SEMO BASEBALL TEAM FALLS PART LATE IN LOSS TO TECH

Sunday afternoon's Ohio Valley Conference baseball game at Capaha Park between Southeast Missouri State University and Tennessee Tech had all the makings of a fantastic pitching duel.

But a couple of Indian mistakes in the field turned the duel between the Indians' Jason Swearingen and Tech's Matt Frey into an offensive shootout for the Eagles. Tech scored eight runs with two outs in the eighth inning to pull away for a 10-2 win.

"We talked last night about this team being able to come back with two outs and have a big rally and thank the Lord that's what happened," said Tech coach David Mays. "They (Southeast) made a couple of mistakes that kept the inning going, but a good team will take advantage of that."

The win gave Tech (14-8, 3-3 OVC) a 2-1 series win after the two teams split a doubleheader Saturday. Southeast (6-14, 2-4 OVC) continued its offensive struggles, collecting just five hits in the game. In fact, the Indians totaled five hits in each of the three games this weekend.

"We're just not getting the job done on the field," said frustrated Indians' coach Mark Hogan. "The kids have worked their tails off and done a great job of preparation, but the results have not been indicative of the work this club has put in."

For example, Hogan pointed out the Indians' solid session of batting practice just prior to the game.

"We hit the ball extremely well in b.p., but it just didn't carry over," Hogan said. "Now a lot of it has to do with the kid that was pitching."

That "kid" was Tech righthander Frey (3-3). The Eagles' senior pitched all nine innings, striking out 11 and allowing just two earned runs and three walks.

Swearingen (2-2) took the loss, pitching seven innings and allowing three runs on seven hits. Only two of the runs were earned. Frey and Swearingen were hooked up in a classic pitching battle until the wheels came off the wagon for Southeast.

Leading 1-0 on a solo home run by Indian first baseman Mike Miller in the fifth, Tech scored two in the seventh inning to take the lead for good. The go-ahead run scored with two outs on a fluke error by Miller.

With runners on second and third, Tech leadoff batter Chad Malone bunted down the first-base line right to Miller. The Indian senior fielded the ball cleanly and headed to first for the final out of the inning. But as Miller got to the base, the ball inexplicably popped out of his glove allowing a run to score and giving Tech a 2-1 lead.

Swearingen got out of that jam but allowed a leadoff single to start the eighth inning. Hogan pulled his starter in favor of Dan Huesgen, and the freshman righthander promptly struck out the next two batters.

But then things went downhill for Southeast. Five hits, three walks, three pitchers and an error later, Tech held a 10-1 lead and coasted to victory.

Tech leftfielder Ryan Browning went 4-for-4 with three singles and a double. Five different players collected the Indians' hits.

Southeast will return to action Tuesday night, hosting non-league foe St. Louis in a 6 o'clock start.