~ Jacksonville State salvaged a weather-delayed 5-3 win in the series finale against OVC-leading Southeast

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team had to settle for its seventh series victory in Ohio Valley Conference play after enduring a two-and-one-half-hour rain delay and a 5-3 loss to Jacksonville State on Sunday in Jacksonville, Ala.

The first-place Redhawks had won the first two games of the series before the soggy ending, which was followed by an eight-hour trip home.

The start of the series finale was moved up 30 minutes to try to avoid the approaching weather but to no avail. The game started at 12:30 p.m. but did not conclude until 6:30 p.m..

The loss left Southeast at 29-14 overall and 19-5 in the OVC, three games ahead of second-place Tennessee Tech.

Southeast Missouri State’s Jason Blum bunts against Jacksonville State during Sunday’s game in Jacksonville, Ala. (WAYNE MCPHERSON ~ Special to Southeast Missourian)

Third-place Jacksonville State improved to 23-19 overall and 12-9 in the conference.

The rain delay came before the start of the eighth inning after the Gamecocks scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to break a 3-3 tie.

Southeast had taken a 3-0 lead with two runs in the third and one in the sixth.

Senior first baseman Matt Tellor boosted his RBI total to a team-leading 54 with a two-run single with one out in the third inning that scored Cole Bieser and Clayton Evans. Evans had opened the inning with a single off JSU starter Taylor Shields and advanced to third on a double by Bieser.

Derek Gibson opened the sixth inning with a single off Shields, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Andy Lennington and scored on a two-out single by Scott Mitchell.

Southeast Missouri State’s Derek Gibson singles against Jacksonville State during Sunday’s game in Jacksonville, Ala. The Gamecocks won 5-3 to avoid a series sweep. (WAYNE MCPHERSON ~ Special to Southeast Missourian)

JSU pulled even with three runs in the sixth.

Redhawks starter Ryan Lenaburg held JSU hitless over the first five innings, but the Gamecocks broke through in the sixth with four hits. Eddie Mora-Loera singled to left field with one out to break up Lenaburg's no-hitter, and Griff Gordon followed with a single to right. Both runners moved up a base on a throwing error on Gordon's single. Tyler Gamble brought home the first two runs with a single to left field, then scored when Stephen Bartlett followed with a double to right-center field.

The Gamecocks took a 4-3 lead in the seventh off losing pitcher Christian Hull (3-2), who walked Andre Bishop to open the inning. A sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch moved Bishop to third, and he scored on a sacrifice fly by Michael Bishop.

Hull yielded a two-out single to Mora-Loera that provided an insurance run for a bullpen that pitched three scoreless innings.

Michael Mason (4-1), who relieved Shields in the seventh, was the winning pitcher. He struck out three batters in his one inning, allowing one hit and one walk. He was followed by Graham Officer and Travis Stout, who each allowed one hit. Stout struck out two batters in recording his ninth save of the season.

Gibson and Evans both had two hits for Southeast.

Mora-Loera and Gordon each had a pair of hits for JSU.

Southeast returns to action Tuesday when it visits Missouri for a 6 p.m. nonconference contest.

The Redhawks have six OVC games remaining. They begin a three-game home series against Murray State on Friday before concluding conference play with a three-game series against Tennessee Tech on May 9-11 in Cookeville, Tenn.

Tech, the defending regular-season champion, was 34-12 overall and 16-8 in league play after winning two of three games against Murray State over the weekend.

Southeast is seeking its first regular-season OVC title since 2002 and second overall.