Two big innings proved enough to put Austin Peay's baseball team in a hole it could not dig out of as it dropped a 10-3 decision to Southeast Missouri in Ohio Valley Conference play, Sunday, at Capaha Field.

Southeast Missouri (29-21, 12-7 OVC) won the OVC series, 2-1, and handed the Govs their fifth consecutive league series loss. It also knocked Austin Peay out of contention for one of the six spots in OVC Baseball Championship with one regular-season week remaining.

Austin Peay (24-25) opened the game's scoring with a run in the second inning after third baseman Chris Lewellyn reached on an error and scored on shortstop Reed Harper's triple, giving APSU a 1-0 lead.

That lead was short-lived as Redhawks right fielder Louie Haseltine leveled the score with his solo home run in the bottom of the second.

But Southeast Missouri broke the game open with nine consecutive runs, scoring three in the fourth, five in the fifth and another run in the sixth. Austin Peay's defense added to its woes with two errors in the fourth which led to two runs and an error in the fifth that eventually led to four runs. Third baseman Jim Klocke closed the Redhawks scoring with a towering home run to right field in the sixth.

Austin Peay tacked on runs in the seventh and eighth innings, the latter on back-to-back doubles by catcher Trey Lucas and third baseman Chris Lewellyn, but could not close the gap further.

Govs starter Eric Davis (3-2) suffered the loss just four days after picking up a victory at Evansville. He surrendered seven runs on five hits and three walks over 4.1 innings. Reliever Matt Marsh was tagged for three runs in his 1.2 innings before David Vicini and Matt Kole tossed scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth innings.

"Eric threw well, I can't fault him," said Govs acting head coach Joel Mangrum. "He's the kind of guy who pitches to contact and you just hope they're hit at someone and the defense makes the play. Eric went out and did his job it's just some bad breaks here and there cost us today."

Second baseman Jon Clinard had the Govs only multi-hit outing, finishing the day 2-for-3. Austin Peay recorded nine hits in the contest and stranded nine runners on base.

"Our guys are going scrap and play but they just weren't able to find the holes in the defense today," Mangrum said. "I felt like our guys never quit and that's something they should hold their heads up high."

Southeast Missouri starter Jordan Underwood (5-5) picked up the victory after holding the Govs to two runs on six hits over 6.2 innings.

Second baseman Tim Rupp led the Redhawks with a 3-for-3, three RBI performance. Southeast Missouri rapped out 12 hits for its 10 runs and stranded only seven men on base.

Austin Peay begins its final week of regular-season play with a 6 p.m., Tuesday non-conference contest at Lipscomb.

NOTES: APSU Coach Gary McClure, who missed Saturday's doubleheader because of illness, underwent surgery for an appendicitis, late Saturday night...Assistant coach Joel Mangrum served as interim coach during the weekend while assistant Jake Peterson served as third-base coach in McClure's absence.