Memphis, Tenn. – Southeast Missouri women's softball (15-9) concluded the 2018 Memphis Tiger Classic with a 10-7 win over SIUE Sunday afternoon at the Tiger Softball Complex to win the weekend tournament.
 
With their second straight doubleheader sweep of the weekend, Southeast recorded a perfect 4-0 record at the tournament. The Redhawks beat Tennessee Tech and tournament host, Memphis, on Saturday and defeated South Dakota and SIUE on Sunday.
 
Southeast 10, SIUE 7
 
SEMO pounced to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first with five straight hits. Rachel Anderson, Abby Tillotson and Addison Barnouski all knocked base hits in sequence to start the rally. Barnouski's single to center brought Anderson home and set the stage for Ashley Ellis who drilled a two-run triple down the right field line.
 
Messex then doubled home Ellis to finish the frame. 
 
Bailley Concatto homered in the bottom half of the inning to put SIUE on the board, 4-1.
 
Southeast grew its lead to 7-1 in the top of the third to knock out Cougars' starter Ashley Koziol. The Redhawks' heart of the order was responsible for the three-run outburst as Tillotson, Ellis and Messex singled and Barnouski laced a double to right.
 
Zoe Schafer then cut SEMO's lead to 7-3 with a two-run homer in the bottom of the third.
 
Southeast added two more runs in the top of the fifth to extend its lead to 9-3. Messex's bases-loaded walk proved to be the game winning RBI and Tillotson touched home on a fielder's choice by Parker Bandy.
 
The Cougars would not go down with out a fight as Schafer hit her second homer of the game in the fifth to plate two. Sydney Bina and Reagan Curtis then each hit RBI singles to cut the deficit to 9-7.
 
Tillotson added an insurance run for Southeast with her team-leading fifth home run of the season in the top of the seventh before Rachel Rook closed the door on SIUE in the bottom half of the inning with three strikeouts to earn her second save in 2018.
 
Rook was perfect out of the bullpen as she amassed four strikeouts in 1.2 innings of work.  
Tillotson led SEMO at the plate with three hits and an RBI. Messex and Ellis each plated three Redhawks on two hits.
 
Haley Thogmartin (5-3) earned the win for Southeast as she allowed five runs on seven hits over four innings of work with four strikeouts. Koziol was handed the loss as she gave up seven runs on nine hits before being relieved for Corrina Rivas in the third inning.
 
Southeast 10, South Dakota 2 - Five Innings
 
Southeast kicked off the first game of the day with a 10-2 win over South Dakota.
 
The Redhawks got off to a hot start, scoring four runs on four hits in the opening inning, including a two-run home run from Ashley Ellis.
 
South Dakota was able to answer in the bottom of the inning but only with one run after an RBI double from Jessica Rogers.
 
Both teams had quiet second inning, each batting only five players and scoring zero runs.
 
Southeast came back in the top of the third with another huge inning on the offensive end, scoring five runs on three hits, extending the lead to 9-1.
 
In the bottom of the fourth inning South Dakota got on the board again but just with a single run after an RBI double from Emily Winckler.
 
The Redhawks put in another run in the top of the fifth inning after Madison Harris stole home after a strikeout, extending their lead to eight runs.
 
Southeast closed out the bottom of the fifth allowing zero runs, ending the game early due to an eight-run lead at 10-2.
 
Madeline Krumrey pitched the entire game and got the win, giving up just five hits. She now sits at 7-3 on the season for the Redhawks.
 
Dustie Durham of South Dakota was charged with the loss, she now sits at 6-7 on the year.
 
SEMO next hosts in-state rival, Missouri, on Wednesday in a doubleheader at the Southeast Softball Complex. The first game starts at 4 p.m. in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.