Southeast Missouri State baseball clinches final regular-season series with 8-4 win over Eastern Kentucky

Southeast Missouri State third baseman collects a throw to catch an Eastern Kentucky runner on a force out at third base in the eighth inning of a college baseball game Friday, May 19, 2017, at Capaha Field. The host Redhawks won 8-4.

Wayne McPherson ~ Special to the Southeast Missourian

With a spot in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament already clinched, Southeast Missouri State's baseball team defeated Eastern Kentucky 8-4 on Friday to clinch the final regular-season series of the year.

Senior starting pitcher Clay Chandler returned to his early-season form, allowing just two runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out four over 5 1/3 innings in his final start at Capaha Field to earn the win.

"It's big for his confidence. He's a guy who things kinda faded for him a little late and started showing some signs of fatigue for us in his last three starts," Southeast coach Andy Sawyers said. "I thought he looked fresher tonight. He started seeing more swings-and-misses on his slider tonight like he usually does when he's good. I know he walked off the field feeling good about himself tonight."

After Chandler allowed a first-inning run, Southeast responded with a two-out run in the bottom half of the first. Senior outfielder Chris Osborne followed that with a two-out, two-run double in the second inning.

Defensively, the Redhawks stranded two runners in each of the fourth and fifth innings.

Southeast Missouri State senior pitcher Clay Chandler waves to the fans in the final home game of his career against Eastern Kentucky on Friday, May 19, 2017, at Capaha Field. The host Redhawks won, 8-4, with Chandler getting the win.

Wayne McPherson ~ Special to the Southeast Missourian

"I always liken two-out RBI opportunities to third-and-long and you go all-out blitz -- somebody's band is playing," Sawyers said. "If you're a pitcher and you get off the field with runners on second and third, you're fist pumping, you're feeling great, you're dugout has momentum. Offensively, you get that runner in with two outs, it's a momentum shift kind of deal."

One day after drawing seven walks, the Redhawks continued to work the strike zone, forcing EKU's senior closer-turned-starter Caleb Johnson to throw a season-high 93 pitches over 4 2/3 innings.

Leading the way for Southeast was junior first baseman Tristan Gagan. Gagan drew three walks, while also working a 3-1 count on a flyout and hitting a 2-0 single.

"Yesterday they beat us with elevated fastballs, so we made a concerted effort to win elevation," Sawyers said. "I thought Tristan did a good job with that. He did not go up, which he is prone to do at times, and he just won the war of the ball being elevated and he took those pitches and got ahead in the count."

Southeast's last two runs of the game against Johnson came on a double-squeeze bunt by junior third baseman Kyle Bottger with the infield playing in.

"That's a designed play," Sawyers said. "That works really well with the infield in because they're in front of the runner at second base, so the runner goes two steps deeper and gets this huge lead."

Bottger finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two driven in.

Dan Holst was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI for the home side.

The Redhawks bullpen, which is without closer Carlos Vega for the rest of the season, was led by senior lefty Robert Beltran. Beltran began his appearance with 1 2/3 scoreless innings after replacing Chandler in the sixth, but was hit hard at the start of the eighth inning.

Southeast Missouri State's Garret Reynolds (left to right), Cooper Rentfro, Jared Waldhoff and Clayton Evans warm up between innings against Eastern Kentucky on Friday, May 19, 2017, at Capaha Field. The host Redhawks won, 8-4.

Wayne McPherson ~ Special to the Southeast Missourian

Colonels' sophomore third baseman Alex Holderbach took Beltran deep for his second home run of the game before designated hitter Matt Olive hit a double. Beltran hit the next batter, but managed to escape the inning with only one run allowed.

"We've made a little bit of an adjustment with him," Sawyers said. "Tonight was the best stuff I've seen out of him in a while."

Junior reliever Ryan Losman finished the game for SEMO, but gave up a solo home run to the NCAA's leader in home runs, Eastern Kentucky senior first baseman Ben Fisher.

Prior to the home run, the Redhawks had tried to limit Fisher by stacking three infielders on the right side. Fisher attempted to change his swing and even bunt for a hit as a response, which Sawyers considered a win for the pitching side.

"We shift, and then he tries to drag, doesn't get it, then he takes an oppo-swing and we're high-fiving in the dugout," Sawyers said. "That's the thing with the shift, it's not the outs that it

creates, it's the change in approach."

Sawyers added that the Redhawks will continue to use the shift against Fisher in Saturday's matchup. The pitching mathcup for Game 3 has not been announced.