MACOMB, Ill. – Southeast Missouri Baseball (26-24, 13-9 OVC) fell in game one of the weekend series at Western Illinois (13-32, 8-14 OVC) by a final score of 7-5 on Friday afternoon at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium. 
 
The Redhawks fell behind early as WIU scored the first run of the contest with a solo home run by Cesar Franco off LHP Haden Dow (4-2) to give the home side a 1-0 lead after the first frame. 
 
First baseman Bryce Cannon tied the game a half-inning later with his first-of-four RBIs in the contest with a sacrifice fly that would score Caleb Corbin from third base. 
 
A four-run, bottom half of the second inning for WIU regained the lead for the home team after two, two RBI extra-base hits and an RBI single to give the Leathernecks at 5-1 lead heading into the third inning. 
 
After a scoreless third on both sides, the Redhawks matched WIU's four-run inning with one of their own in the top of the fourth. 
 
A leadoff walk by Corbin got the inning moving as right fielder Josh Cameron roped a single and advanced to second base on the throw to put Redhawks on second and third with no outs. 
 
After a groundout, Cannon stepped in and blasted his 10^th home run of the season, a three-run shot to get SEMO to within a run. The blast gave Cannon his fourth RBI of the ball game. 
 
Two batters later, second baseman Brooks Kettering tied the game with his fifth blast of the season. Kettering's solo shot tied the game at five runs a piece, entering the bottom of the fourth. 
 
The game was not tied long as WIU responded with another solo home run in the home half as Adam Juran gave WIU a 6-5 lead. 
 
WIU would add their seventh and the game's final run in the fifth inning as both teams went scoreless the rest of the way. 
 
RHP Collin Wilma had a nice outing out of the SEMO bullpen in relief of Dow. Wilma pitched 3.0 innings and allowed just one run on two hits. He fanned three WIU hitters in the appearance. 
 
Brooks Kettering led the offense with a 4-for-5 day at the plate, including the solo home run. The freshman was the only Redhawk to record a multi-hit day as SEMO recorded 10 hits on the afternoon. 
 
Game two is slated for Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. in Macomb, Ill.