Southeast Missouri State baseball team loses to Missouri State

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team took a lead over nationally-ranked Missouri State into the seventh inning of its game Tuesday night in Springfield, Missouri.

The Bears responded with a pair of runs in their half of the inning and went on to defeat the Redhawks 2-1 at Hammons Field.

Southeast took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth on the Bears, who entered the game ranked No. 20 in the latest d1baseball.com poll and No. 24 by Baseball America.

Designated hitter Andy Lennington drew a leadoff walk, moved up a base on a wild pitch and reached third on a groundout. Shortstop Branden Boggetto reached on a slow roller to first, which scored Lennington.

Southeast missed an opportunity to add to its lead in the sixth.

First baseman Ryan Rippee singled to left to start the inning and was sacrificed to second. He was thrown out at home by center fielder Tate Matheny on catcher Scott Mitchell's single up the middle to end the inning.

The Bears, who only had three hits off starter Garret Stockton through the first three innings, hit consecutive one-out doubles to tie the game at 1-1 and knock the senior right-hander out of the game.

Alex Siddle entered the game in relief and threw a wild pitch that allowed MSU third baseman Jake Burger to advance to third.

Left fielder Cory Kay then sent a 3-1 pitch up the middle to drive in the winning run.

Stockton pitched 6 1/3 innings and allowed both runs on five hits. He had four strikeouts and three walks. The loss dropped him to 1-1.

Siddle gave up one hit -- the game-winning RBI single -- over 1 2/3 innings.

Boggetto drew a one-out walk in the top of the ninth but was picked off at first. A strikeout ended the game.

Reliever Zach Merciez (2-2) was credited with the win. He gave up one hit with one walk and one strikeout over 1 2/3 innings.

Matt Hall, who has started eight games for the Bears and has a 5-1 record, struck out four, walked one and did not allow a hit over the final two innings to get the save.

MSU improved to 21-8 while Southeast dropped to 19-13.

The Ohio Valley Conference-leading Redhawks travel to Charleston, Illinois, for a three-game series against Eastern Illinois. The first game is set for 3 p.m. Friday. Game 2 is at 1 p.m. Saturday and the finale is at 1 p.m. Sunday.

EIU (1-24, 1-11 OVC) picked up its first win of the season with a 14-2 defeat of Tennessee Tech on Saturday.