SE Rally Falls Just Short in GAC Tourney Opener

Box Score HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Southeastern opened its Great American Conference Tournament run with a rally that fell just short in its first-round matchup with Ouachita Baptist in an 8-7 loss on Saturday afternoon in Hot Springs, Ark.
 
The loss drops the Savage Storm to 32-19 overall on the season as SE slips into the loser's bracket and will next be in action in an elimination contest on May 8 at 3:50 p.m. versus the loser of the matchup between Southern Arkansas and Arkansas Tech.
 
Cameron French led the way with a pair of hits that included a homer, while seven others each collected hits, with Richard Ware and Bryce McDermott each doubling.
 
French and McDermott each recorded a pair of RBI, while Reid Rice, Damon Burroughs and Dylan Herd each plated one.
 
Cole Canuteson would get hung with the loss after tossing 6.2 innings and allowing five runs on four hits with 10 strikeouts across from seven walks.
 
Jordan Compton came on in relief and was tagged for three runs on two hits without recording an out, followed by Kenneth Klier who tossed two-thirds of an inning, allowing one hits while striking out two.
 
Coby Langford would add two-thirds of an inning without allowing a hit while striking out one.
 
Jackson Sioson would come on in the top of the ninth and retire the side in order.
 
Canuteson survived an early jam as OBU loaded the bases with one out in the top of the first inning before coaxing an inning ending double play to get out of trouble.
 
The Storm would crack the scoreboard first in the bottom of the second, with French singling with two outs followed by Richard Ware reaching on a hit by pitch.
 
Each of those runners would move up a base on a wild pitch before McDermott doubled down the left-field line, plating French and Ware for the 2-0 lead.
 
A batter later Herd would single through the right side to bring home McDermott to push the lead to 3-0 after two innings.
 
OBU would get on the board with a pair of runs off a two-run homer in the fourth and would taje the lead in the top of the sixth with six runs to leave the Storm in an 8-3 hole.
 
French would work to close the gap in the bottom of the eighth inning, taking advantage of Seth Morrow's leadoff HBP with a two-out, two-run homer to right to close to within 8-5 after eight innings.
 
SE would load the bases with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and a Reid Rice RBI walk would bring in Miles to make it 8-6 and one pitch later Damon Burroughs would get hit by a pitch to bring home McQuain and close to 8-7, but that is where the rally would end.