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MURRAY, Ky. – Friday evening's series opener between Southeast Missouri and Murray State featured a classic pitcher's duel through eight and a half innings. The Racers tied the game in the ninth but a seven-run tenth by Southeast was enough to down Murray State, 10-3.

The first-place Redhawks improve to 26-15 on the season and 17-5 in Ohio Valley Conference play. Murray State falls to 14-29, 9-10 OVC. 

Both starting pitchers pitched phenomenally Friday evening. Joey Lucchesi pitched eight innings, allowing one run on three hits and fanned a new career-high 13 batters. Murray's Brad Boegel worked nine and a third innings for the Racers. Boegel struck out nine Redhawk batters and retired 18 straight batters at one point.

Southeast Missouri wasted no time jumping on Boegel for a pair of runs in the opening frame. Trevor Ezell started the series with a base hit up the middle. He came around to score on a double off the left-center field wall by Garrett Gandolfo. Gandolfo immediately scored on a single through the left side by Andy Lennington. Southeast Missouri led 2-0 after one half inning of play.

Murray flew into two quick outs in the bottom of the inning but a pair of hits and a defensive miscue allowed the Racers to narrow the early Redhawk lead to 2-1 after one inning.

Jason Blum doubled to lead off the eighth inning for Southeast's first hit since the first inning. Clayton Evans reached when he swung at strike three in the dirt that got away from the catcher; Blum took third on the play. Blum scored on another wild pitch by Boegel to extend the Redhawk lead to 3-1.

Matthew Wade entered in the ninth inning to close the game but a costly hit batsman and an error by Blum attempting to turn a game-ending double play allowed Murray State to tie the game at three runs apiece and send the series opener to extra innings. It was Wade's second straight blown save.

Seven Redhawks crossed the plate in the top of the tenth inning to take a 10-3 lead on the Racers. The inning featured RBI hits from Branden Boggetto, Ryan Rippee, Ezell, and Lennington. The inning was highlighted by Scott Mitchell's two-run home run to put Southeast on top 10-3.

Alex Siddle and Brady Wright each pitched in the bottom of the tenth to close the game and secure the series-opening victory.  

Southeast strung together 10 hits in the game, five of them in the tenth inning. Ezell and Lennington each had a pair of hits.

Tyler Lawrence and Nick Moore each had two hits for Murray; Moore had the only Racer RBI.

Wade (3-0) picked up the win in the game. Wade pitched only one inning but was the pitcher of record when Southeast recaptured the lead in the tenth.

Game two of the series will begin Saturday at 2 p.m. The reigning OVC Co-Pitchers of the Year, Travis Hayes and Brock Downey, will face each other on the mound.