CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – The Eastern Illinois baseball team (15-16, 6-4 OVC) suffered a tough one-run loss at Southeast Missouri (20-15, 7-4 OVC) on Saturday afternoon. The Panthers allowed zero earned runs in the game, but were unable to overcome a pair of key miscues that resulted in five unearned scores for the home team.

Eastern scored four runs and out-hit the Redhawks nine to six, but left nine runners stranded. Mike O'Conor led the EIU offense with two-hits and two RBIs.

Luke Melton and Jake Ottensmeier also posted multi-hit outings, while Brett Stanley joined O'Conor with two RBIs.

Following a scoreless first two innings, the EIU bats found a spark in the third with a Jake Ottensmeier leadoff single. Following a Chris Worcester sacrifice bunt and Brett Stanley walk, Mike O'Conor drove in the game's opening run with a base hit to left field.

However, the Panthers left runners stranded on the corners after the next two batters were retired.

In the bottom of the third, a walk, throwing error, and single loaded the bases for the Redhawks with no outs before Brooks Kettering tied the game with a sacrifice fly.

Caleb Corbin popped out in the next at-bat, but Eastern was unable to escape the inning as three consecutive hits, including a Bryce Cannon RBI double, pushed SEMO in front 4-1. The Redhawks scored one more run in the frame on a wild pitch.

In the fourth, Tyler Castro and Jake Ottensmeier singled before moving into scoring position on Worcester groundout, setting the stage for a Brett Stanley two-RBI single that cut the deficit in half.

After Stanley stole his team-high 15th base of the season, Mike O'Conor delivered an RBI double to pull the Panthers within one.

Kapraun retired 12 of the final 13 batters he faced, but Eastern also struggled to generate any further offense and the score remained 5-4 as he exited the game following the seventh inning.

The lefty finished his day with a line of zero earned runs on six hits and five strikeouts through seven complete innings.

The Panthers threatened with two outs in the eighth after pinch runner Quade Peters stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error, but were unable to find the hit they needed to tie the game.

Elijah Green set the SEMO side down in order in the bottom of the eighth to make it 21 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run for EIU, but the Panthers were unable to produce any runs in the ninth as SEMO held on for the narrow win.

The series rubber match is scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m.