SOUTHEAST DROPS DOUBLEHEADER OPENER; NIGHTCAP SUSPENDED

MURRAY, Ky. -- Southeast Missouri State University's baseball team lost the first game of an OVC doubleheader 6-5 to Murray State Saturday, but the second game was suspended due to darkness with the teams tied at two in the seventh inning.

In the first game, Southeast's Todd Pennington (4-1) suffered his first loss of the year. He went five innings and gave up six runs, three earned, on nine hits and three walks. He struck out four.

Pennington, who entered the game, with a 0.69 earned-run average, was hurt by three Southeast Missouri State errors.

Murray State (16-12-1, 3-4 OVC) scored five runs in the third inning and the Indians (17-9, 2-2) trailed 5-1 until erupting for four runs in the top of the sixth -- all with two outs. Bonilla drove home two with a double and Denver Stuckey also doubled home a run.

Murray State answered in the bottom of the sixth with the game-winning run. Billy Moore started the inning with a single off Pennington, who was then lifted for Greg Lunksi. Moore moved up to second on a walk to Garner Byars and went to third when Ronnie Seets flied out to right field. Brett McCutchan then singled up the middle to score Moore.

Southeast managed only six hits and no player had more than one hit. Stuckey and Clemente Bonilla both drove home two runs.

Rick McCarty picked up the win in 1 1/3 innings of relief. He allowed one run on two hits and a walk. Starting pitcher Aaron Russelburg went 5 2/3 innings and allowed four runs on four hits and four walks while striking out one.

Murray State's Moore and McCutchan had two hits apiece.

In the second game, Southeast scored single runs in the first and third innings, but Murray State tied it up with two in the fifth. Bonilla and Zach Borowiak each had RBIs and Stuckey had two hits.

The suspended game will be resumed at noon today, followed by the third game of the series.