JACKSON - Austin Peay State University's baseball team mounted a ninth-inning rally, but fell one run short in a 4-3 loss to Southeast Missouri, Thursday night, in the 2012 Ohio Valley Conference Baseball Championship's second round at Pringles Park.

Trailing 4-1 entering the ninth, top-seeded Austin Peay (34-22) used some trademark patience to apply pressure to Southeast Missouri. The Govs saw their first two batters walked - the first ending Redhawks' starter Shea Simmons night and the second the start of a rocky outing by closer Ryan Prickett - before pinch hitter P.J. Torres drove in the first run with a single through the infield, cutting the deficit to 4-2.

Centerfielder Michael Blanchard then worked a four-pitch walk to load the bases for the first time. After a strikeout, second baseman Jordan Hankins drove the ball to deep center field which allowed Childress to score, slashing the lead to 4-3 with two out. Shortstop Reed Harper followed with another four pitch walk to load the bases again.

Third baseman Greg Bachman came to the plate and fell behind 1-2 as Prickett found the zone twice. He then fouled off the first 1-2 offering before leveling the count at 2-2. However, he could not catch up to the 2-2 offering that was low and on the inside part of the plate, ending the game.

Austin Peay grabbed the game's first lead when designated hitter Jon Clinard walked in the fourth inning - ending an opening stretch that saw Simmons retire the first 10 Govs batters he faced. The Govs followed that with a single by Hankins and a two-out RBI single by Bachman to take the early 1-0 lead.

Sixth-seeded Southeast Missouri (23-34) shortstop Trenton Parmley erased that deficit with a solo home run in the fifth inning. The Redhawks would continue to put runners on base around Austin Peay starter Zach Toney, but could not breakthrough for a big rally until the APSU bullpen was called upon in the eighth inning.

The Redhawks began the eighth facing Govs reliever Zane Leffew and got a leadoff single from first baseman Kenton Parmley. Leffew struck out the next batter he faced, but then hit second baseman Travis Heon. Head coach Gary McClure came out and made the call to bring in closer Tyler Rogers to try and end the threat.

SEMO pinch hitter Jason Blum greeted Rogers with a single to right field. Campbell, who was on second when the play started, ran home trying to beat the throw by right fielder Rolando Gautier. Catcher Matt Wollenzin blocked the plate but the ball's location was lost in the ensuing tangle of bodies and only after the play was over did the umpire rule Campbell safe when he saw the ball on the ground.

Rogers added to his woes when he threw a pitch in the dirt that got by Wollenzin, allowing a second run to score. He then walked the next batter he faced and fell behind 3-0 to SEMO third baseman Trenton Moses. Rogers threw a strike to keep the appearance alive, but Moses won the battle with a soft liner that landed in front of Blanchard in center and allowed pinch runner D Hewitt to score the eventual game-winning run.

Leffew (2-2) suffered the loss after the two runners he left on base scored in the eighth. Toney had a rough go of it, facing 32 batters through six innings and allowing one run on five hits and four walks while striking out seven - finishing the game after throwing 140 pitches.

Austin Peay's offense was held to seven hits - all singles - and Bachman had the Govs only multi-hit outing, finishing the night 2-for-5 with an RBI. Hankins and Torres had the Govs other two RBI.

Simmons (7-4) picked up the win with a career-long eight-plus inning outing. He allowed two runs on six hits and five walks while striking out five batters. Prickett picked up his third save despite allowing one run on one hit and three walks to the seven batters he faced.

Southeast Missouri's offense rapped out nine hits, but stranded 13 runners on base in the contest. Campbell led the effort with a 3-for-5 outing. Parmley, Moses and Blum each had one RBI.

Austin Peay falls into the loser's bracket and will play a 3 p.m., Friday contest against the winner of the preceding Jacksonville State-Eastern Kentucky contest.

NOTES: Austin Peay lost to Southeast Missouri for the sixth consecutive time in OVC Tournament play... it is the third time (2003 and 2004 the others) Austin Peay has lost its opening game as the top seed in the neutral-field era of the OVC Championship (since 2001)... the tournament's top three seeds - No. 1 Austin Peay, No. 2 Eastern Kentucky and No. 3 Jacksonville State - are each in the loser's bracket after Day 2 action... No. 6 Southeast Missouri will play No.4 seed Eastern Illinois in a 7 p.m., Friday winner's bracket final.

-AP-