Southeast Missouri 12, Eastern Kentucky 11 Box Score
Eastern Kentucky 6, Southeast Missouri 4 Box Score
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri (13-26, 5-12 OVC) went head-to-head against East division leader, Eastern Kentucky (27-17, 14-5 OVC) Saturday afternoon. Southeast won game one 12-11 in comeback fashion and dropped game two 6-4 after giving up a three run home run in the seventh inning.
“The offense was alive today,” said head coach Lana Richmond. “However, we need to clean up our defense and play behind our pitchers.”
Southeast Missouri 12, Eastern Kentucky 11
Leading going into the fifth inning, the Redhawks gave up six runs to fall behind but posted five runs in the sixth to come from behind and nab the win.
The Redhawks took an early three run lead in the first. With bases loaded, Simone Patterson hit a sacrifice fly to score Kaitlin Zink followed by a double by Xia Wilson to score Taylor Cowan and Lindsey Patterson, taking a 3-0 lead.
Southeast added to the lead in the second with a bases loaded single by Cowan to score two and extend the lead to 5-0.
EKU chipped away at the Redhawk lead in the fourth. Lauren Mitchell and Christina Ciolek scored unearned runs on a Redhawk error. The Colonels scored again on a fielder's choice to narrow the lead to 5-3.
Southeast got two of the three runs back in the bottom of the inning with a big home run to left off the bat of Wilson, her first of the season; 7-3 Redhawks.
Eastern Kentucky posted six runs in the fifth to take the lead. The Colonel scoring started with an RBI single by Melissa Costa. Kayla Joyce reached base on a Redhawk error, scoring Mitchell followed by a bases loaded walk. EKU pulled ahead with a bases loaded double from Raquel Howes to score all three runners, 9-7 Colonels.
EKU added to the lead in the sixth on a bases loaded single by Joyce to score two runs, extending the lead to 11-7.
The Redhawks strung together five runs in the bottom of the sixth to retake the lead. It all started off with Wilson's fifth RBI of the day on a bases loaded single, scoring L. Patterson. Pinch hitter Jamie Woodworth drove Cowan in with a single to right. Pitcher Hannah Clemons threaded her first career RBI hit up the middle to plate two runners and tie the game. Alexis Anderson drove in the go-ahead run on a groundout, scoring Leah Becker, 12-11 Redhawks.
Clemons sent the Colonels down in order in the seventh to preserve the lead and earn the victory.
“Woodworth came up big for us off the bench. Clemons also came up big also in game one banging a hit up the middle to tie the game. It was is good to see Wilson hit well in game one,” said Richmond.
The Redhawks outhit EKU 13-10.
Wilson went 3-for-4 with a career-high five RBI. Anderson, L. Patterson, and Cowan all recorded two hits in the game. Cowan and Clemons had two RBI. L. Patterson tied a career-high with three runs scored in the contest.
Katie Tackett, Joyce, and Costa all had two hits in game one. Howes went 1-for-5 with three RBI.
Clemons (4-5) earned the victory in part to her two-RBI single. Clemons pitched 2.0 innings giving up one run on three hits. Game one's starter, Cowan, pitched 5.0 innings, giving up 10 runs, only two of which were earned.
Relief pitcher Hannah Driver (0-1) suffered the loss after giving up five runs to the Redhawks, allowing them to regain the lead in the sixth.
Eastern Kentucky 6, Southeast Missouri 4
The Colonels got on the board first with a two-RBI triple by Costa followed by an RBI groundout to score Costa, 3-0 EKU.
The Redhawks took the lead in the third. Anderson got the scoring going with an RBI double to score Becker. With bases loaded, Cowan hit a blooper to left, scoring Zink and Anderson to tie the game. L. Patterson scored the go-ahead run on a single from S. Patterson, 4-3 Redhawks after three.
The lead changed yet again in the top of the seventh with a three-run home run by Sarah Fobbs, 6-4 EKU, sending the game to the bottom of the seventh.
Woodworth pinch hit and came up with a critical hit yet again with a lead-off double to put a runner on for the Redhawks. However, the Colonels were able to keep the Redhawks from scoring to earn the doubleheader split.
Richmond added, “We need to have all dimensions of our game working: in the circle, at the plate, and in the field. Sunday's doubleheader against Morehead State is a crucial part of our season as we make a run for the Ohio Valley Conference tournament.”
Southeast was outhit 9-6 in the nightcap.
Anderson led the Redhawk offense with a 2-for-4 game, finishing the day 4-for-8 with two RBI. Cowan finished the day 3-for-5 with four RBI.
Joyce and Ciolek each had a 2-for-4 game. The game hero, Fobbs, went 1-for-2 with three RBI.
Clemons pitched her second complete game of her career, giving up six runs on nine hits.
Reliever Shaylon Robbs (8-8) earned the victory, giving up no runs in 3.0 innings. Starter Leanna Pittenbarger pitched 4.0 innings giving up three earned runs while striking out eight Redhawk batters.
Southeast closes inter-division play Sunday at noon with a doubleheader against Morehead State.
