March 13, 2001

Box Score

Cape Girardeau, Mo. - Southeast Missouri State rode CF Vern Hatton two home runs straight to victory, as the Indians of Southeast got a 6-4 win over the Indians of Arkansas State.

Hatton, who has gone yard in two of his past three games, was perfect at the plate and in the field for Southeast, which improved to 9-6 overall. Hatton connected on 4-of-4 with three RBI and two runs scored, while making two putouts in the field.

Southeast's pitching was once again center stage, as starter Greg Lunski was perfect through four innings, as he allowed no hits or runs. He walked just four and struck out three. The performance improved Lunski to 2-1 overall.

Southeast jumped on to the boards first in the second inning with a two-out rally when 1B Shane Allen pounded a double to center. DH Brice Nicholas then reached on the error to continue the inning and score a waiting Allen from second and put Southeast up 1-0.

The SEMO Indians struck again as Hatton stroked his first homer of the afternoon to right-centerfield and pushed the advantage to 2-0.

ASU (6-13) wasn't about to be shutout and created its own scoring opportunity in the fifth. Brandon Maricle, who reached on the walk, scored when Brock Buckingham's shot to second was ruled an error. The unearned run, sliced the lead to 2-1.

Hatton helped Southeast pull away in the sixth when Hatton drove his second homer of the day over the fence in left field and drove in C Jeff Bourbon, who had reached on a hit-by-pitch.

SS Zach Borowiak helped Southeast add the two-game winning runs in the seventh after he reached on the error by the shortstop to scored LF Brian Hopkins and 3B Denver Stuckey. Borowiak's double in the third stretched the All-American's hitting streak to 15 games. It was his only hit of the day.

ASU made things interesting in the eighth after Ryan Corrigan hit a three-run homer to pull the score within two. But it would be the final runs the ASU Indians could score as Southeast's Brad Purcell got a taste of the reliever role in the ninth as he left tying runs on base to pick up his first save of the season. For the final out, Purcell showed his athleticism and held onto an off-balance throw from Allen, who had made an outstanding play deep in the first-base pocket to secure the game.

Four Southeast hurlers made an appearance in the game, including Jeffrey Hilz, who faced just three batters - walking two and striking out the other.

Brandon Maricle was tacked for the loss, his second of the season.

Southeast out-hit the Indians of Arkansas State, 8-3. Hatton was the only Southeast player with extra hits. RF Tristen McDonald, who has been in a bit of the slump due to a sore hamstring, picked up a base hit today.

Southeast returns to action this weekend as the Indians open up Ohio Valley Conference action this Saturday at 2 p.m. against Morehead State.