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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team was edged by Southeast Missouri State, 8-7, on Saturday afternoon in the third game of this weekend’s conference series at Capaha Field. The win gives the Redhawks (18-9, 5-1 OVC) the series sweep over the Colonels (12-14, 3-3 OVC).

Trailing 8-6 heading into the top of the ninth, the Colonels rallied but fell just short. With one out in the inning, junior Jayson Langfels reached on an error and senior Anthony Ottrando was hit by a pitch. A double steal then moved both runners into scoring position. The next batter, junior Ryan Faidley, lifted a sacrifice fly to right field that plated Langfels and advanced Ottrando, the tying run, to third. Sophomore Michael Garcia, however, went down on strikes to end the game and strand Ottrando just 90 feet from home.

Freshman right-hander Anthony Bazzani (1-3) got the loss for EKU as he pitched four innings and allowed six runs on eight hits.

Sophomore lefty Greg Terry worked two innings of middle relief, surrendering two runs on four hits. Junior right-hander Ryne Purcell pitched a scoreless eighth.

Left-hander Jordan Underwood (3-3) earned the win for SEMO, going six innings while allowing four runs on six hits and striking out six batters.

Sophomore Richie Rodriguez and junior Richie Allen both went 2-for-5 on the afternoon with an RBI and a run scored. Both of Rodriguez’s hits were doubles. Faidley, meanwhile, led EKU with three RBI while Garcia drove in a pair of runs. Langfels did not have a hit on the day, but he did draw two walks, steal two bases and score two runs.

Michael Adamson and Jim Klocke both collected three hits for SEMO while Casey Jones paced the Redhawks with three runs driven in.

The Colonels jumped out to an early lead as Rodriguez doubled to lead off the game, Langfels walked and both runners advanced on a double steal. Faidley then laced a base hit that scored them both and made it 2-0.

After the Redhawks got a run back in the bottom of the first, EKU made it 4-1 in the second as Rodriguez doubled home senior Joey Stevens and then freshman Austin Grisham scored on an RBI groundout by Allen.

SEMO got one run back in the second, tied it in the third and then took the lead in the fourth thanks to a solo home run to left field by Tim Rupp.

The Redhawks added two more in the fifth to go up 7-4; however, EKU finally responded in the seventh as Garcia ripped a two-run double down the left field line that scored Faidley and Allen and narrowed the deficit to 7-6.

SEMO added an insurance run in the bottom half of the inning before the Colonels’ ninth-inning rally fell short.

EKU returns to action this week as the Colonels travel to play East Tennessee State in Johnson City April 6-7.