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SportsMay 9, 1998

Southeast Missouri State University sophomore center fielder Jeremy Johnson has already had a stellar baseball career on a variety of levels, shining in high school, American Legion and during his still-young playing days with the Indians. But never before had Johnson delivered a game-winning hit that actually ended a contest...

Southeast Missouri State University sophomore center fielder Jeremy Johnson has already had a stellar baseball career on a variety of levels, shining in high school, American Legion and during his still-young playing days with the Indians.

But never before had Johnson delivered a game-winning hit that actually ended a contest.

All that changed, however, late Thursday night -- and it couldn't have come at a better time for Southeast.

The Indians, the second seed and host squad for the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament, appeared to be headed for an upset defeat against Morehead State -- the sixth and last seed -- during a semifinal game at Capaha Field.

After rallying fiercely from an early 6-0 deficit, the Indians still trailed 9-8 in the bottom of the ninth inning and the first two batters were retired.

But Steve Lowe singled, then Brad Hoehner was hit by a pitch. Both batters had two strikes on them when they came through.

That brought Southeast to Johnson at the top of the order. The former Egyptian (Ill.) High and Cape American Legion standout also had two strikes on him.

But the left-handed batter laced a 2-2 pitch just inside the left-field foul line, easily scoring Lowe and pinch-runner Scott Sullivan to give Southeast a 10-9 victory in front of about 750 fans.

The win, in a game that lasted 3 hours and 15 minutes and didn't end until several minutes past midnight, kept the Indians out of the loser's bracket and propelled them into Friday's winner's bracket final.

"What a win," said a smiling Johnson. "I think that's the first hit I've ever had like that, to actually end a game. I've been dreaming about it."

Johnson said the victory was typical of what the Indians have been able to do most of the season.

"This is a team that just doesn't give up," he said. "We don't get down."

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Southeast coach Mark Hogan, facing the prospect of some more big games the remainder of the tournament, was nonetheless elated by the Indians' victory during their tourney opener.

"It's one of the greatest wins I've been involved in," he said. "It's just fantastic. We battled all the way and so did Morehead.

"What can you say about the ninth inning. All three guys got on with two strikes. Jeremy's ball just threw the chalk up."

The Indians, leading the OVC in fielding percentage, committed five errors to help Morehead score six unearned runs. That appeared to doom the Indians as they fell behind 6-0 in the second and still trailed 9-4 after four innings.

But the Indians chipped away, helped in Morehead's sixth when the Eagles failed to score with the bases loaded and nobody out. They led 9-5 at the time.

Charlie Marino's 19th home run of the season in the seventh made it 9-6. That brought Marino just one homer away from the school single-season record.

Southeast scored twice in the eighth to make it 9-8, setting the stage for the thrilling ninth.

Marc Scheffer, an Anna-Jonesboro (Ill.) High product who had seen limited action this season, got his first Southeast win with 1 1/3 perfect innings in relief of starter Jason Swearingen.

Swearingen allowed 15 hits in 7 2/3 innings, but only three runs off him were earned.

"Jason just hung in there and then Marc came in and gave us a big lift," Hogan said.

The Indians had 14 hits, led by Johnson with three along with three RBIs. Lowe, Hoehner, Phil Warren and Kyle Yount all added two.

Hoehner, the Indians' catcher, also turned in a stellar defensive play when he gunned down a runner who had strayed too far off third base to complete a double play. That came during the Eagles' crucial sixth inning.

"That inning was probably the key to the whole game," said Hogan. "Hoehner really made a heads up play. It's 9-5 and if they score a couple of runs that inning we might not be able to come back."

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