OXFORD, Ala. –#4 Southeast Missouri (33-20) saw its 2018 season come to an end with a 4-1 loss to #8 Morehead State (28-22) Friday in an elimination game at the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. 
 
Haley Thogmartin and left-hander Chelsea McManaway squared off in a strong pitcher's duel with just three hits allowed between the two of them through the first four-and-a-half innings. 
 
Thogmartin retired the Eagles in order in the first, third and fourth innings. Paige Scruggs was the only MSU player to reach base on an infield single in the bottom of the second inning.
 
SEMO's defense then broke down behind Thogmartin in the bottom of the fifth inning.
 
Scruggs singled and was out at second on a fielder's choice. Three-straight errors followed, including two by third baseman Addison Barnouski and one by left fielder Claudia Gallo. Allison Rager scored on Barnouski's second mishap and Taylor Wheeler knocked in the other run when she grounded out to third giving the Eagles a 2-0 lead.
 
Rager then came up with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning and put the exclamation point on MSU's win with a two-run home run off freshman Rachel Rook. Rager's round-tripper cleared the left field wall on a 0-1 count. 
 
SEMO avoided the shutout when Mykaela Arellanes singled to left field to score Claire Wernig with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. 
 
McManaway (17-11) went the distance, striking out nine and allowing just one run on four hits. McManaway also walked four and threw 117 pitches.
 
Thogmartin (12-7) suffered the loss in her first career OVC Tournament start. She struck out two and gave up three runs on three hits in 5.1 innings.
 
The Redhawks had only four hits, including two each by Arellanes and Rachel Anderson. Anderson closed out the season on a career-long 16-game hitting streak.
 
Scruggs went 2-for-3 to lead MSU, which tallied five hits.