PDF Box Score

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Southeast Missouri baseball held a 7-3 lead over Indiana State Friday evening but the Sycamores rallied for five runs in the eighth inning to take game one of the three-game series, 8-7.  

The Redhawks fall to 31-18 on the season while the Sycamores improve to 22-23.

Southeast Missouri's struggles against Missouri Valley Conference teams continue as they are now 2-8 against teams in the league this season.

The game featured a number of delays including the start of the game, which was pushed back an hour and five minutes due to forecasted rain and lightning in the area.   

The Redhawks' first hit of the game came on a home run to left by Ryan Rippee in the second inning, giving Southeast a 1-0 lead.

Jason Blum led off the fourth inning with a base hit to center and Branden Boggetto got clipped by a pitch for Southeast's second and third base runners of the game. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch. With one out, Rippee grounded to short to drive in Blum. Cole Ferguson singled to center to plate Boggetto and extend the Redhawk lead to 3-0. A power outage in the top of the fourth sent the game into a 15 minute delay.

The Sycamores narrowed the Redhawk lead with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Hunter Owen drilled a two-run base hit down the left field line to cut the Southeast lead to 3-2. The bottom half of the inning featured an injury to the home plate umpire, further delaying the game. From top to bottom, the fourth inning took just over an hour. Heading to the fifth inning, Southeast led 3-2.

With bases full of Redhawks and one out, Andy Lennington was hit by a pitch to force in Trevor Ezell in the top of the fifth inning, extending the lead to 4-2. The Redhawks stranded the bases loaded in the inning.

An RBI groundout for the Sycamores in the bottom of the fifth inning once again narrowed Southeast's lead to 4-3. The tying run was stranded on third to end the inning.

A leadoff home run by Hunter Leeper got a run back to start the top of the sixth inning. With runners on second and third with one out, Ezell laid down a safety squeeze bunt to score Brendon Neel and extended the lead to 6-3.

Leeper blasted his second home run in as many at bats to left in the top of the eighth inning, extending the lead to 7-3 on the Sycamores.Both home runs were Leeper's first in a Redhawk uniform. 

A five-run eighth inning for the Sycamores, capped by a three-run go-ahead home run by Conner McClain, put Indiana State in front by a run, 8-7.

Austin Conway entered the game to pitch for Indiana State in the ninth and sent the Redhawks down in order to secure the win and record his sixth save of the season.

Southeast outhit Indiana state 9-7 in the game.

Leeper was 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs. Leeper was the only Redhawk with more than one hit in the game. Rippee had one hit with two RBI.

Manuel Estevez was 2-for-2 with two walks. McClain, the nine-hole hitter, was 1-for-2 with three RBI, two runs scores, and two walks.

Southeast starter Joey Lucchesi suffered a no decision. Lucchesi pitched six inning, allowing three runs on three hits. Lucchesi struck out five but walked six. Matthew Wade pitched one inning and allowed four runs. Ryan Lenaburg (3-3) suffered the loss. Lenaburg gave up the go-ahead three-run home run in the eighth inning.

Jeff Degano left the game in line for the loss. Degano, who had allowed only one home run all season, gave up two Friday evening. Degano also gave up a season-high six earned runs to the Redhawks. Reliever Conner Schwienebart (4-1) picked up the win. Schwienebart worked two and two-thirds, allowing one run on two hits.

The Redhawks and Sycamores will play game two from Terre Haute, Indiana Saturday at 5:30 p.m., CT.