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MOBILE, Ala. – Southeast Missouri scored two runs in the top of the 10th inning to defeat the University of South Alabama baseball team 8-6 Sunday at Stanky Field.

SEMO (2-1) plated three runs in the top of the ninth before the Jags scored one in the bottom-half of the ninth to force extra innings. The Redhawks clinched the series with the win, while the Jaguars fell to 1-2 on the season. 

 GAME FACTS
- SEMO scored the game's first run in the top of the first inning on a one-out solo home run to right-center field by Wade Stauss.
- The Redhawks doubled their lead to 2-0 in the top of the second on a sacrifice fly to right-center field by Ty Stauss that scored Danny Wright, who reached on a leadoff walk to start the inning.
- SEMO pushed its lead to 3-0 in the top of the third on a one-out solo home run to left-center field by Andrew Keck.
- South Alabama responded in the bottom of the fourth inning when Caleb Balgaard lifted the first pitch he saw from SEMO right-hander Ryan Vogt over the left field wall to cut the Redhawk lead to 3-1. Sandle followed with a walk, and Montiel reached on a hit by pitch. A sacrifice bunt by Kaleb DeLaTorre advanced both runners into scoring position with one out. Hunter Stokes later delivered a two-out, two-run single through the right side of the infield to score Sandle and Montiel to tie the score 3-3.
- USA took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth on a two-out RBI single to right field by Stokes that scored Montiel, who led off the inning with a walk.
- The Jags pushed their lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the seventh on a sacrifice fly to right field by Balgaard that scored Noah Bailey, who led off the inning with a walk. 
- SEMO cut its deficit to one run in the top of the ninth when Austin Blazevic, who singled to lead off the inning, scored on a wild pitch from Collin Brougham to cut the Jag lead to 5-4. Wade Stauss followed with a sacrifice fly to center field to tie the score 5-5. Keck delivered a two-out RBI single up the middle of the infield later in the inning for a 6-5 SEMO lead. 
- Stokes led off the bottom of the ninth with a walk, and advanced to second with one out following a sacrifice bunt by Richard Sorrenti. A pinch-hit single through the left side of the infield by Ethan Wilson put runners at the corners with one out. Ried Powers then reached on a fielder's choice on a grounder to shortstop that scored Stokes and tied the score 6-6. 
- SEMO took a 7-6 lead in the top of the 10th on an RBI double to right field by Blazevic that scored Danny Wright, who singled to lead off the inning. The Redhawks added the game's final run when Connor Basler reached on a dropped fly ball in shallow center field by Sandle that scored Blazevic.

NOTES
- Jaguar left-hander Tyler Lehrmann (1-0) allowed one run on two hits with seven strikeouts against one walk in a career-high five relief innings to earn the win.
- Balgaard's home run was the first of his Jaguar career.
- Stokes tied his career high in RBIs with three, and finished 2-for-3 with one run scored.
- Jaguar right-hander Noah Michael (0-1) allowed two runs on two hits without recording an out in the loss.
- SEMO left-hander Blake Cisneros (1-0) allowed one run on two hits with three strikeouts and one walk in 2 2/3 relief innings to earn the win.
- Balgaard finished 2-for-3 with one double, one home run, two RBIs and one run scored.

QUOTES
Head Coach Mark Calvi
- On the pitching:
"(Tyler) Lehrmann was great. He came in and picked up where he left off last year. He's reliable and has a good changeup. I just thought he was at 79 pitches, and it was kind of like a start for him. He was outstanding, and five innings was enough for him opening weekend. I thought he was really good. Jase (Dalton) threw 40 pitches on Friday, and it looked like he was tiring a little bit. It was just unfortunate that we didn't close it out today. Our bullpen had done a really nice job leading up to that. But Lehrmann was outstanding. That was the shot in the arm and silver lining for the pitching staff. We have a lot of confidence in him, and it doesn't surprise me what he went out there and did on the mound today. But we need to go deeper in the games with our starters. A lot of times when you have to go the bullpen on Fridays, it affects where you're at on Sunday. But I give SEMO credit, they earned the win today."

- On the offense:
"I don't think we're near our potential offensively. There are some guys who aren't swinging the bat like we need them to. There's nothing you can do, it's not for a lack of work. We're just a much better offensive team than what we showed this weekend. Hunter Stokes was huge today with two-out RBIs. Kaleb DeLaTorre got two sacrifice bunts down and moved three runners over, and got them in position for someone like Stokes to drive them in. (Caleb) Balgaard was swinging the bat better today with a double and home run. We need more guys stepping up offensively, but I give SEMO pitchers credit. Overall on the weekend, they just played a little bit better and a little longer. They did more to win today than we did. Sometimes games are won and lost in the first inning, and sometimes they are won or lost in the ninth, 10th or 11th (innings). Today was a late-inning loss and it stings, but we'll regroup and move forward. We can't sit around and lament this because we have Southern Miss on Tuesday, and they are an outstanding club. We need to move on and be ready to go on Tuesday, and learn how to win close ballgames. This was good opening weekend. You hate to lose two out of three, but they were all tight ballgames and it was good to get in those situations and feel the scenario of the tight ballgame. You would rather win all of your games, but I learned more about our team this weekend than I would have had we been in a game where we're up by 10 or 12 (runs) where there was no competition on the field. There was some good, and there are some things we need to get better at. The bottom line is we were close to sweeping this series or we could have gotten swept. The thing is we're really not even close to playing to our capability, especially offensively. All-in-all over a three-game series, SEMO just played better than us in a weekend series. That's what happens when you don't perform consistently in all three phases."

NEXT UP
South Alabama will return to action Tue., Feb. 23, when it hosts Southern Miss at 6:30 p.m. at Stanky Field.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with USAJaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at Twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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