CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball suffered a tough 1-0 loss to start a three-game series at Southeast Missouri State University Friday evening in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. USI is 14-20 overall and 4-6 in the OVC, while SEMO goes to 17-17, 7-3 OVC.
 
The Screaming Eagles and the Redhawks battled nearly inning for inning in a pitching duel through the nine-inning contest. SEMO pushed the only run across in the third on a home run for the eventual 1-0 final.
 
USI freshman right-hander Grant Parson (Owensboro, Kentucky) picked up the loss despite throwing seven strong innings. Parson (3-1), who allowed the solo shot in the third, gave up the one run on five hits and one walk, while striking out a season-high tying eight batters.
 
The Eagles had chances to score early in the contest. USI started the game with runners at first and third and one out in the opening frame and had back-to-back singles to lead off the third but failed to score in each instance.
 
USI sophomore second baseman Caleb Niehaus (Newburgh, Indiana) led the Eagle hitters with two of the team's four hits.  
 
Up Next for the Eagles:
The Eagles and the Redhawks continue the series Saturday at 2 p.m. and conclude the series Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
Following the end of USI's four-game road swing, the Eagles return to the friendly surroundings of the USI Baseball Field for a five-game homestand. The homestand starts Tuesday at 6 p.m. with a non-conference visit from Western Kentucky University; follows April 19-20 with a three-game OVC series versus the University of Tennessee at Martin; and concludes April 23 with a non-conference contest with Belmont University.