CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Ben Palmer registered an RBI knock in the bottom of the 10th inning to propel Southeast Missouri Baseball (26-10, 9-4 OVC) past Morehead State (16-20, 5-5 OVC), 8-7, Friday night in game one of the series at Capaha Field. 
 
Brett Graber and Ty Stauss hit consecutive singles before a Lincoln Andrews walk set the stage for Palmer's walk-off RBI. 
 
With the bases loaded and one out lit on the scoreboard, Palmer grounded to the shortstop, plating Graber on the error for the extra-innings victory.
 
Palmer, a sophomore from Fridley, Minnesota, scored twice Friday before bringing home the game-winning run on an Eagles error. 
 
Morehead State raced out to an early 3-0 lead Friday before SEMO cut the deficit to one run (5-4) in the fifth. 
 
The Redhawks finally took the lead in the sixth. Palmer reached on an error with two outs before Jevon Mason belted his ninth home run of the season.
 
Mason, a junior from West Des Moines, Iowa, cleared the right field wall with his two-run shot to pull the Redhawks ahead 6-5. 
 
SEMO increased its lead to 7-5 in the seventh inning. Tyler Wilber led off with a single to second before Andrew Keck showed off his speed, legging out a RBI triple. The triple was Keck's second of the 2022 campaign.
 
Morehead State then evened the contest at 7-7 in the top of the ninth to force extra innings ahead of Palmer's bases-loaded heroics. 
 
Colton Becker tripled to right before Chase Vinson hit a two-run homer to knot the game. 
 
Morehead State jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first opening the game Friday with consecutive singles. Ryley Preece led off with a base hit to center and advanced to second on a single from Jackson Feltner.
 
Logan Castleman grounded out to move the pair of Eagles in scoring position. Alex Jacobs then knocked a two-run single to provide Morehead State an early edge. 
 
Feltner added a sacrifice fly in the third to increase the margin to 3-0. 
 
The Redhawks then started to chip away with runs in the third, fourth and fifth. 
 
Peyton Leeper singled home Palmer in the third frame before Stauss plated Spencer Parker with an RBI double to cut the edge to 3-2. 
 
The Eagles then added to their lead with a pair in the fifth. Becker commenced the inning with a double before Vinson earned a walk. 
 
The duo advanced 90 feet into scoring position after a sacrifice bunt by Brody Shoupe. Becker scored on a RBI groundout before Vinson tagged home on a wild pitch from Austin Williams. 
 
SEMO continued to respond and cut the deficit to 5-4 in the bottom half of the fifth. 
 
Mason was hit by a pitch followed by a Leeper single to center. 
 
Mason would then come around to score on a fielder's choice by Wilber coupled with an Eagles throwing error. Leeper headed to third on the miscue and scored on a RBI single by Keck. 
 
SEMO starter Jason Rackers allowed five runs on five hits with three strikeouts over 4.2 innings. Luke Helton surrendered four runs (two earned) on seven hits for the Eagles as both starters were credited with no-decisions. 
 
Williams scattered two hits with five strikeouts in three innings of relief. 
 
Kyle Miller improved to 6-2 in 2022, earning the win with 2.1 innings of three-hit, two-run ball to go along with five strikeouts. 
 
John Bakke was assessed the loss, allowing the game winning run on two hits in 1.1 innings on the mound. 
 
Mason, Leeper, Keck, Graber and Stauss each tallied a pair of hits in the victory. Mason and Keck both notched two RBI. 
 
Wilber went 1-for-5 at the plate to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. 
 
Feltner paced Morehead State at the dish, going 3-for-4 with a RBI.
 
With the win, SEMO improved to 18-1 at home in 2022. The Redhawks have won 20 of their last 22 matchups at Capaha Field dating back to the 2021 season. 
 
SEMO has now matched its highest home win total in a season under the helm of head coach Andy Sawyers which he also achieved in 2017 and 2018. 

Friday was SEMO's Mid-America Transplant Donate Life baseball game. The Donate Life game raises awareness for the importance of organ and tissue donation. Mid-America Transplant is the regional organ procurement organization (OPO) responsible for facilitating safe, reliable donations for transplant. April is National Donate Life Month, and as part of Mid-America Transplant's partnership with SEMO, the baseball team wore special blue and green jerseys Friday. Blue and green are the Donate Life colors and April 22 is National Donate Life Blue and Green Day.
 
The Redhawks wrap up the weekend series against Morehead State with a Saturday afternoon doubleheader. Due to inclement weather expected to move into the area Sunday, both teams agreed to play a doubleheader Saturday. First pitch of the two nine-inning game affair is set for 2 p.m., CT at Capaha Field.