Indians' ninth-inning lead slips away; No. 24 MU wins

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Southeast Missouri State University's Indians were within one strike of beating 24th-ranked Missouri Wednesday night.

But Ryan Rallo's two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs capped a five-run rally by the Tigers, who stunned the Indians 11-10.

The Tigers, who also defeated Southeast by one run earlier this year in Cape Girardeau, improved to 30-15. The Indians fell to 22-15.

Southeast lost despite outhitting MU 15 to 12 and belting four home runs. The Indians also received strong bullpen work after falling behind 4-0 in the second inning. They led by four runs until the Tigers' big ninth.

Zach Borowiak went 4-for-4 for the Indians, including his eighth home run of the season.

Brian Hopkins extended his hitting streak to 14 games after he went 2-for-4 and belted his team-leading 12th home run of the season.

Seth Moulton went 2-for-5 with a homer and three runs batted in. Tristen McDonald went 2-for-5, Denver Stuckey went 2-for-6 and Wade Hansford hit his first Southeast homer during his only plate appearance in a pinch-hit role.

For MU, Rallo went 3-for-6, homered twice and delivered five RBIs.

Southeast starter Jon Nourie struggled and lasted just 1 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on five hits and four walks.

But relievers Ryan Forsyth and Stan Skakalski combined to limit MU to just two runs until the ninth inning. Forsyth, in 3 1/3 innings, allowed two hits and one run.

Skakalski came on and kept the Tigers virtually at bay until the ninth, which began with Southeast leading 10-6 after Hansford's pinch-hit homer in the top of the inning.

But Skakalski ran into trouble in the ninth as the Tigers scored three runs to pull within 10-9 and they had the tying run on second base with two outs.

On came Gary Gilbert to try and close things out, but Rallo drilled a two-strike pitch over the left-field wall for a walk-off homer.

Gilbert (1-3) took the loss. Skakalski was charged with five runs (three earned) on four hits. He struck out five and walked five.

The Indians visit Tennessee-Martin for a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series this weekend.