MARION, Ill. – SIUE baseball's 2023 season came to a close Wednesday with a 4-0 loss to Tennessee Tech in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament.

The Cougars end the season at 26-28. Tennessee Tech improved to 20-32.

A game featuring two of the highest-powered offenses in the league turned out to be a pitcher's duel between SIUE starter Jake Bockenstedt and Tennessee Tech starter Hunter Mann.

Bockenstedt worked into the seventh and allowed three runs on five hits and struck out seven.

"I'm really proud of Jake Bockenstedt," SIUE Head Coach Sean Lyons said. "He laid it all out there. He gave us everything he had. He gave us an opportunity late in the game."

Tennessee Tech scored a run in the third on a pair of hits and then added three in the bottom of the seventh on five hits against Bockenstedt and reliever Hayden Cooper.  

Mann threw seven scoreless innings and struck out 10 hitters.  

The Cougars put a pair on in the seventh inning when Drew Mize hit a ball up the middle. Tennessee Tech second baseman Eddie Garza made a diving stop and threw out Mize at first to end the inning.

"We couldn't get much going against Mann and Morin is really good out of the bullpen, so it was a tough day for us offensively," Lyons added. "We just didn't get the big break there in the seventh."

SIUE finished with just six hits. Chase Bloomer led the way, going 2-4. Josh Ohl, Brady Bunten, Ole Arntson and Braedyn Brewer each had a single hit.

"It was a bit of an up and down season," Lyons said. "I am really proud of the way they guys continued to fight and continued to play hard until the end. Those older guys who are graduated and moving on are going to be missed. We'll take the positives and build on them for the future."