Grambling State Box Score | IUPUI Box Score
MONROE, La. - Southeast Missouri (1-2) defeated Grambling State (0-1), 15-8, in the first game of the Mardi Gras Classic Friday morning. Renee Kertz went 3-for-3 with six RBI to lead the Redhawks to their first victory of the season. The Redhawks were shutout by IUPUI (1-0), 5-0, in the second game.
Southeast Missouri 15, Grambling State 8
Renee Kertz narrowly missed hitting for the cycle. She doubled in the first, hit a three-run home run in the fourth and delivered a RBI-single in the sixth. Kertz also matched her career-high in RBI.
Southeast fell behind, 3-0, in the top of the first, but scored five runs in each of the first and fourth innings before polishing off the Tigers with another four tallies in the sixth.
Kertz knocked in Cheyenne Gipson when she doubled to right center in the bottom of the first. Gipson reached on an error and advanced to second on a stolen base before touching home on Kertz's hit. Simone Patterson then reached on an error, allowing Kertz to score. Megan Cidlik followed with a double down the left field line in her first collegiate at-bat and Patterson scored. Brittany Smith capped the rally with a two-run double to right center, giving Southeast a 5-3 edge.
Angela Perez tied the game on a two-RBI single to left, but the Redhawks quickly broke the deadlock when Kertz brought in Evan Sallis on a sacrifice fly in the second.
After the Tigers scored once more to tie the game again in the fourth, Southeast started to pull away for good.
Kertz sparked another five-run rally when she slugged a three-run homer to center with one out in the fourth. Cidlik's first career home run, a two-run shot to right center, extended the Redhawks lead to 11-6.
Grambling State managed to cut Southeast's lead to three when Perez ripped a two-RBI single in the sixth, but that was as close as the Lady Tigers would get.
Kertz knocked in Gipson again, this time on a single through the left side, in the bottom of the sixth. Kertz came around to score on a fielder's choice by Patterson. Alene Bethel and Katy McAllister followed with RBI-singles to finish off the 15-8 win.
Marble (1-1) picked up her first win of the season. She relieved starter Taylor Cowan in the third and allowed six hits and three runs in five innings. Marble also struck out five and walked one.
Perez (0-1) suffered the loss for the Lady Tigers. She gave up 15 runs on 14 hits, walked three and struck out one in six innings.
Southeast pounded out 14 hits. Cidlik and Gipson each added two hits apiece. Gipson, Cidlik, Kertz and Patterson each scored three runs, as well.
IUPUI 5, Southeast Missouri 0
The Southeast Missouri softball team fell to IUPUI, 5-0, in its second game of the Mardi Gras Classic.
The Jaguars scored in the first, third, sixth and seventh innings to pull away from the Redhawks.
Kaitlin Wallace led Southeast, going 2-for-3 with a single up the middle in the second and a bunt-single in the fifth. Evan Sallis and Renee Kertz both went 1-for-3.
Shea Cothren (0-1) suffered the loss for the Redhawks. Cothren pitched a complete game for Southeast, allowing five earned runs on 12 hits, while striking out four.
Jocelyn Oppenhuis (1-0) recorded her first win of the season. Oppenhuis struck out eight and gave up six hits in her complete game victory.
Leah Prewitt had three RBI, Ashley Seering had three hits and Eryn Dillon added two hits and two runs scored for the Jaguars.
Southeast resumes play at the Mardi Gras Classic against Grambling State Saturday. First pitch is at 9 a.m., CT.
