Sooners sweep aside Indians

NORMAN, Okla. -- Southeast Missouri State proved it could hit with Oklahoma Sunday. The Indians just couldn't keep up in the pitching and fielding departments.

Southeast banged out nine hits but fell under the strain of three errors and four unearned runs in a 10-2 loss to the Sooners at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

"You're not going to beat a decent club, which OU certainly is, with the type of play that we had," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said after his team was swept in its season-opening, three-game series. "Most of it starts on the mound and we didn't have a very good weekend pitching wise. That's disappointing because we felt like that's going to be one of our strengths. We have to go back home and do some homework."

Jon Nourie, who failed to get out of the third inning, took the loss for the Indians. He gave up seven runs over 2 1/3 innings. He only gave up three hits and only four of the runs were earned.

In the second, Oklahoma (5-1) took a 2-0 lead on Matt Bose's solo home run and Brandon Lance's sacrifice fly.

Ultimately, three third-inning errors proved to be the Indians' downfall. After Oklahoma''s Russell Raley reached on an error, Ole Sheldon walked and Eric Thornton got on via a fielder's choice, Bose drilled a bases-loaded triple to right-center. Nourie exited one batter later.

Reliever Stan Skakalski got Brenan Herrera to pop up to center only to have Eric Horstman drop the ball. It allowed Bose to score and set up Lance's two-run double. By the time Southeast escaped the inning, it trailed 8-0.

"The third innings was a little like the Bad News Bears," Hogan said.

Bo Jenkins smacked a two-run homer in the sixth to get Southeast on the board, but that was all the Indians could muster.

Hitting was the only positive SEMO could take away from Norman. Jenkins went 2-for-4 and Eric Horstman finished 2-for-5.

Oklahoma outscored Southeast 28-8 in the series. The Indians committed seven errors in the three games but offensively banged out 26 hits.

"It's a disappointing start for us but there's some bright spots," Hogan added.