CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Milwaukee held a 2-0 lead heading to the bottom of the sixth, but the host Redhawks scored the final eight runs of the game to win 8-2 on Friday evening.
 
Caleb Klein led Southeast Missouri with three hits and three RBIs in the win, while also scoring two runs. SEMO outhit the Panthers, 11-10. However, Milwaukee allowed six walks and committed two errors on defense.
 
Tate Schmidt had three hits and scored both Milwaukee runs, while Bradyn Horn led the Panthers with four hits. Dominic Kibler and Charlie Marion drove in the two Panther runs early in the game.
 
Marion got the offense started for Milwaukee with a sacrifice fly in the first, spotting Panther starter Gavin Theis an early lead.
 
The Panthers increased the lead in the top of the third as Schmidt started the inning off with another leadoff single and moved up to second on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Kibler gave Milwaukee a 2-0 lead, but was all Milwaukee could get, stranding a pair of runners on base.
 
"We forced [Southeast Missouri starter Mason] Pennington to throw quite a few pitches and we put up two runs within the first three innings," said head coach Shaun Wegner. "We left meat on the bone in those chances and that's where our offense has really been struggling as of late."
 
"Early on, we did a nice job of pitching the baseball and Gavin was really in control of everything," Wegner added. "He started to lose the zone a little bit in the fifth and sixth, which ended up scratching a few across for SEMO."
 
The Redhawks scored one in the fifth before Theis stranded the bases full of Redbirds on a strikeout and a comebacker to the mound. Theis was not as fortunate in the sixth, as Southeast Missouri added four more, chasing Milwaukee's starter in the process.
 
Milwaukee left baserunners on in seven out of nine innings in the game, including two runners on in the seventh as the Panthers started the inning with a pair of hits and a walk but were unable to convert.
 
"We have to find ways to finish the job when we get the runners in scoring position and at least put the pressure on the defense to make the plays," said Wegner. "We had way too many strikeouts in those scenarios."
 
Southeast Missouri scored two more in the seventh and one in the eighth off Aiden Fishnick to open a six-run cushion.
 
Mason Pennington earned his third win of the season with 11 strikeouts over six innings of work. Jackson Kranawetter tossed the final 2 2/3 innings to earn his second save of the year.
 
Milwaukee and Southeast Missouri will play game two of the series on Saturday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 2:00 p.m. However, the weather forecast is not optimal, and the game time may be adjusted. Fans are encouraged to stay tuned to MKEPanthers.com, and @MKE_Baseball on X for the latest updates.