CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Missouri State (8-8) rallied for five runs in the final two frames to edge Southeast Missouri (11-12), 9-8, in extra innings Tuesday on a rainy afternoon at Capaha Field.
 
MSU trailed, 6-4, when it scored two runs in the top of the ninth to send the game to extra innings.
 
With a tiebreaker rule in effect, Ben Whetstone was placed on second base and quickly scored the go-ahead run on a single by Cam Cratic. On the next play, Jaden Rolffs hit a two-run home run to right field to give the Bears a 9-6 advantage.
 
Danny Sperling was on second base to begin SEMO's final at-bat in the bottom of the 10th. 
 
With one out, Jevon Mason singled singled home Sperling. Mason advanced to second when Danny Wright grounded out and scored on a two-out base hit by Tyler Wilber. Andrew Keck followed with a walk giving the Redhawks runners at first and second. Hayden Juenger, however, got Austin Blazevic to ground out to end the threat.
 
SEMO took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Connor Basler hit the first home run of his career, a two-run shot to left, and Wright knocked in Mason on a triple to center.
 
After scoring twice in the top of the fourth inning, MSU took its first lead with a pair of runs in the fifth. Jack Duffy doubled home a run and Whetstone scored Logan Geha on a single to put the Bears ahead, 4-3.
 
The Redhawks regained a 5-4 lead on a two-RBI single by Wilber in the bottom of the sixth.
 
SEMO tacked on another run when Sperling hit into a fielder's choice and Blazevic scored to make it a 6-4 game in the seventh.
 
Austin Williams (0-3) took the loss. Williams allowed three runs on one hit and struck out two in one inning. Williams was the last of six pitchers who took the mound for SEMO.
 
Bryce Grossius started the game and pitched strong for three inning, where he struck out three, gave up one run and allowed two hits in three innings.
 
Hayden Juenger (1-1) picked up his first win of the season. Juenger scattered three hits, allowed two runs and struck out two in three innings.
 
SEMO outhit MSU, 13-11. The 13 hits marked a season-high as the Redhawks put up double-digit hits for the eighth time in 2021.
 
Mason, who extended his hitting streak to seven games, went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and one RBI, and Wilber went 3-for-5 with three RBI to lead the way. Basler and Peyton Leeper followed with two hits each.
 
Grant Wood paced the Bears with three hits, two RBI and a run scored. 
 
SEMO remains home to host Ohio Valley Conference co-leader Jacksonville State in a three-game series on Apr. 2-3.