Southeast Missouri State baseball's winning streak snapped at Missouri

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team had to settle for splitting a two-game series with Missouri as the Redhawks fell to the Tigers 13-6 on Wednesday in Columbia, Missouri.

The defeat snapped a four-game winning streak for Southeast.

An eight-run explosion in the fifth inning vaulted the Tigers to victory, as SEMO used five different pitchers, handed out six walks and loaded the bases four separate times in the frame. By the time the 45-minute inning was over, Mizzou had erased a 4-0 deficit and doubled up the visitors, 8-4.

The Tigers punished the Redhawks' free passes with small ball, scoring on three singles, a sacrifice fly and a wild pitch.

Southeast was able to cut the gap to 8-6 in the top of the seventh, but Missouri scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth to seal the victory.

Alex Siddle (0-1) took the loss in relief for SEMO, giving up three runs on two hits in 2/3 of an inning. Jake Busiek got his first start on the mound for the Redhawks, throwing four shutout innings, giving up four hits, walking one and striking out one.

In total, Southeast used nine pitchers.

Reliever Cole Bartlett (1-1) earned the victory for the Tigers, going 2 2/3 innings and giving up two runs -- one earned -- on four hits. Ryan Lee was Mizzou's starter, allowing four runs -- three earned -- on five hits with five strikeouts and three walks in four innings of work.

Branden Boggetto and Garrett Gandolfo each had two hits and an RBI for Southeast, while Ryan Rippee and Trevor Ezell each knocked in a run.

Shane Benes was 1-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored for Missouri, while Brian Sharp (three runs scored) and Brett Bond each plated two runners. Ian Nelson was 2-for-4.

The Redhawks jumped out in front with three runs in the first inning. Gandolfo picked up an RBI single up the middle with two outs, and Rippee followed by knocking in another run with a base hit. A stolen base by Rippee then forced a throwing error, which allowed Gandolfo to score from third to make the score 3-0.

Southeast loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the fifth, chasing Mizzou starter Lee from the game, but SEMO was only able to bring in one runner, with Leeper scoring on a double play.

The Tigers quickly wiped out the 4-0 difference in the fifth frame.

The Redhawks got two runs back in the seventh inning thanks to an RBI single from Ezell and a run-scoring hit from Boggetto.

A pair of eighth-inning errors damaged Southeast's cause further, as only two of the hosts' runs in the frame were earned.

The Redhawks return to Capaha Field for a three-game series beginning Friday when they host Morehead State in Ohio Valley Conference play. The opener will take place at 3 p.m. Friday.