Southeast Missouri State's season ends in OVC baseball tourney

~ Southeast won two games before being ousted in a 12-9 loss to Eastern Kentucky

JACKSON, Tenn. -- The Southeast Missouri State baseball team was not expected to win the Ohio Valley Conference tournament during its OVC-record 19th straight tourney appearance.

But the Redhawks certainly gave a strong account of themselves during the six-team, double-elimination event at the Ballpark at Jackson.

The Redhawks went 2-2 and finished fourth, bettering their No. 6 seed by two spots.

Southeast, decimated by injuries and with only eight available pitchers for the tournament, staved off elimination early Friday with a 2-1 win over third-seeded Belmont. The Redhawks also beat Belmont in Wednesday's opening round.

Southeast’s Derek Gibson slides into second base with a double during Friday’s loss to Eastern Kentucky. (Wayne McPherson ~ Special to the Missourian)

The Redhawks' season ended later Friday when a rally fell short in a 12-9 loss to fifth-seeded Eastern Kentucky.

"Being the sixth seed, everyone expected us to go two and out," sophomore right fielder Dalton Hewitt said. "It's good to come out and win games in the tournament."

Southeast, whose other tournament loss was 5-1 to top-seeded Tennessee Tech in Thursday's winners bracket semifinal, finished its first season under coach Steve Bieser with a 26-33 record -- an improvement of three wins from a year ago.

"I think we had a very good showing [in the tournament]. This group has battled all season long. They will never give up. It's a young club that didn't quit," Bieser said. "I hate to lose, but the inevitable was going to happen. We would have gone into tomorrow with one [available] pitcher."

Two freshmen hurlers on a young Southeast squad that featured only four seniors were largely responsible for Friday's win over Belmont.

Alex Winkelman (4-4) pitched 6 1/3 shutout innings for the victory. The touted left-hander, who has displayed his vast potential at various times this season, allowed three hits, struck out four and walked two as he saved his best performance for last.

"That's our future. We've been waiting for that out of Alex all year," Bieser said.

Alex Siddle, who worked four shutout innings against Belmont in Southeast's tournament opener, dominated the Bruins again, retiring all five batters he faced in relief of Winkelman.

"He was lights out, like he has been down the stretch," Bieser said.

Senior closer Bobby Hurst nailed down the victory for his seventh save of the year.

Hurst entered in the top of the ninth inning with Southeast leading 2-0. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with one out. A sacrifice fly cut the lead to 2-1 before a pop foul ended the game.

Hurst finished tied for the third-most saves in Southeast single-season history, and his nine career saves are also third. He also went 4-4 with a team-leading 1.80 ERA this year.

"Bobby had a great year," Bieser said.

Southeast broke on top in the first inning on an unearned run without the benefit of a hit.

Sophomore second baseman Jason Blum led off by being hit by a pitch for the 23rd time this season, an OVC record. He was at third with two outs and scored on an error.

Redshirt freshman shortstop Andy Lack's two-out RBI single in the sixth inning made it 2-0.

Southeast outhit Belmont 8-5. Hewitt, sophomore third baseman Nolan Fisher and freshman center fielder Clayton Evans all had two hits.

The Redhawks, out of fresh arms, were then eliminated in a typical losers bracket slugfest against Eastern Kentucky. The Colonels led 6-0 after two innings and 9-0 after four innings.

"We got off to a slow start," Fisher said.

Southeast pulled within 9-5, fell behind 12-5 and cut the deficit to 12-9 with a four-run eighth inning during which the tying run came to the plate.

The Redhawks also brought up the tying run in the ninth inning. With runners on first and third and two outs, Hewitt sent a flare to short left field that looked like it would fall, but shortstop Luke Wurzelbacher ended the game with a spectacular diving catch.

"We were in that game until the end. We battled," Blum said.

Sophomore left-hander Will Spitzfaden, Southeast's No. 1 starter who lasted just 3 2/3 innings against Belmont Wednesday, came back to start against the Colonels. He took the loss, going just 1 1/3 innings and allowing six hits and six runs, five earned.

Five hurlers followed Spitzfaden (5-5) to the mound, including two -- Hurst and Siddle -- who saw action in the day's first game.

Junior left-hander Skylar Cobb fired off 1 1/3 hitless innings one day after working 3 2/3 one-run innings against Tennessee Tech.

Siddle retired two batters. He worked 6 1/3 scoreless innings in the tournament.

Hurst pitched scoreless seventh and eighth innings. It was his 30th appearance this year, tying him for the school single-season record.

"We used six of the eight pitchers we brought to the tournament [against EKU]," Bieser said. "Siddle wanted the ball again, Hurst wanted the ball again. ... It just shows the character of the guys."

Southeast, being outhit 12-3 at one point, finished with 18 hits -- the same as EKU.

Blum went 4 for 6 with three runs scored. Junior left fielder Derek Gibson and junior first baseman Matt Tellor both went 3 for 5. Hewitt and sophomore DH Ryan Barnes each added two hits.

Gibson, Tellor, Hewitt and Barnes all drove in two runs.

Blum led Southeast with a .563 tournament average, followed by Fisher (.467), Hewitt (.412), Evans (.364), Lack (.364) and Gibson (.313). Gibson had a team-high five RBIs.