Northern Iowa Box Score | PDF Version of Box Score
Missouri State Box Score | PDF Version of Box Score
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Southeast Missouri softball team fell to Northern Iowa 2-1 and Missouri State 4-1 at day two of the Blues City Classic on Saturday. The Redhawks fall to 4-6 overall, while UNI moves to 7-2 and Missouri State improves to 4-2 on the season.
Northern Iowa 2, Southeast 1
The Panthers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second when Whitney Plein scored on an attempted pick-off throw to second.
Northern Iowa would add to their lead with a two out double by Courtney Dunker to score Hannah Borschel and take a 2-0 lead.
Southeast would answer in the bottom of the fourth inning when Taylor Cowan hit a lead-off single up the middle. Renee Terry came in to pinch-run for Cowan. Lindsey Patterson followed reaching base after being hit by a pitch. Xia Wilson hit a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners into scoring position. Shelby Stein then singled up the middle to plate Terry and cut the Panther's lead to one. The Redhawks would strand two runners on and not score again.
Shea Cothren suffered her third loss of the season and fell to 1-3. Cothren pitched a complete game giving up two runs on four hits. She walked six batters and struck out three.
Jessica Severinsen (1-1) recorded the victory for the Panthers. She pitched a complete game while giving up only one run on three hits. Severinsen struck out three batters and walked just one.
Stein led the Redhawks offensively going 1-for-2 with an RBI and a walk. Evan Sallis and Cowan each had a hit against the Panthers.
Allison Galvin, Aly Zembruski, Borschel, and Dunker each had a hit against the Redhawks.
Missouri State 4, Southeast Missouri 1
Missouri State held the Redhawks to five scoreless innings in the last game of the day at day two of the Blue City Classic.
Missouri State scored in the bottom half of the first on a one out RBI ground-out by Erin Duewel to score Kristin Cutter and take an early 1-0 lead. The Redhawks would get out of the jam as the Bears would strand the bases loaded.
The Bears added to their lead in the second when Ashley Brentz hit a single to left center field and advanced to second base on the throw, plating Heather Duckworth. Rebecca McPherson came in to pinch-hit and hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Raeven Replogle and increase the Bears' lead to three.
Cutter reached on a throwing error to advance to third base to lead-off the Bears' bottom half of the fourth inning and scored on a fielder's choice to give the Bears a 4-0 lead.
The Redhawk's only run came in the sixth inning. Cowan lead off the frame with a double to right center field and advanced to third on a passed ball. Kaitlin Wallace grounded out to second base and scored Cowan to cut the Bears' lead to three at 4-1. But the Redhawks offense failed to garner anymore runs falling 4-1.
Cowan (0-1) pitched her third complete game of her career as a Redhawk. She gave up four runs on four hits against the Bears and recorded her first loss of the season. Cowan shattered her record of strikeouts in a single game by striking out eight batters in Saturday night's contest. Offensively, Cowan went 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored in the game against the Bears.
Chelsea Jones recorded the win for the Bears and improved her season to 1-1. Jones pitched five scoreless innings giving up only one run on seven hits to the Redhawks.
Sallis and Alene Bethel each had two hits for Southeast. Gipson, Cowan, and L. Patterson each added a hit.
Cutter lead the Bears going 2-for-4 and scoring two runs. Stevie Pierce and Brentz each added a hit for the Bears.
Head coach Lana Richmond said, "We had a tough day getting key hits to score runs. Cothren and Cowan settled in after two innings and finished strong. Defensivly, we need to limit opportunities and be consistant each game."
Southeast Missouri closes the Blues City Classic on Sunday at 3 p.m. against tournament host Memphis.
