MOREHEAD, Ky. – SIUE baseball dropped both games of an Ohio Valley Conference baseball doubleheader Friday at Morehead State. The Eagles won 7-5 and 4-3.

The Cougars have dropped seven in a row and are now 9-26 overall and 6-17 in the Ohio Valley Conference. Morehead State has won five straight OVC contests and is now 15-29 overall and 9-11 in the OVC.

Tony Schaeffer (1-4) tossed a career-best seven innings in the loss. Schaeffer surrendered just three runs and tied his career high with six strikeouts.

"Tony did a great job. All three of his pitches were crisp," SIUE Interim Head Coach Tony Stoecklin said. "The number one thing I like about him is the fact he is a competitor. He loves to compete."

The Cougars trailed 4-2 entering the ninth inning. Travis Becherer led off the inning with a double high off the right field wall. Becherer later scored and SIUE left runners at first and third when the game ended.

"We're right there," Stoecklin said. "We're just a piece of the puzzle short."

Becherer finished the game 3 for 5 with two runs scored.

Eagles first baseman Bobby Burns was 3 for 3 with two RBIs. Chase Greenwell and Brandon Rawe each had two hits for Morehead State.

In game one, Morehead State took a 4-0 lead on seven hits in the second inning against SIUE starter Travis Felax. Felax lasted only two innings in his shortest start of the season.

Drew Staples threw two innings in relief, allowing a pair of runs. Jake Stauffenberg threw the final four innings for the Cougars. He allowed a run on two hits.

"Jake Stauffenberg threw extremely well," Stoecklin said. "That's two outings in a row where he has gone out and eaten up innings and held the opposition down."

SIUE scored three times in the fifth inning. Skyler Geissinger doubled and Devin Caldwell walked to start the inning. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Drew Johnson. Zach Little and Denton Reed picked up back-to-back RBI-singles.

"I like the fact that we executed sacrifice bunts and we moved runners over when we needed to," Stoecklin said. "We did do the little things. Playing team baseball is what we stress and I saw that tonight."

The Cougars trailed 7-3 before scoring twice in the ninth inning on RBIs from Becherer and Jacob Stewart. Becherer was stranded at second when the game ended. Becherer and Stewart were each 1 for 5 in the game. Stewart drove in two.

"I'm not pleased with the outcome of our games, but I am pleased with the fact that our guys have come to play every day," Stoecklin said. "They haven't rolled over and they haven't quit.  I'm proud that they come out and compete and they have never given up."

The two schools are scheduled to complete the three-game series with a single game Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. CT.