Box Score

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Eastern Kentucky lost 3-2 in 12 innings the opener of a Ohio Valley Conference series at Southeast Missouri on Friday.
 
With one out and runners at first and second in the bottom of the 12th inning, Danny Wright drove in the winning run for the Redhawks (23-27, 10-15 OVC) with a single to left field.
 
Trailing 1-0 to start the third inning, the Colonels (26-23, 12-13 OVC) made SEMO pay for a leadoff walk to Corey Conklin.  Will Johnson followed, and with a 3-1 count sent the ball over the wall in left center to put EKU in front 2-1.
 
The Redhawks tied the game in the bottom of the fifth after Andrew Keck started the frame with a triple and Devon Wilson followed with a single to left. 
 
Southeast had a scoring opportunity in the eighth before EKU closer Aaron Ochsenbein shut the door.  Peyton Faulkner began the inning with a walk and Eastern Kentucky Head Coach Edwin Thompson called for Ochsenbein with the go-ahead run on base.  After a strike out, Wright singled to right to move the lead runner to third base.  A ground ball back to the pitcher and another strike out stranded the Redhawk runner 90 feet from the plate.
 
Eastern's Will Brian was outstanding in his first weekend start of the season.  The redshirt freshman allowed just five hits and two runs in 7-plus innings of work.  He walked one, the final batter he faced in the bottom of the eighth, and struck out a career-best six.  His seven innings beat his previous longest outing by three innings.
 
Johnson finished 2-for-6 with a run, two RBIs and his 13 home run of the season.  Nick Howie had a 3-for-5 day for the Colonels.
 
Wright had three hits in five at bats, a walk and the game-winning RBI for the Redhawks.
 
Saturday's game two of the series will begin at 7 p.m. ET.