SOUTHEAST USES 9 HRs TO SWEEP MARTIN

MARTIN, Tenn. -- With nine home runs flying out of the park and with Ryan Spille breaking the school's single-season strikeout record, Southeast Missouri State University's baseball Indians spent a most enjoyable afternoon Saturday.

The Indians picked up a pair of crucial Ohio Valley Conference victories over host Tennessee-Martin, winning the opener 4-3 in eight innings and romping in the nightcap 13-0.

Southeast improved to 25-19 overall and 13-7 in OVC play. The Indians increased their second-place margin in the nine-team league by virtue of Tennessee Tech's split with Eastern Kentucky.

The Indians now lead Tech by 1 1/2 games in the battle for second place and the right to host the OVC Tournament, since first-place Eastern Illinois has no lights on its field and is not eligible to host.

Tech, 13-10 in the league, closes out its OVC schedule today against Eastern Kentucky. Southeast plays UTM today at 1 p.m. in the series finale and then has a three-game home series with Morehead State next weekend.

Even if Tech wins today, Southeast would need just two wins in its final four OVC games to clinch second place and host the tournament.

"This was a great day for our ballclub," said Southeast coach Mark Hogan. "We seem to be peaking at the right time. Our goal is to host the OVC Tournament and we took a big step today toward doing that."

The opener was a battle all the way, with the Indians finally prevailing as Darin Kinsolving hit a solo homer leading off the top of the eighth inning to break a 3-3 tie.

Jason Swearingen (7-4) pitched all eight innings to get the win. The senior right-hander scattered 11 hits while striking out two and walking none.

"That was a typical performance for Jason," said Hogan. "He's not going to strike a whole lot of people out, but he's around the plate and he makes you put the ball in play."

Southeast had just four hits off UTM tough-luck loser Michael Blount (5-5), who fanned nine and walked six.

Jeff Bourbon had two hits, including a two-run homer in the third that put the Indians ahead 2-0. It was Bourbon's seventh home run of the season.

Unlike the opener, the second game was no contest. The Indians had their way throughout, belting seven homers and getting a record-setting performance from Spille.

A junior left-hander, Spille (8-1) struck out eight of the first nine batters he faced and wound up with 13 strikeouts. He walked only one and allowed three hits in the seven-inning distance.

Spille now has 105 strikeouts this year, shattering the school's previous single-season record of 94 established by Brian Harper in 1988.

"What can you say about Ryan," said Hogan. "He's just had a phenomenal season."

Kinsolving had two more homers in the nightcap, giving him 12 for the season and moving him into a tie for ninth place on the school's single-season home run list.

Charlie Marino belted his 16th homer as he is now tied for the fourth-best single-season performance in Southeast history.

Robert Kern hit his 13th homer for the eighth-best home run season in school history.

Jeremy Johnson hit his ninth homer while Kyle Yount hit his fifth and Dan Berry got his first.

Johnson and Kinsolving each had three of Southeast's 14 hits while Berry and Phil Warren both added two.

UTM fell to 14-28 overall and a last-place 5-15 in the OVC.