Errors haunt Southeast Missouri State baseball as win streak is snapped at Austin Peay

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team saw its 11-game winning streak snapped Friday, as the Redhawks fell on the road to Austin Peay, 6-1.

The loss also handed SEMO its first Ohio Valley Conference defeat of the year.

Southeast (21-9 overall, 12-1 OVC) was held to just four hits, notching all of those in the first two innings.

Wayne McPherson ~ Special to Southeast Missourian Southeast Missouri State's Joey Lucchesi pitches against Austin Peay on Friday in Clarksville, Tenn. Lucchesi took his second loss of the season and the Redhawks suffered their first Ohio Conference Valley defeat as they fell to the Governors 6-1.

Alex Robles (6-2) earned the win on the mound for the Governors (17-11, 9-4), going eight innings and allowing one run on four hits while striking out seven and walking just two. It was the third win of his career over the Redhawks.

He was also 2-for-4 in the batter's box with two runs scored for Austin Peay.

Joey Lucchesi (6-2) was handed the loss for Southeast Missouri State, as he lasted six innings, giving up six runs — just two earned — on eight hits, striking out six and walking a pair.

Austin Peay took the lead in the bottom of the sixth with help from three errors by the visiting Redhawks.

Trouble started on a throwing error by Lucchesi on a sacrifice bunt attempt, and Dre Gleason served up the punishment with a two-run single to break a tie and give the Governors the edge for good.

A single and two-base error put Chase Hamilton on third while allowing another run to score, and an Alex Sala sac fly made it 5-1 in favor of the hosts.

Wayne McPherson ~ Special to Southeast Missourian Chris Caffrey singles in a run for Southeast Missouri State in the first inning of a 6-1 loss to Austin Peay on Friday in Clarksville, Tenn. It allowed the Redhawks to take an early 1-0 lead, but the hosts went up for good in an error-ridden fifth inning.

A Brandon Boggetto error then sealed the final score line at 6-1 as the fifth run of the inning crossed the plate.

Four Redhawk relievers combined to keep Austin Peay off the scoreboard in the final two innings.

Southeast had taken a lead in the top of the first as a pair of two-out hits by Boggetto and Garrett Gandolfo put runners on the corners for Chris Caffrey, who singled in Boggetto for an early 1-0 lead.

Things went down hill from there.

The Governors responded in the bottom of the second when Robles led off with a single and then scored on a double by Hamilton to knot things at 1.

Lucchesi worked out of a sticky situation with a runner at third and no outs, but Austin Peay struck the decisive blow later in the game.

Brian Lees was the only other Redhawk to pick up a hit.

Gleason and Hamilton each had three hits on the day for Austin Peay.

Southeast Missouri State will try to bounce back in Game 2 of the three-game series Saturday at 1 p.m.