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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – The 2012 Southeast Missouri softball team certainly knows drama.

Trailing in the sixth inning for the third-straight game, Southeast plated six runs to secure a 9-5 win over Morehead State in the rubber match of its three-game series on Sunday morning.

The Redhawks (6-12, 2-1 Ohio Valley) took advantage of three errors by the Eagles (6-10, 1-2 OVC) in the deciding inning, which gave them their second win in their final at bat of the weekend. MSU committed five errors total on Sunday morning.

“This shows a lot of our team's character,” Southeast head coach Lana Richmond said. “We had a lot of different kids come through. The biggest performance today was Cheyenne Gipson. She got three hits for us overall and really gave us a chance to come from behind.”

“You need to be able to win a series at home in conference play,” Southeast head coach Lana Richmond said. “I think that the OVC race is going to change every week. It's good for us to get off to a nice start in conference play, we just need to maintain consistency against the rest of the OVC.”

The Eagles struck in the top of the first on a two-out RBI bloop single from Amber Riddle. The Redhawks moved the tying run to second with one out as Gipson singled and stole second. Southeast was unable to advance Gipson any further and the score remained 1-0 after one complete inning.

MSU used some two-out magic to extend its lead in the third inning as Stephanie Etter and Elizabeth Wagner each singled with two outs and nobody on. Riddle followed that up with a three-run homer, her second home run of the series to make it 4-0.

The Redhawks put some heat on the Eagles in the bottom of the third, loading the bases with one out. Renee Kertz put Southeast on the board by drawing a walk and Taylor Cowan followed with a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 4-2 after three.

Morehead State started another two-out rally in the fifth, loading the bases after the first two batters were retired, but Alora Marble came on in relief and fanned Kayla Ashbrook to strand all three runners and keep the score 4-2.

“I give Morehead a lot of credit, they did a great job hitting with two outs,” Richmond said. “It was huge for Alora Marble to come on in relief and shut it down.”

The Redhawks drew even closer in the bottom of the fifth when Simone Patterson led off with a double and scored on Gipson's RBI single. Gipson advanced to second on a throwing error during the play, but moved no further as Brittni Chapman came into the circle for Morehead and retired the final two batters of the frame, leaving the score 4-3.

MSU got a run back on a Southeast miscue in the sixth as a failed pickoff throw scored Kayla Brill from third base with two down to make it 5-3.

Defensive miscues allowed the Redhawks to claw back in the bottom of the sixth inning. After Shelby Stein drew a one-out walk, an error put runners at first and second. Kaitlin Wallace followed with a single to right field and an error during the play allowed Stein to score and make it 5-4. Brittany Smith loaded the bases again with a walk.

After a Morehead State pitching change, Evan Sallis tied the game at 5-5 with a bases loaded walk, the first time the score had been tied since the first inning. Another MSU error plated two more runs and gave the Redhawks their first lead of the game at 7-5. Two batters later, Cowan singled home two more, extending the lead to 9-5.

“Our batters did a good job of forcing their pitchers to throw strikes,” Richmond said. “We took until they threw strikes and it paid off.”

Gipson finished 3-for-4 with two RBI, a stolen base and a run scored to lead the Southeast lineup. Wallace also had a multi-hit day, going 2-for-3 and crossing home plate twice.

Marble continued her strong work out of the pen, retiring the side in order in the seventh to secure the series win and improve her individual record to 3-5. She allowed only one unearned run on one hit in two and a third innings while striking out one batter. Shea Cothren drew the start for Southeast, allowing four runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. She struck out three batters and walked two.

The Redhawks are on the road for their next nine games, starting with a doubleheader at Indiana State on Wednesday. First pitch is at 3 p.m. CT.