CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri baseball (19-15, 10-8) dropped a 17-7 decision in its series finale against Jacksonville State (18-14, 7-8) Saturday afternoon at Capaha Field.
 
The Redhawks were outhit in the contest 19-13. Southeast was led by a three-hit day from third baseman Kyle Bottger. Bottger drove in three runs and hit his second home run of the season. Danny Wright and Connor Basler both had a pair of hits to join Bottger at the bottom of the lineup. The three combined for seven of Southeast's 13 hits and drove in five runs in all.
 
In his first conference start, Nate Green (2-2) worked only one and two-thirds innings. He allowed four runs on six hits before being knocked out in the second inning. Southeast used six pitchers on the mound Saturday. Joey Burris worked the longest at four and two-thirds innings.
 
JSU starter Joe McGuire (6-0) worked five innings in his start. He gave up four Redhawk runs on seven hits while striking out five and walking none.
 
Dan Holst blasted his third home run of the season over the wall in left to put SEMO up 1-0 in the first.
 
Andrew Naismith wasted no time tying the game with a leadoff solo home run in the second. Following a single and a double, Clayton Daniel lined a two-out double to right, pushing both runs in and giving JSU its first lead of the series. Green's day was done following the double to Daniel and Burris entered to relieve. A.J. Reynolds immediately hit a two-run home run to put the Gamecocks up 5-1 in the second.  
 
All with one out, the Redhawks strung together four-straight hits to make a significant dent in the new Gamecock lead. Chris Caffrey began with a single to right then scored from first when Wright doubled to right center. Wright traded places with Basler on a double down the left field line. Basler scored to make it a one-run game at 5-4 when Bottger singled into center field.
 
The Gamecocks tacked on three more runs in the fourth. Daniel plugged the left center gap for a two-run triple then scored on a groundout by Reynolds to widen the lead to 8-4 on the Redhawks.
 
Jacksonville State used six runs in the top of the seventh to open a 10-run, 14-4 lead. The scoring began with a two-run home run by Trent Simpson.
 
Basler led off the bottom of the inning with a single poked up the middle. Bottger's third hit of the day was a two-run homer to right, cutting into the lead, 14-6.
 
The Gamecocks tacked on three more runs in the top of the ninth to make it 17-6 late. Daniel recorded his sixth hit of the game and added two more RBI to his line in the inning.
 
Pinch hitter Michael Berra led off the bottom of the ninth with a double down the right field line. He came in to score on an RBI pinch hit by Cooper Rentfro to bring the final tally to 17-7.
 
Daniel finished the day 6-for-6 for the Gamecocks, driving in seven runs. Josh Bobo put together a 4-for-5 day with two RBI and four runs scored. Reynolds was one of three others to record two hits but Reynolds finished the day with three RBI.
 
Southeast Missouri will bring its four-game homestand to a close Tuesday when it hosts regional rival Saint Louis University. First pitch against the Billikens is set for 6 p.m. from Capaha Field.