CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri women's softball (24-15, 8-4 OVC) swept SIUE (15-13, 5-3 OVC) in a doubleheader Friday afternoon at the Southeast Softball Complex.
 
Haley Thogmartin (8-6) allowed just two runs on six hits in six innings of work with a career-best eight strikeouts as the Redhawks beat SIUE, 6-2, in the first game.
 
Southeast then came from behind in the second game of the doubleheader as it trailed 4-0 and 5-4 before prevailing over the Cougars, 7-5. 
 
Sarah Messex gave SEMO an early 2-0 lead in the opener when she skied a shot over the left field fence for her seventh homer of the season in the bottom of the first.
 
Alyssa Heren cut into the Redhawks lead in the fifth when she hit a solo home run of her own.
 
Southeast then added insurance runs in the fifth and sixth frames to grow their lead to 6-1. Ashley Ellis led off the bottom of the fifth with a single to left, which set the stage for Darby Pruett's RBI double to left center.
 
Rachel Anderson then blooped a single over second to score Claire Wernig who earned a pinch-hit walk.
 
In the sixth, Darby Pruett blasted her second home run of the campaign to score a pair of Redhawks and extend the lead to 6-1. Pruett was 2-for-3 in the ballgame with 3 RBIs.
 
Maria Prete added a pinch-hit home run for SIUE in the top of the seventh to make the score 6-2. Rachel Rook then came on in relief for Thogmartin and closed the door on the Cougars.
 
Rook allowed no hits with a strikeout in the inning of work.
 
Emily Ingles (10-6) recorded the loss in the circle for SIUE allowing six runs on six hits with nine strikeouts.
 
In the second game of the doubleheader, the Cougars burst out to a 4-0 lead in the first three innings. Heren singled to right in the first for an SIUE run and then doubled home another in the third.
 
Reagan Curtis then doubled down the left field line to plate a pair and grow the Cougars lead to 4-0.
 
Southeast answered with a four spot in the fifth inning to tie the contest at 4-4. Anderson laced her OVC-leading sixth triple to bring Parker Bandy and Brooke Rheinecker home.
 
Rheinecker was hit-by-a-pitch and then Bandy doubled to left center to put runners in scoring position at second and third before Anderson's at-bat.
 
Messex was also hit-by-a-pitch before Pruett doubled to left to score both Messex and Anderson to knot the game at 4-4.
 
Haley Adrian then brought the lead back to SIUE's favor with a solo home run in the sixth.
 
The Redhawks responded again in the bottom of the sixth inning. Riley Hayes earned a walk and Randi Dae Conway singled to start the frame. Rheinecker then singled to center to even the game at 5-5 and end Corrina Rivas' day in the circle.
 
Ingles who started the first game of the doubleheader came on in relief before Messex knocked a two-run RBI double to push the Redhawks ahead, 7-5.    
 
Rook closed the game in the top of the seventh with a strikeout, lineout and flyout to earn the win and improve to 3-3 in 2018. Rook pitched 1.1 innings and allowed no hits, a walk and posted a strikeout.
 
Madeline Krumrey started the second game of the doubleheader in the circle. She pitch 5.2 innings and allowed five runs on nine hits with a season-high tying seven strikeouts. 
 
Rivas (3-5) was handed the loss as she allowed seven runs on eight hits with three walks, two hit batters and eight strikeouts.
 
Rheinecker was perfect at the plate with two hits in both of her at-bats. Bandy was 3-for-4 in the second game of the doubleheader hitting in the leadoff spot.
 
The Redhawks sported special blue and green jerseys on Friday to help raise awareness about organ, eye and tissue donation. SEMO partnered with Mid-America Transplant for this great initiative during National Donate Life Month.
 
Southeast now holds a 24-15 overall record in 2018, which is the team's most victories in a season under head coach Mark Redburn.
 
The Redhawks continue their four-game homestand when they host UT Martin for a doubleheader on Tuesday, April 17 at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. at the Southeast Softball Complex.