CHILLICOTHE, Ohio. - The IU Kokomo baseball team lost a heartbreaker Thursday in the opening round of the River States Conference Baseball Championship. IU Southeast scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to win 5-4. 

The Cougars got on the scoreboard first, scoring a pair of runs in the top of the second for an early lead. Noah Hurlock hit a solo-shot to left to put the Cougs up 1-0 before Gavin Smith reached on error and scored on a Jarod Gillespie RBI-double.

River States Conference Pitcher of the Year Lucas Letsinger got the start and was spectacular for much of the game. Letsinger's final line: 8 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 10 K. Letsinger would surrender a pair of runs in the third, as a Grenadier two-run homer tied the game at 2-2 through three innings.

Jack Leverenz gave IU Kokomo an immediate response, leading off the fourth by destroying a ball over the centerfield batter's eye. Leverenz's home-run gave the Cougars a 3-2 lead.

Gillespie walked to lead off the top half of the fifth, and would score on a Nolan Bowser RBI-single. Bowser's base knock extended the IU Kokomo lead to two at 4-2.

Letsinger was completely dominant throughout the middle part of Thursday night's matchup, retiring eight-consecutive hitters at one point. 

IU Kokomo took a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth, but the Grenadiers refused to go away quietly. The first man of the inning reached via HBP and the second followed with a two-run shot to tie the game 4-4. IU Southeast would manage to scratch another run across to walk-off IU Kokomo 5-4.

The Cougars will face a win or go home scenario tomorrow as they take on #1 seed Midway University at 3:00 PM.

For the latest news, updates, and information on the IU Kokomo Cougars, fans can visit IUKCougars.com. Fans can also stay up to date on the latest Cougar news by following @IUKAthletics on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.