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LAKE CHARLES, La. – The Southeast Missouri baseball team dropped a tough loss to Illinois State (2-2) Friday evening, 7-3. Alex Winkelman threw seven innings of scoreless baseball but would get a no-decision. He struck out a career-high nine batters.

Southeast is now 3-2 on the season.

Brendon Neel put Southeast on the board with his first home run in a Redhawk uniform. It was a no-doubter over the scoreboard in left field in the bottom of the third inning. The Redhawks would load the bases in the inning but couldn't capitalize on extending the lead.

The Redhawks extended their lead in the seventh inning. The inning started with three consecutive hit batsmen to load the bases for Southeast. Illinois State promptly went to the bullpen for their third pitcher of the night. A couple heads-up plays at home retired two runners but the bases remained loaded. Andy Lennington stepped in and knocked a single into center field to score Trevor Ezell and Garrett Gandolfo to extend the lead to 3-0.

Illinois State catcher Jean Ramirez tied the game at 3-3 with a swing of the bat in the top of the eighth when he hit a three-run home run to left off new Redhawk pitcher Joey Lucchesi.

Logan Leverett broke the tie and put the Redbirds ahead by a bunch in the ninth inning with a grand slam that cleared the scoreboard and put Illinois State up 7-3.

The deficit was too much for Southeast to overcome late in the game.

Winkelman pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing five hits, striking out nine, and walking only two. Brady Wright (0-1) suffered the loss after giving up the grand slam in the ninth.

Will Headean started for Illinois State and lasted only four innings. Headean gave up only one run on three hits, struck out seven, and walked five. Ryan Koziol (1-0) picked up the victory after a three-inning relief outing.

Offensively for Southeast, Branden Boggetto was the only Redhawk with a multi-hit game, recording two of Southeast's six hits.

Southeast left a total of 12 men on base; once leaving them loaded.

Illinois State had 10 hits in the game.

The Redhawks and Redbirds will face off again Saturday in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. from the campus of McNeese State.