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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Southeast Missouri baseball team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks Wednesday evening, 12-11. Southeast has now won six of the last eight meetings with the Razorbacks dating back to 2000.
 
Southeast Missouri and Arkansas are each now 10-9 on the season. 
 
Southeast was down 5-1 going into the fourth inning but the Redhawks battled to tie the game and continued to battle as the game went on to hold off the Razorbacks to earn a split in the series.
 
The Redhawks, who were short on pitching entering the game, knew the offense had to show up and compete. It did so, scoring 12 runs on 14 hits and forcing Arkansas into two errors.
 
This is the first win over an SEC opponent since Southeast defeated Missouri on April 30, 2013 by a score of 9-7. It's only the second SEC win since the Redhawks beat Arkansas, 6-5, on May 4, 2011.
 
For the third game in a row, Southeast took the lead first. Southeast used a leadoff double by Ryan Rippee to produce a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Rippee was driven in on a base hit up the middle by Scott Mitchell.
 
Arkansas put up a five-spot in the third inning to find a lead on Southeast. Clark Eagan hit a two-out double followed by five-straight walks, three of which with the bases loaded, to put the Razorbacks up 3-1. Redhawk starter Jacob Lawrence's day was finished as Zach Moore was brought into the game. Tyler Spoon drilled a double on the first pitch he saw to left to plate two more runs to put the Razorbacks up 5-1.
 
The Redhawks immediately tied the game in the top of the fourth inning. Andy Lennington drew a one-out walk, stole second, and scored on a base hit by Mitchell. A single by Branden Boggetto and walk to Clayton Evans loaded the bases for the top of the Redhawk order. Trevor Ezell singled off the pitcher's glove to plate a run. Another run scored when Jason Blum was hit by a 3-2 pitch with the bases juiced. Garrett Gandolfo hit a routine double play ball to the second baseman but hustled down the line to break up said double play to reach on the fielder's choice and plate the tying run, 5-5.
 
Michael Bernal homered off Moore to lead off the bottom of the fourth to give Arkansas the lead, 6-5.
 
Arkansas plated a pair of runs in the fifth inning to lead 8-5 going to the sixth.
 
Southeast put up their second four-spot of the game in the sixth to recapture the lead. The Redhawks loaded the bases with a base hit and two straight walks to start the inning. Evans scored on a wild pitch then Gandolfo hit a two-run double to left to tie the game. Dalton Hewitt drove in Gandolfo on a base hit up the middle the give Southeast a 9-8 lead.
 
Evans extended the lead on a first pitch home run to left to lead off the seventh inning, 10-8.
 
The Razorbacks retied it in the bottom of the inning with a pair of runs; 10-10 heading to the eighth.
 
The Redhawks got their runs back in the top half of the eighth. A leadoff single followed by two errors gave Southeast one run back. Hewitt then scored on a sacrifice fly by Mitchell to go back up by two runs, 12-10.
 
 Arkansas plated a run in the eighth inning on a throwing error by Greg Mosel to make it a one-run game heading to the ninth inning.
 
Alex Winkelman made his first appearance out of the bullpen this season in the ninth inning. Winkelman would face the top of the Arkansas order. Eagen flied out to center for the first out of the inning. Joe Serrano flied out to Ezell in left with his back against the wall for the second out. Winkelman threw Andrew Benintendi a chair for the final out of the game.
 
Southeast had five hitters with two hits in the game while Gandolfo and Mitchell had three RBI each.
 
Mosel (1-1) earned the win after being the pitcher of record when Southeast took the lead in the eighth. Winkelman earned his first save of the season after coming in a slamming the door shut on the Razorbacks. Southeast used six total pitchers in the game.
 
Rick Nomura went 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI for Arkansas. Three other Arkansas hitters had two hits each.
 
Lance Phillips (0-1) recorded the loss. Arkansas too used six pitchers in the game.
 
This was Southeast's longest game of the season as it lasted four hours and 28 minutes.
 
The Redhawks will return home for the first time in five weeks this weekend to host UT Martin in a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series. First pitch Friday is scheduled for 3 p.m. from Capaha Field.