Redhawks lose 10-4 to ranked Vanderbilt

~ Southeast fell in an early hole and never emerged against the SEC squad

The Ohio Valley Conference regular-season champion Southeast Missouri State baseball team faced quite the challenge when it faced nationally ranked Vanderbilt on Tuesday night.

The Commodores proved too much for the Redhawks, who lost 10-4 at Hawkins Field in Nashville, Tennessee, on Tuesday and dropped to 33-18.

The Commodores, ranked 18th in the latest Baseball America Top 25 poll, improved to 39-14.

Southeast never led in the game and trailed 4-1 after four innings.

Redhawks starting pitcher Garret Stockton was pulled from the game in the second inning after a hit batsman, single and walk loaded the bases with no outs.

Tyler Iago relieved and a sacrifice fly and a groundout put Vanderbilt up 2-0.

Southeast plated a run in the third on an RBI single from center fielder Cole Bieser, but the Commodores answered in their half of the inning.

Second baseman Dansby Swanson doubled to lead off the inning and scored on a single by left fielder Bryan Reynolds.

Shortstop Vince Conde, the reigning SEC Player of the Week, singled in the fourth and scored on a sacrifice fly to give Vanderbilt a three-run cushion.

The Commodores wasted little time in putting the game out of reach in the fifth, scoring six runs in the frame.

First baseman Zander Wiel crushed a two-run home run before three consecutive two-out walks forced the Redhawks to make a pitching change.

Cole Ferguson, who was the designated hitter, came in to pitch for Ryan Lenaburg and inherited the bases-loaded situation.

A single and a double extended Vanderbilt's lead to 10-1.

Ferguson pitched a scoreless sixth and Christian Hull did not allow a run in the seventh or eighth innings.

In the top of the eighth, Southeast pinch hitter Nolan Fisher doubled down the left field line to drive in Branden Boggetto and left fielder Derek Gibson grounded out to score Jason Blum to make it 10-3.

The Redhawks added their final run in the ninth. Pinch hitter John Logan Zink doubled, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored when Clayton Evans grounded out to the shortstop.

The Commodores only outhit Southeast 10-8 in the game.

Southeast right fielder Dalton Hewitt went 2 for 2 in the game and scored a run. Gibson went 2 for 4 with an RBI and extended his hitting streak to 28 games.

Vanderbilt's Walker Buehler (9-2) recorded the win on the mound, while Stockton (0-1) suffered the loss.

Southeast concludes its regular season with a three-game series at IPFW starting Thursday.