LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Little Rock mounted one final rally in the ninth inning Thursday night, but Southeast Missouri held on for a 4-2 win over the Trojans in the opener of a pivotal Ohio Valley Conference series at Gary Hogan Field.

"We pitched well enough to win, but we have to get off this offensive roller coaster," Little Rock head coach Chris Curry said. "We started to get some quality at-bats, but it was too little too late. 

Trailing 4-0 entering the bottom of the ninth, the Trojans finally broke through when Angel Cano blasted a two-run homer to deep left field, scoring Kade Smith and bringing life back into the home dugout and crowd. The home run was Cano's 11th of the season and cut the deficit to 4-2, but SEMO closer Gavin Johnston recorded the final out to secure the save.

The loss drops Little Rock to 30-23 overall and 16-9 in OVC play, creating a three-way tie for second in the OVC standings with SEMO and Eastern Illinois as the final weekend of the regular season continues.

Smith paced the Trojans offensively with two hits and a run scored, while Cano, Nico Baumbach, Nolan Freund and Cooper Chaplain each added hits. Chaplain also stole a base.

Brannon Westmoreland suffered just his second loss of the season despite another solid outing. The right-hander worked five innings, allowing three runs on six hits while striking out six. Isaac Evaniew followed with two scoreless innings in relief before Malcolm Brown pitched the final two frames.
The two teams continue the series at 4 p.m., Friday at Gary Hogan Field.

"I told [the players] after the game that at this time of the year, there is no time for feelings or hangovers," Curry said. "We have to put this game behind us and move on to tomorrow. We can't let a loss carry into the next day."