Jackrabbits spoil Redhawks' home opener

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team dropped its home opener Friday as South Dakota State emerged with a 5-2 victory at Capaha Field.

The Redhawks managed just five hits and two-fifth inning runs as their record dipped to 2-2.

Southeast banged out three of its hits in the fifth, when it took a 2-1 lead. After SDSU had taken a 1-0 lead in top of the fifth off Southeast starter Dustin Renfrow, Southeast scored twice with a two-out rally in the bottom half of the inning.

Matt Wulfer singled, then the Notre Dame High School graduate scored when Omar Padilla's single to center was mishandled. Padilla advanced to second on the play and came home on a double by Asif Shah.

Southeast managed just two more hits over the final four innings.

The Jackrabbits tied the game in the sixth with a two-out rally off Redhawk reliever Brent Lawson, who took the loss.

SDSU added two runs in the sixth off Lawson, who retired the first batter before walking two men. Nick Adams, who had two hits and two RBIs, chased Lawson with a triple for a 4-2 SDSU lead.

Lawson allowed three hits in 2/3 of an inning. He walked two and struck out two.

The Jackrabbits added an insurance run in the ninth off Lance Rhodes.

SDSU finished with nine hits off four Southeast pitchers.

SDSU starter Erik Bess allowed four hits in six innings to pick up the win. He walked three and struck out two. He was followed to the mound by Kevin Morsching and Jacob Kougl, who combined to allow one hit in three innings. Kougl pitched a hitless ninth for the save.

Shah led Southeast with two hits.

Weather permitting, the teams return to action today with a 1 p.m. game. The three-game series concludes Sunday with a 1 p.m. contest.