Baseball loses to SE Missouri State, 11-4

Tuesday, April 8

Cape Girardeau, Mo.

3:00 PM

Southern Illinois University

18-12

Southeast Missouri

14-10

Southern Illinois

SE Missouri

04/08/2008 | 12:00:00 | Baseball

Box Score

April 8, 2008

Box Score | Photo Gallery

By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Senior reliever Ivan Nails allowed just four hits and struck out five in eight scoreless innings to help Southeast Missouri State (14-10) overcome a four-run deficit and beat Southern Illinois (18-12), 11-4, earlier today at Capaha Field.

Nails went unscored upon after he entered the game with two on and two outs in the first.

SIU knocked out an opposing team's starting pitcher in the first inning for the first time this season when it tagged SEMO freshman righthander Brad LaBruyere for four runs and four hits.

Chris Murphy belted the game's first pitch for a double and scored when Mark Kelly grounded out to short. Tyler Bullock's solo home run to left ignited a two-out rally, which saw the Dawgs score three more runs to take a 4-0 lead.

All appeared to be well for the Dawgs after their big first inning, but Nails had other things in mind.

Nails, who entered the day winless with a 9.00 ERA, sat the Salukis down in order in each of the fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth innings. He also recorded 10-straight outs after giving up a leadoff double in the third.

While Nails was mowing down SIU, the Redhawk offense got him the lead in the fourth.

Down, 4-1, after Jim Klocke homered with two outs in the first, the Redhawks pulled ahead of the Salukis in the fourth and never looked back.

Trenton Moses delivered a one-out double to right, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by Kieran Bradford. Blake Slattery was then hit by a pitch and Tony Spencer reached on an error, giving SEMO runners at first and second with two outs. Nick Harris came up next and homered to right center to get the Redhawks a 5-4 lead.

SEMO added six more runs, including five in the seventh.

Klocke singled and went to third on an ensuing double by Tyrell Cummings. Moses was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out, before Bradford knocked in two runs on a single to center. Slattery followed with a single to load the bases for the second time in the inning. After that, Spencer laced Daniel Wells' first pitch into right field enabling both Moses and Bradford to score. Slattery touched home for the final run, as the Redhawks put the 11-4 win on ice.

Nails improved to 1-2 on the season, while righthander Andrew Dunn (2-4) suffered the loss for SIU.

Dunn gave up six runs and eight hits in five innings of work. He also hit a batter, walked one, gave up four runs and allowed a pair of home runs and two singles with two outs.

SEMO, which leads the Ohio Valley Conference with 35 home runs, registered 11 hits on the day. Klocke collected four hits to lead the way.

Chris Crank went 2-for-3 to lead the Salukis, who finished with eight hits. SIU also committed two errors on the day.

SIU, which saw its season-long five-game winning streak come to an end, returns to Missouri Valley Conference action this weekend. The Salukis host Bradley in a three-game series, beginning Friday at 3 p.m., CST.