Southeast Missouri State's Lynn earns OVC pitcher of week

~ Southeast will visit regional rival Salukis in nonconference action today

Southeast Missouri State's Dylan Lynn was named the Ohio Valley Conference pitcher of the week Monday.

Lynn, a junior college transfer right-hander, worked all nine innings Sunday to help the Redhawks beat visiting Tennessee Tech 3-1 to secure their first OVC series win of the season.

Lynn (3-0), who recorded Southeast's first complete game this year, allowed six hits and two walks while striking out eight. He threw 154 pitches during his first OVC start and third start overall.

"It was a tremendous performance," said Southeast coach Mark Hogan, whose squad had lost its first four OVC series of the season. "He was in complete control."

The win helped Southeast (14-27, 5-10) move into an eighth-place tie in the 10-team OVC.

The Redhawks, who have won six of their last nine games after previously losing 14 of 15, will look to continue their resurgence when they visit SIU Carbondale for a nonconference matchup at 3 p.m. today.

Southeast will try to sweep the annual home-and-home series between the regional rivals.

Lynn also was the winning pitcher during a 4-1 home victory over the Salukis on April 10 that marked Southeast's fourth consecutive win against SIU. Lynn threw four innings in the game.

"It was one of our better games of the season," Hogan said. "We played well."

SIU (22-18, 8-4) is tied for second in the eight-team Missouri Valley Conference, just one-half game behind first-place Missouri State. The Saluks have a four-game winning streak.

"They're having a very good year," Hogan said.

Hogan said true freshman left-hander Will Spitzfaden will start on the mound today.

Spitzfaden's first collegiate start resulted in his first win last Tuesday against Arkansas State. He went 7 2/3 inningsin the 5-3 victory.

"He did such a great job last week," Hogan said. "I'm excited to get him back on the mound."

Southeast begins a stretch of eight consecutive road contests today. The Redhawks resume OVC play with the start of a three-game series Friday at last-place Tennessee-Martin.