FINAL STATS  l  PHOTO GALLERY

JACKSON, Tenn. – Kody Campbell had three hits and Ryan Barnes had two to lead Southeast Missouri State to a 4-1 win over Jacksonville State in the opening round of the 2012 Ohio Valley Conference Baseball Tournament.
 
Christian Hull (4-7) scattered two hits over the final five innings to earn the win for the Redhawks. Senior Aaron Elias (2-9) was the tough luck loser for the Gamecocks after giving up just one earned run in 5 2/3 innings with four strikeouts.
 
“It was a game of missed opportunities,” said JSU head coach Jim Case. “I thought Aaron pitched a fantastic game for us, but we were not able to take advantage of some of our opportunities to score runs.”
 
The Gamecocks (26-29) took a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning after Michael Bishop led off with a double down the left field line and came around to score on Scott Underwood's RBI single to left field, but the Redhawks answered in the sixth.
 
Campbell drew a two-out walk and Barnes had a single through the right side to put runners on first and second, before Taylor Heon followed with a single to right field to score Campbell and tie the game at 1-1.
 
Kenton Parmley then hit a fly ball to center field that was dropped by the Gamecocks for an error, and the Redhawks plated two runs to take a 3-1 lead.
 
Southeast added a run in the top of the seventh inning after Derek Gibson doubled and then Andy Lennington followed with a double to left center to score Gibson and give SEMO a 4-1 lead.
 
Sam Eberle went 3-for-4 to lead the Gamecocks, as JSU finished with six hits in the game. Jax State left 13 runners on base and failed to score with bases loaded in the first, third and eighth innings.
 
Jacksonville State will face Morehead State at 11 a.m. on Thursday in an elimination game, while SEMO will play Austin Peay at 7 p.m.