Southeast baseball team tastes first loss in series finale

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team's good weekend in Lafayette, La., fell a bit short of being great.

Southeast, which already had locked up a season-opening series win over the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, missed a sweep with Sunday's 4-2 loss.

Southeast coach Mark Hogan still came away pleased after taking two of three from the defending Sun Belt Conference co-champion Ragin' Cajuns, who won an NCAA regional game last year and played in the 2000 College World Series.

The Redhawks did not commit an error in the three contests and received numerous strong pitching performances.

"I was really proud of the way the guys played all weekend, and we played well again today," said Hogan, whose squad won Friday's opener 4-2 before romping 9-1 on Saturday. "We got really good performances from everybody. I feel like we accomplished a lot.

"There wasn't a pitcher we put out there against a very good club who didn't do a good job."

The teams, both with high expectations after enjoying successful 2010 campaigns, played in front of the largest crowds to ever witness a three-game series in ULL history.

Announced attendance for Sunday's finale was 3,352. Total attendance for the series was 10,603, breaking the previous mark of 9,032 against South Alabama in 2003.

"It's an honor to be a part of that," Hogan said. "They really have a great atmosphere down here. They take baseball seriously and the fans really get into it. They have a great time."

Southeast never trailed in the opening two games and again took an early lead Sunday with two first-inning runs, both unearned.

Senior left fielder Michael Adamson led off the contest by reaching on an error.

Junior second baseman Taylor Heon doubled home Adamson.

After Heon moved to third on a ground out by senior DH Casey Jones, senior right fielder Louie Haseltine plated Rupp with a ground out.

But ULL's pitching stymied Southeast the rest of the way as the Redhawks finished with just three hits -- none after the fourth inning. The Cajuns had 13 hits.

"You see them with 13 hits and us with only three hits and it's amazing we were as close as we were," Hogan said. "We pitched out of a lot of stuff."

Joey Satriano, ULL's closer last season, received his second career start. He worked five innings, allowing three hits, striking out one and walking four.

Freshman Matt Hicks had a dazzling collegiate debut, picking up the victory with four hitless innings to close the game. He struck out four and walked one.

"You have to give their pitchers a lot of credit," Hogan said.

The Redhawks received solid pitching of their own for the third straight day.

Senior starter Brad LaBruyere from Central High School allowed eight hits and two runs in 3 2/3 innings. He struck out one and walked one.

LaBruyere could have escaped without giving up any runs as a third-inning fly ball that could have been caught for the third out fell for an RBI double. The Cajuns added another run in the frame.

Senior lefthander Logan Mahon took the loss despite throwing 3 1/3 strong innings. ULL reached him for two runs in the seventh to take its first lead of the series. Mahon allowed four hits and no walks while striking out five.

Junior college transfer lefthander Ryan Prickett worked a scoreless eighth inning in his Southeast debut. He gave up one hit and struck out one.

"Brad threw great. He had a tough break in the third inning," Hogan said. "Logan threw really well and Ryan looked good."

Jordan Poirrier's two-out double to left-center field in the seventh scored Greg Fontenot, who led off the inning with a his third hit of the game, to break a 2-2 tie. Mike Petello followed with a single to plate Poirrier.

Southeast played without junior shortstop Kenton Parmley, who had the flu. Senior Tim Rupp, normally a second baseman, took over for Parmley.

The Redhawks open their home schedule 4 p.m. Tuesday against Harris-Stowe State, an NAIA program from St. Louis.