JACKSON, Tenn. – Reigning Ohio Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year Joey Lucchesi pitched a complete game shutout in game five of the OVC Tournament against No. 4 Morehead State Friday afternoon. Top-seeded Southeast Missouri defeated the Eagles, 3-0.
 
The Redhawks advance in the winner's bracket to play No. 2 Jacksonville State in game eight on Saturday at 3 p.m. from the Ballpark at Jackson.
 
Lucchesi pitched nine innings en route to his 10^th victory of the season. He scattered seven hits, allowed three walks, and struck out six. His six strikeouts is the lowest in a game since he struck out six Austin Peay Governors on Apr. 8. His season-low is five (SIUE, Apr. 1).
 
"With Joey having this opportunity last season, I feel he was much more relaxed than last time," head coach Steve Bieser began. "He went out and competed against a very tough team and, honestly, Morehead is probably the toughest team in the league to pitch to because they attack early. You have to make good pitches early in the count. They let very few fastballs go by and they are a very aggressive team. Joey understood that and he was able to expand a little and get some soft contact. They hit some balls well but Joey really trusted himself and his defense today."
 
Lucchesi becomes the first Southeast Missouri pitcher with 10 wins in a season since Tim Alvarez had 14, the program record, in 2003. Lucchesi is 10-4 this season.
 
Southeast's shutout of Morehead State is the first in the OVC Tournament since Austin Peay shutout Eastern Illinois 3-0 on May 27, 2012.
 
Morehead State starter Aaron Leasher (5-4) worked just three and two-thirds innings and picked up the loss. He allowed three runs on seven hits to the Redhawks. He walked two and struck out just one.
 
Patrick McGuff entered for the Eagles in the fourth inning and shut the Redhawks down the remaining four and a third innings. McGuff allowed just one hit and no runs while striking out seven Redhawks.
 
Southeast narrowly outhit the Eagles, 8-7, in the game. Trevor Ezell and Brian Lees each recorded a pair of hits in the contest.

Bieser commented on the offense, "I thought our offense was very good in the first half of the game. We were facing a really good pitcher in McGuff. He has something on us; we struggle every time we face him. He's a good pitcher and we couldn't mount anything on him. For him to punch us out seven times and allow only one hit was an excellent job against us." 
 
Ezell led off the Redhawk half of the first inning with a double laced down the right field line. He moved up to third on a wild pitch and touched home on a groundout by Chris Osborne, putting Southeast up 1-0. The Redhawks managed to put two on but left them stranded in the inning.
 
Dan Holst laid down a bunt and reached base when no one was covering the bag for a one-out base hit in the fourth inning. Following a two-out walk to Andy Lack, Lees got a base hit to fall in right field, scoring Holst. Ezell drove in Lack when he hit a hard liner off Leasher that ricocheted toward the third base line, widening the Southeast lead to 3-0. The Redhawks loaded the bases but McGuff got out of the situation on a flyout to center.
 
The Eagles made a final offensive push in the top of the ninth putting two on with a one-out base hit and a walk. However, Lucchesi induced a 4-6-3 game-ending double play to secure the complete game shutout.
 
Niko Hulsizer and Braxton Morris each picked up a pair of hits in the game. Morris, the second baseman, was ejected in the eighth inning following an interference call.
 
Southeast's game eight starter is to be determined.