, "Confidence wise, I'm a lot more calm and collected. I'm hitting my spots. And the team is playing so great behind me."

Debrock, who has had some rough outings against the Bears in the past, added with a smile, "My sophomore year, we lost 18-17 and I was the losing pitcher. Last year, I don't think I lasted three innings against them. You could say I owed them something."

The Indians gave Debrock all the support he needed in the opening inning as Johnson belted a three-run homer and Kinsolving drilled a solo shot. Southeast scored its other run in the sixth.

Augie Casson hurled the final two frames and was touched for Howard's three-run bomb in the ninth, but he was able to escape further damage.

Allen, making his first start of the season at first base, contributed two hits.