Box Score PDF Box Score
 
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Southeast Missouri baseball team fell to 6-4 on the season Friday evening when they dropped an 8-4 contest to the Memphis Tigers (8-1).
 
An error-prone Redhawk infield in the fourth inning allowed Memphis to take a big lead and cruise to a game one victory.
 
"We had a tough day today," said head coach Steve Bieser. "I don't want to make excuses for our guys but between traveling and having batting practice cut short, we just felt rushed today. We hate to not make plays behind Tyler on the mound. We're on a field that will give true hops, we just didn't move our feet fast enough."
 
For the seventh time this season, the Redhawks scored first in the contest. In the top of the third inning Branden Boggetto led off with a single through the left side, followed by another single through the left side by Scott Mitchell. With one out, Cole Bieser drew a walk to load the bases. Matt Tellor threaded a hit up the middle to score Boggetto and Mitchell to take a 2-0 lead.
 
The Tigers used two Redhawk errors in the fourth inning to get way out in front of Southeast. Blum committed his second error of the game on the third batter of the inning. With runners on first and second, Drew Griffin drove in Memphis' first run of the game. The tying run scored on a groundout to short. The Tigers squeezed in the go-ahead run off the bat of Darien Tubbs. Zach Willis hit a ground-rule double to drive in the fourth run of the inning. Jake Little pushed the Tigers' fifth run across the plate with an infield RBI single. Redhawk starter Tyler Iago was taken out of the game after allowing the five runs, only one of which were earned.
 
The Tigers extended the lead by a run in the fifth inning on an RBI single from Ethan Gross; 6-2 after five innings.
 
Andy Lennington led off the sixth inning with a single to center. Lennington stole second, advanced to third on a fly out, and scored on an RBI single from Derek Gibson to make the score 6-3.
 
Perry Middleton was brought in to the game in the seventh inning. Drew Griffin homered off Middleton to extend the lead to 8-3.
 
Dalton Hewitt drew a two-out walk in the top of the eighth inning. Hewitt advanced to third on a two-base passed ball. Hewitt crossed home on a single up the middle by Cole Ferguson to make the score 8-4.
 
Iago (2-1) suffered his first loss of the season. Out of the Redhawk bullpen, Garret Stockton pitched 2.1 innings, giving up two runs on five hits. Middleton went 2.0 innings of work.
 
The Redhawks were outhit 12-9. Ferguson was the lone Redhawk with a multi-hit night. Seven other Redhawks each contributed a hit.
 
Tiger starter Jon Reed improved to 2-0 Friday evening.
 
Kane Barrow went 3-for-4 while Willis and Griffin had 2-for-3 performances.
 
Southeast Missouri and Memphis will face off in a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. Christian Hull will take the mound for the Redhawks in game two while Ryan Lenaburg will make the start in game three.