CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri's Chris Osborne's solo home run in the sixth inning proved too be the difference in Jacksonville State's 7-6 loss to the Redhawks in the opening game of a three-game series between the two Ohio Valley Conference preseason favorites on Thursday night at Capaha Field.

The loss drops the Gamecocks to 17-13 overall and 6-7 in OVC play, while SEMO improves to 18-14 on the season and 9-7 against the OVC.  Jax State will be looking to even the series in game two of the series on Friday at 6 p.m.  The game will be available on the Gamecock Sports Network and streamed online on the OVC Digital Network.

JSU and SEMO featured the top-two pitching staffs in the OVC, but it was an unusual offensive night with both squads sending quality starting pitching to the mound.  SEMO's Clay Chandler benefited from Osborne's home run as he earned the win in the contest after going toe-to-toe with JSU sophomore left hander, Derrick Adams.  Adams, the reigning OVC Pitcher of the Week, was solid again on Thursday, but lasted just 4.1 innings.  Adams was touched for six runs on seven hits, including a pair of home run balls that aided SEMO's offense.  Osborne's solo home run was SEMO's third of the night off Gamecock pitching.  Adams did record eight strikeouts in the outing.  Junior Grant Chandler suffered the loss after the Osborne home run.  In all, JSU pitchers fanned 13 Redhawks.

SEMO jumped on the scoreboard with a two-run home run by Chris Caffery in the second, but for the first of four times over the next four innings, the Gamecocks responded.  Junior Clayton Daniel registered his first of two RBI singles in third, followed by Joe McGuire's RBI ground out to equalize at 2-2.

The Redhawks broke the tie with a three-run third inning that was highlighted by a two-run double and a run-scoring single.  JSU began to chip away at the 5-2 deficit with a solo home run by freshman Payton Young.  It was Young's second of the season – both coming against OVC competition.  The Gamecocks tied the contest at 5-all in the fifth with Daniel's second RBI single, followed by Trent Simpson's single to center.  SEMO answered in the fifth with a solo home run by Tristen Gagan.

JSU senior Josh Bobo, who had a double in his second at bat, collected his second home run of the season with a towering solo home run in the sixth that equalized.

The Gamecocks chased SEMO's Chandler in the top of the seventh after Daniel walked, but JSU could not push the tying run across the plate against the Redhawks' bullpen.  The bullpen struck out seven in the final three innings.