OXFORD, Ala. – Southeast Missouri (13-5) received a strong start from pitcher Alexis Estes and used another offensive surge to beat Alabama State (5-16), 8-1, Sunday in the final day of the Leon Smith Classic.
 
SEMO, which served as the host of the 11-team event at Choccolocco Park, finished 3-1 over the four-day tournament that included 25 games.
 
Estes set the tone, allowing just two hits in 4.1 scoreless innings. She also struck out three before the Redhawks bullpen closed things out.
 
Offensively, SEMO gave its starting pitcher plenty of run support. The Redhawks took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning when three of their first four hitters singled to jumpstart the early rally.
 
Parker Bandy led off with a base hit to right. Sarah Messex reached on a one-out single up the middle and Abby Tillotson followed with a hit to score Bandy. Messex later touched home on Brooke Rheinecker's bunt single.
 
The Redhawks erupted for five runs in the fourth inning and knocked ASU starter Vanessa Bradford out of the game.
 
All nine hitters came to the plate as Messex and Tillotson drew back-to-back walks. Messex stole third and scored when Darby Pruett singled to left. Tillotson came home on Mykaela Arellanes' grounder to the pitcher. Bradford continued to have problems locating the strike zone and walked Rachel Anderson and Madison Harris. Bandy then cleared the bases with a two-out, three-RBI double, extending the Redhawks lead to 7-0.
 
Harris drove in Arellanes on a single to right center for the Redhawks final tally.
 
Estes improved her record to 5-0 this season. Aubrey Denno and Mackenzie Hoelting worked the last 2.2 innings in relief.
 
SEMO pounded out 10 hits with eight different starters contributing at least one. Anderson went 2-for-3 with a run scored and Bandy finished at 2-for-4 with a run and three RBIs to pave the way.
 
Bradford took the loss after scattering eight hits and allowing seven runs in 3.2 innings. She also walked four (all in the fourth inning) and struck out one.
 
The Hornets had just three hits.
 
SEMO remains on the road for its spring break this week. The Redhawks head to Georgia Tech Tuesday and Kennesaw State Wednesday.