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JONESBORO, Ark. – The Southeast Missouri baseball team defeated the Arkansas State Red Wolves Wednesday evening, 6-5. Southeast Missouri extends its winning streak to six games with the victory.
 
The Redhawks improve to 15-9 on the season while Arkansas State falls to 10-12.
 
This is the first win over Arkansas State in Jonesboro, Arkansas since April 5, 2011.
 
It was a classic pitcher's duel through three innings to start the game.
 
Jason Blum drew a leadoff walk in the fourth inning for Southeast's second base runner of the day. He advanced over to third on a standup double by Ryan Rippee. With Dalton Hewitt at the plate, Adam Grantham threw a wild pitch that went all the way to the backstop, easily allowing Blum to score. Southeast led 1-0 after three and a half innings.
 
Southeast added another run in the fifth inning. After reaching on a fielder's choice, Branden Boggetto advanced to third on a single through the right side by Clayton Evans. Boggetto tagged up and scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Trevor Ezell to extend the lead to 2-0.
 
Arkansas State got on the board in the bottom of the inning when Austin Baker homered to right field, 2-1 Southeast Missouri after five complete innings.
 
Arkansas State took the lead in the sixth inning with a trio of runs. Ryan Lenaburg entered the game to pitch for Southeast. A leadoff walk scored on an error by Blum at third to tie the game at 2-2. After another walk, Lenaburg was replaced by Brady Wright. A hit loaded the bases for the Red Wolves. The go-ahead run scored on an RBI fielder's choice. Jeremy Brown made it 4-2 with a sac fly on a blooper to left. All three runs, two of which we unearned, were charged to Lenaburg.
 
The Redhawks took those three runs back in the top of the next inning. With one out, pinch hitter Cole Ferguson reached on a throwing error by the shortstop. A pair of walks loaded the bases for Ezell. Ezell drilled a single up the middle to plate two runs and retie the game at 4-4. Garrett Gandolfo drove in Clayton Evans with a base hit past the pitcher to recapture the lead for the Redhawks, 5-4. Southeast had the opportunity to extend the lead but stranded the bases loaded in the inning.
 
The game was retied in the seventh inning when Baker scored on a sac fly by Matt Burgess; 5-5 after seven innings.
 
Southeast manufactured the winning run in the top of the eighth. Brendon Neel reached on an error by the shortstop, advanced on a sac bunt, and again on a fly out to right. Evans laid down a bunt for a hit that allowed Neel to score the go-ahead run. Southeast led 6-5 going to the bottom of the eighth.
 
Matt Wade would come in to pitch in the eighth inning and shut down the Red Wolves' offense in the eighth and ninth en route to his second save of the season.
 
Southeast outhit Arkansas State 8-5 in the game. Gandolfo and Evans each had two hits and an RBI. Ezell finished with three RBI in the game and went 1-for-3.
 
Redhawks starter Jacob Lawrence pitched five innings, allowing just one run on two hits. He struck out four and walked two. Alex Siddle (2-0) picked up the win in relief, pitching one inning. He allowed one run on two hits.
 
Baker was the only Red Wolf hitter with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored.
 
Derek Birginski (0-2) recorded the loss. Birginski pitched one and two-thirds innings in relief. He allowed the go-ahead run. He surrendered two hits, walked three, and struck out one. Grantham went five innings, allowing two runs on three hits.
 
The Redhawks will carry their six-game winning streak to Edwardsville, Illinois this weekend to face the SIUE Cougars. SIUE is currently 8-1 in Ohio Valley Conference play and sits in second, just ahead of Southeast, in the conference standings.