Southeast Missouri (10-15, 3-3 OVC) at UT Martin (16-10, 6-0 OVC)
Dates: Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Series Schedule: Mar. 21 - 3 p.m., CT (DH)
Location: Martin, Tenn.
Site: Bettye Giles Softball Field
Coaches: Lana Richmond (843-628-2 overall, 265-169 OVC, 30th Season); Donley Canary (341-251-1 overall, 10th Season)
Media Coverage
Live Stats: UTMSports.com
Redhawk Softball Notebook
Last Time Out
Southeast Missouri travels to Martin for the midweek series after losing a series against conference opponent Eastern Kentucky over the weekend. The Redhawks went 4-4 last week after going 3-1 during the midweek, posting their first doubleheader sweep this season at Indiana State (Mar. 14) and splitting a pair of games at Evansville (Mar. 15). Southeast saw a season-long four-game winning streak come to an end in its 5-4 loss to the Purple Aces Thursday.
Road Warriors
The Redhawks will end their nine-game road trip on Wednesday with the doubleheader against the Skyhawks. The Redhawks, who were on their spring break, visited Missouri Valley Conference opponents Indiana State (Mar. 14) and Evansville (Mar. 15) during the midweek and conference opponent Eastern Kentucky (Mar. 17-18). The Redhawks will have played 24 of their first 27 games on the road this season.
Road to 850 Career Wins
Lana Richmond is closing in on 850 career wins in her 30th season as Southeast's head coach. Richmond, who has coached in a total of 1,473 games, holds an overall record of 843-628-2. She has also won 265 Ohio Valley Conference games, leading the Redhawks to OVC Tournament titles in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999, and OVC regular-season crowns in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999. Richmond currently ranks 14th in victories among all NCAA Division I head softball coaches.
Redhawks Earn First Shutout
Southeast blanked an opponent for the first time in 22 games this season when it beat Indiana State, 4-0, on Mar. 14. The Redhawks scored 13 unearned runs on a combined 11 errors in their doubleheader sweep of the Sycamores. Indiana State had seven errors in the first game alone. That win snapped Southeast's nine-game losing skid away from home this year.
Marble Takes Charge
Sophomore Alora Marble has won three of her last five pitching appearances. Marble, after picking up a relief win in Southeast's series finale against Morehead State (Mar. 11), posted complete game victories in back-to-back starts. She matched a career-high eight strikeouts in a four-hit shutout against Indiana State (Mar. 14). A day later, Marble allowed only one run and struck out four in seven innings at Evansville. Marble gave up seven runs on 15 hits at Eastern Kentucky and suffered two losses on the weekend. Marble finished the week with 21 strikeouts. Marble's record for the season stands at 5-7.
RBI Machines
Senior shortstop Renee Kertz is on the verge of cracking Southeast's top-five career leaders in runs batted in. Kertz, who leads the Redhawks with 18 RBI, currently has 105 in her career. She needs three more RBI to tie Jenny Oermann (108, 1996-99) for the fifth-place spot. Michelle Summers holds the school's all-time career RBI record with 132 from 2005-08. Kertz is also fourth in career walks (73) at Southeast. Freshman Lindsey Patterson is close behind Kertz with 16 RBI in her first season in the Redhawk uniform.
Southeast vs. UT Martin in 2011
The Skyhawks and Redhawks went head-to-head last season for two games in Cape and a single game in Martin. The Skyhawks, after dropping game one, 5-4, rallied to win the final two contests and take the series in 2011.
What's on Tap
The Redhawks return home this weekend continue Ohio Valley Conference play against SIU Edwardsville on Mar. 24-25. The Redhawks and Cougars will play a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m., CT and will conclude the series on Sunday.
