Southeast Missouri State baseball team falls to Salukis

~The Redhawks lost 5-2 to SIU Carbondale

The Southeast Missouri State baseball hadn't lost two games in a row since a pair of losses to Morehead State on March 21 and 22.

It happened again Tuesday with a 5-2 loss to nonconference foe Southern Illinois University at Itchy Jones Stadium in Carbondale, Ill.

Southeast fell to 27-13 on the season while the Salukis improved to 21-20.

The Redhawks took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on an RBI single from first baseman Matt Tellor for their only lead of the game.

The Salukis answered with three runs in the bottom of the fourth.

Jake Welch tied the score with a leadoff home run, and a pair of RBI singles made it 3-1.

Southeast starter Tyler Iago (4-3), the losing pitcher, left the game after 3 2/3 innings. He allowed three runs on six hits.

Ryan Lenaburg relieved him with two outs in the fourth and pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings. He only gave up one hit and had two strikeouts.

Southeast made it a one-run game on a Derek Gibson sacrifice fly that scored Dalton Hewitt. Hewitt drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a Tellor double.

Southeast catcher Cole Ferguson came in to pitch in the seventh and gave up a leadoff double to third baseman Will Farmer, who scored when a throwing error by Tellor allowed center fielder Dyllin Mucha to reach first.

On a sacrifice bunt attempt by second baseman Connor Kopach, Ferguson's throw forced Tellor to reach into the runner and the first baseman made contact with Kopach.

Tellor, the reigning OVC Player of the Week, left the game with an arm injury, which Southeast coach Steve Bieser believed to be a forearm strain.

Christian Hull entered to pitch for Ferguson, and the final Saluki run scored on a fielder's choice.

Hull struck out two and walked one over two hitless innings.

SIU's Austin McPheron (3-1) picked up the win. He allowed two runs -- one earned -- on three hits over six innings.

Tellor and Cole Bieser both had two hits, while Gibson extended his hitting streak to 17 games.

The Redhawks, who are in first place in the Ohio Valley Conference, will face third-place Jacksonville State in a three-game series in Jacksonville, Ala., beginning Friday.