Sports digest 2/25

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SOUTHEAST BASEBALL SQUAD LOSES 8-7

WICHITA, Kan. -- Southeast Missouri State University's baseball team fell to 0-5 Sunday as national powerhouse Wichita State rallied for an 8-7 victory and a sweep of the two-game series.

The Indians scored four runs in the top of the eighth inning to break a 3-3 tie and go ahead 7-3, but the Shockers (5-0) came right back with five in the bottom of the eighth to take the lead for good.

The loss spoiled a brilliant pitching performance from Southeast starter Brandon Smith, who allowed three hits and three runs in the first inning and then hurled six innings of one-hit, shutout ball before being relieved to start the eighth. Smith struck out three and walked four.

In the bottom of the eighth, Wichita State scored its runs off relievers Ryan Cheo and Mark Frazier, who each failed to retire a batter. Frazier (0-2) took the loss.

Southeast had nine hits, led by Clemente Bonilla, Zach Borowiak, Vern Hatton and Brian Hopkins with two each. Hopkins had the game's only home run. He drove in two runs, as did Tristen McDonald. Wichita State had seven hits.

The Indians threatened in the ninth, having runners on first and third with one out, but McDonald hit into a double play to end the contest.

The Indians will open their home schedule this weekend as Northern Iowa visits Capaha Field for a three-game series beginning Friday.

Southeast gymnasts notch home win

Southeast's gymnastics team defeated Texas Women's University 189.550-188.000 Saturday night at Houck Field House as the Otahkians avenged a triangular-meet loss to the same squad last week.

The Otahkians finished one-two in the all-around competition, with Amy Cole (38.375) first and Ashley Godwin (37.925) second.

Southeast won two other events, both by Michelle Walker as she captured the balance beam (9.700) and floor exercise (9.875).

Walker also nabbed a second as she tied with teammates Godwin and Katie Bloom in vaulting. All scored 9.700.

Other second-place performances for the Otahkians were by Cole (floor, 9.825, and uneven bars, 9.500) and Godwin (balance beam, 9.600).

Placing third for Southeast were Cole (beam, 9.450) and Jacklyn Doebbler (floor, 9.800).

The Otahkians will have another home meet Friday, against Ball State and Illinois State, at 7 p.m.

ELSEWHERE

COLLEGES

The Big Ten men's track and field indoor championships in Minneapolis were called off, a day after a Penn State pole vaulter died in competition. The decision was made after a meeting of Big Ten coaches, conference athletic commissioner Jim Delaney said. The meet won't be rescheduled.

Coaches, athletes and fans gathered around the track to honor Kevin Dare, a 19-year-old Penn State sophomore, who fell during a pole vault attempt and hit his head. He never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at a local hospital.

Tennis

Andy Roddick beat Davis Cup teammate James Blake 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 in a rare all-American final in the Kroger St. Jude tournament in Memphis, Tenn.The match was just the 11th all-American ATP Tour title match since 1997, and just the third time that neither player was named Andre Agassi or Pete Sampras.

Miscellaneous

A prosecutor in Trenton, N.J., would not confirm a report that former basketball star Jayson Williams had arranged to surrender to authorities and face a manslaughter charge in a shooting death at his estate. Costas Christofi, 55, a limousine driver, was found shot to death at Williams' 65-acre estate earlier this month.

-- From staff, wire reports