CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – (ESPN Clarksville) Austin Peay State University’s baseball team saw a pair of miscues cost it a late lead as Southeast Missouri rallied in the eighth inning for a 7-4 Ohio Valley Conference victory, Saturday, at Capaha Field.

Austin Peay (10-10, 5-3 OVC) scored the game’s first here runs only to see the Redhawks respond with the game’s next three runs, tying the game 3-3 after six innings. The Governors would break that tie in the top of the seventh thanks to a little help from the Southeast Missouri bullpen.

In the seventh, APSU saw its first four batters reach base safely, but it only led to a bases-loaded situation with one out as the Redhawks cut down a runner attempting to steal second base.

Catcher David Martinez made sure the opportunity didn’t go to waste, his high chopper to shortstop allowing a run to score. Austin Peay would load the base again, but another high chopper off first baseman John McDonald’s bat didn’t allow another run to score.

Southeast Missouri (13-10, 3-5 OVC) would return the favor one inning later, using a pair of miscues by the Governors bullpen to produce runs. Back-to-back singles started the inning, but a wild throw to first on the second hit allowed a run to score. The Redhawks would load the bases after a pair of one-out walks, forcing a Govs pitching change.

The pitching change was unable to stem the Redhawks run. Third baseman Alex Nielsen’s sacrifice fly allowed Tyler Wilver to sprint home under the tag to give SEMO its first lead of the series.

Catcher Andrew Keck followed with an infield single that allowed another run to score and a failed pickoff surrendered another insurance run as the Redhawks finished the inning leading 7-4.

Govs starter Jacques Pucheu extended his scoreless innings streak to 26 frames as he held the Redhawks scoreless through four innings. However, he allowed three runs over the next two frames before departing after six innings and left with no decision.

Reliever Tyler Thompson (1-1) suffered his first loss of the season after allowing four runs, three earned, on two hits and two walks over 1.1 innings.
Left fielder Malcolm Tipler had the Govs lone multi-hit outing, finishing the day 2-for-3 with an RBI double in the fifth. Austin Peay finished with eight hits in the contest.

Southeast Missouri reliever Aaron Stretch (1-1) tossed 2.2 scoreless innings to earn the win. Catcher Andrew Keck went 2-for-4 with two RBI, including a solo home run in the fifth and an RBI single in the eighth.

Austin Peay and Southeast Missouri, who have split the first who games in the series, will play the series finale at 1 p.m., Sunday.