Series win vs. EIU keeps Redhawks in tie for first

~ Southeast claimed the deciding game of series Sunday with a 10-4 win.

Southeast Missouri State suffered its first Ohio Valley Conference series loss of the season last weekend at Austin Peay.

The Redhawks were determined not to let it happen a second straight time.

Omar Padilla and Ivan Nails were largely responsible for making sure it wouldn't.

Padilla drove in six runs, four on a grand slam, while Nails was dominant out of the bullpen as Southeast defeated visiting Eastern Illinois 10-4 on Sunday afternoon.

The squads split Saturday's doubleheader, Southeast winning 10-5 and the Panthers romping 14-4.

So Southeast (27-18, 12-6) remains in a three-way tie for first place in the OVC, along with Austin Peay and Jacksonville State.

"This game was a lot closer than the score," Southeast coach Mark Hogan. "We showed a lot to bounce back like this after getting it handed to us in the second game yesterday.

"Taking two out of three in any series is good."

Padilla, Southeast's all-OVC senior second baseman, delivered a two-run double in the second inning that put the Redhawks up 2-1.

In the seventh inning, he basically put the game out of reach with his seventh home run of the season, a grand slam that made it 10-3. Six of Padilla's homers have been in conference play.

"I felt good today at the plate," said Padilla, who leads the Redhawks with a .341 batting average, including a team-high .382 in OVC games. "Even though it was disappointing to lose yesterday, it's a good feeling to win two out of three."

Both of Padilla's big hits came with two outs as the Redhawks scored all 10 of their runs in that fashion.

"That's amazing," Hogan said.

Nails was fairly amazing in his own right.

Southeast freshman left-hander Josh Syberg ran into trouble in the fourth inning as EIU (18-21, 8-9) scored two runs to forge a 3-3 tie and still had two men on with one out.

Nails, who is primarily Southeast's closer -- he leads the squad with three saves -- came in earlier than usual.

The junior right-hander immediately induced a double-play ground ball to escape the threat and keep the contest deadlocked.

Nails, a junior college transfer whose previous longest outing at Southeast had been four innings, proceeded to pitch the rest of the way.

Nails went 5 2/3 innings, allowing three hits and a harmless ninth-inning run as he improved to 3-2.

"He was huge, to give up only one run to those guys," Hogan said.

Said Padilla: "Ivan really picked us up."

Nails said he had no idea he would be in the game that long, but felt strong until the very end.

"I still had good stuff," said Nails, who struck out one and walked one. "I just wanted to keep it close and keep us in the game."

Padilla went 2-for-5 and finished the series 6-for-12.

"Omar had some really big hits for us," Hogan said. "He's just a money player."

Also contributing two hits to Southeast's 10-hit attack were freshman catcher Jim Klocke, sophomore designated hitter Matt Wulfers and senior right fielder Daryl Graham.

Klocke belted his third homer of the season, and second in five days, in the fourth inning to break a 3-3 tie. He is Southeast's second-leading hitter both overall (.331) and in conference games (.373).

Wulfers added a two-run single later in the fourth inning to make it 6-3 and finished the series with four RBIs.

Syberg struggled with his control, walking four in 3 1/3 innings. He allowed five hits and three runs, two earned.

A key defensive play that might have gotten lost in the shuffle since Southeast pulled away late was turned in by senior center fielder Dustin Pritchett.

Pritchett made a dazzling, diving catch of what would have been at least a double in the third inning. The Panthers later had a single and a walk in the frame but failed to score as Southeast retained a 2-1 lead.

"That was a great catch, and it might have prevented a potential big inning for them," Hogan said.

Southeast concludes a six-game homestand Wednesday when Arkansas State visits Capaha Field for a 6:30 p.m. non-league contest.

Bluff City Beer will be the game sponsor.