CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri baseball (32-16) fell to Stephen F. Austin (27-22) Friday afternoon in game one of a three-game series at Capaha Field, 3-2.
 
The Redhawks led 2-0 after the first inning but were shutout thereafter.  
 
Both starting pitchers suffered no decisions in the contest. Joey Lucchesi pitched seven innings in his start on the mound. Lucchesi allowed two runs on seven hits. He struck out eight and walked two.
 
Lucchesi's 123 strikeouts this season now ranks second on Southeast's single-season top-10 list; he needs just eight strikeouts to break the record of 130 (Ryan Spille, 1998). He has 216 career strikeouts which also ranks second. The career strikeout record is 239 (Trae Hastings, 1975-78).
 
Patrick Ledet pitched six innings for SFA in his start. He allowed two runs on six hits to Southeast while striking out six and walking one. He held the Redhawks hitless the final three innings of his outing.
 
Jake Busiek (1-3) suffered the loss after allowing the winning run in the top of the ninth inning. Busiek pitched one and two-thirds innings in relief.
 
Lumberjack reliever Austin Hearn (1-0) picked up the win as he was the pitcher of record in the top of the ninth. Tyler Starks earned his fifth save of the season after closing the game in the ninth.
 
For the seventh game in a row, the Redhawks touched home in the first inning. Trevor Ezell reached on an error by the shortstop to begin the inning. Ezell went first to third on a double by Branden Boggetto. Garrett Gandolfo singled to center, plating both runners and giving the Redhawks a 2-0 lead in the opening frame.
 
Connor Fikes began the fifth inning with a double ripped to center field. Fikes immediately scored on a single by Zac Michener to put the Lumberjacks on the board, 2-1. SFA scattered four hits in the inning but Southeast was able to hold the Jacks to one run in the frame.
 
Fikes jumpstarted the top of the seventh with a one-out triple to right center for the Jacks. Michener walked for a first and third situation. With two out, Fikes stole home as part of a double steal to tie the game at 2-2.
 
A wild pitch issued by Busiek in the top of the ninth allowed the winning run to score, 3-2 SFA.
 
The Redhawks scattered seven hits in the game, led by Boggetto with two. He was the only Redhawk with multiple hits in the contest.
 
Fikes finished 3-for-4, falling a home run shy of hitting for a natural cycle. Tyler Kendrick added a couple hits of his own to the Lumberjacks' eight hits.
 
Southeast Missouti and Stephen F. Austin will play game two of the series Saturday at 3 p.m. from Capaha Field.