April 30, 2011

Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score

MOREHEAD, Ky. - After a year absence, the Southeast Missouri State softball team will be competing in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. The Redhawks punched their ticket to the postseason with a doubleheader sweep of Morehead State on Saturday afternoon at University Field.

The Redhawks (25-25, 16-10 OVC) were picked to finish eighth in the OVC Preseason poll. With their two victories, the Redhawks remain in the fifth spot in the league standings, just a half game behind UT Martin for fourth and one game behind SIUE for third. The top six teams receive berths to the tournament.

The Redhawks recorded a season-high in runs in their 14-7 victory in the series opener before holding on for a 4-3 triumph in game two.

The victory in the opener was highlighted by an eight-run top of the seventh for the Redhawks offense.

Clinging to a 6-4 lead heading into the final frame, the Redhawks got RBIs from Shelby Stein (Columbia, Ill.), a two-run single by Kaitlin Wallace (Newton, Ill.), and run-scoring single by Carmen Fowler (Lawrenceville, Ga.).

Nicole Troncoso (Palmdale, Calif.), Taylor Cowan (Columbia, Mo.) and Shelby Kuryllo (Corona, Calif.) also drove in runs in the inning to give the Redhawks a 14-4 lead.

The Eagles (19-33, 10-16 OVC) scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh but it was too little to late as freshman Alora Marble (Jefferson City, Mo.) pitched out of the inning to secure the Redhawks victory.

The Redhawks scored the game's first runs in their half of the second. Freshman Alene Bethel (Veradale, Wash.) got the first run on the scoreboard with a pinch-hit RBI groundout.

Wallace drove in a run with a single and pinch runner Amber Ewert (Lee's Summit, Mo.) came across the plate on a throwing error by the Eagles catcher to give the Redhawks a 3-0 lead.

The Eagles jumped ahead 4-3 win a run in the fourth and three in the fifth.

The Redhawks pulled ahead for good with a three-run sixth inning. Evan Sallis (Muskogee, Okla.) plated a run with a bunt single. Fowler forced home a run with a groundout and Renee Kertz (St. Louis, Mo.) drove in the inning's final run with a opposite-field single.

Along with a season-high in runs scored, the Redhawks also combined for a season-high 17 hits, all singles.

Cheyenne Gipson (Skiatook, Okla.) recorded four of those hits with a 4-for-5 performance at the plate. It was Gipson's second four-hit game of the season. She also scored three runs.

Kuryllo continued her recent hot hitting with a career-best three hits. She drove in a run and scored once.

Fowler and Wallace each collected two hits. Wallace drove in three runs and Fowler plated two.

For Fowler it was her 12th multiple-RBI game of the season, tying her for the team lead. She now has 41 RBI this season, tying her for sixth on the school single season charts.

Kertz drove in her 44th run of the season, tying her with softball great Kim Palmer for third on the school's single season chart. She needs just two more RBI to tie Shelly Trieb for the school record.

Twelve different Redhawks scored in the game.

Marble recorded her seventh complete game and sixth straight in winning her eighth-straight game in the circle. She allowed seven runs (six earned) on 12 hits while walking just one and tying her career-high with seven strikeouts.

She improved to 13-6 this season, including 9-3 against OVC opponents.

Game two started off a pitching duel as both teams were held scoreless by the opposing pitcher for the first five innings.

The Redhawks broke away with a four-run sixth inning. Cowan and Kuryllo each recorded RBI singles but the innings biggest blow came from the unlikeliest hitter.

Gipson had gone 162 plate appearances this season without a single extra base hit. The speedster and bunt expert waited for her 163rd appearance at the plate to deliver a two-run triple to the opposite-field to give the Redhawks a 4-0 lead.

Cowan gave up a run in the Eagles half of the sixth and ran into some trouble in the final inning. After giving up two more runs to make it a one-run game, freshman Shea Cothren (Paragould, Ark.) entered the game with the bases loaded and just one out.

She retired the next two batters to secure the Redhawks fourth OVC series victory of the season.

Cowan improved to 5-6 this season in the circle as she went 6.1 innings allowing just three runs on 11 hits.

Cothren picked up her second save of the season.

Gipson went 2-for-2 with a walk. She also stole her team-best 19th base of the season in 21 attempts. Her 19 thefts tie Julie Lehmbeck for the fourth highest single season total in school history.

She finished the day 6-for-7 from the plate.

Fowler went 2-for-4 for her team-best 20th multiple-hit game of the season. She extended her hitting streak to ten games. She also raised her batting average this season to .415 which is currently the highest single season batting average in school history.

She also has 66 hits this season, ranking third on the school's all-time single season charts. The school record is 68 held by both Jenny Oermann and Palmer.

The Redhawks will continue their push to move up the OVC standings as both teams will conclude the series tomorrow with one game at University Field. First pitch is set for noon.