Breds Suffer Tough Setback in Series Opener

Friday, May 2

Cape Girardeau, Mo.

5 p.m.

Murray State

18-25, 10-12

Southeast Missouri

30-15, 20-5

Murray State

Southeast Missouri

Cameron Finch tied his career high with eight strikeouts against SEMO

Photo by: Ricky Martin/Ledger & Times

5/2/2014 10:42:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

| BOX SCORE (.pdf)

Southeast Missouri got a bases-load walk on a full count in the bottom of the 12th inning to walk off with a 6-5 victory over Murray State in the first game of a three-game series Friday evening at Capaha Field.

The Redhawks (30-15, 20-5 OVC) started the 12th inning with a jam-shot dribbler to third that resulted in a base hit. A sacrifice bunt and an intentional walk put two on with one out. Cole Ferguson singled through the left side to load the bases, setting up the pinch-hit walk from Clayton Evans.

The Breds (18-24, 10-12 OVC) were not without their chances in the extra innings as they had a runner on second with no outs in the 10th and 12th innings, but failed to score.

MSU jumped out to the early advantage as Ty Stetson walked and Anthony Bayus singled through the left side. A balk advanced both runners, and Tyler Lawrence followed with a two-run single up the middle.

The Redhawks got a run back on a field pickoff attempt in the second. But, the Breds came back and pushed across two more runs in the fifth to make it 4-1. Derek Yoder and Taylor Mathews each singled to start the inning. Yoder stole third on a head's up play, and scored on the errant pickoff attempt. Bayus later drove in Mathews with a chopper over the mound.

SEMO took advantage of the Breds not turning a double play in the sixth, getting an RBI triple from Andy Lennington and a sacrifice fly from Dalton Hewitt. Gibson would tie the game in the seventh on another sacrifice fly.

Both teams exchanged runs in the eighth inning as the Breds scored on a throwing error with two outs, and the Redhawks scored on a sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the inning.

MSU starter Cameron Finch did not factor in the decision, but did all he could to give the Breds a chance to win. The senior allowed three runs, two earned, on six hits over six innings. He also tied his career high with eight strikeouts. Cody Maerz (1-6) was saddled with the loss after posting a nearly identical line to Finch. Maerz went 5.1 innings, giving up three runs, two earned, on five hits and three strikeouts.

Perry Middleton (1-0), the fifth SEMO pitcher of the game, got credit for the win after retiring both hitters he faced.

Mathews was the only Bred to have a multi-hit game as he went 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored. Stetson had a double and scored a run, while also drawing two walks.

The two teams will play the middle game of the three-game series Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. MSU will send LHP Brock Downey (8-1, 2.03 ERA) to the mound, while SEMO will counter with RHP Travis Hayes (6-1, 3.13 ERA).