CONWAY, Ark.– Southeast Missouri (11-6) opened the Adam Brown Memorial Shamrock Classic with a pair of victories Friday. The Redhawks beat UL Monroe (1-16), 8-0, and came from behind to beat tournament host Central Arkansas (10-8), 11-7.
Sophomore
Rachel Rook recorded a career-high nine strikeouts and allowed only two hits in five shutout innings to lead SEMO to its win over ULM.
Rook (2-1), who beat #12 Arkansas for her first win of the season a week ago, fanned five of the first seven hitters she faced. She struck out the side in the second inning and retired nine-straight Warhawks between the second and fourth innings.
A native of Republic, Missouri, Rook also no-hit ULM for four innings until Jaclyn Kresta's leadoff double in the top of the fifth.
While Rook was carving up the Warhawks inside the circle, SEMO's offense gave her plenty of run support.
SEMO wasted no time getting ahead, scoring three runs on two hits in its first at-bat of the game.
Sarah Messex led off with a walk and stole second. After
Mykaela Arellanes advanced Messex to third when she flied out to right,
Rachel Anderson singled home the game's first run on an infield hit. Anderson stole second on the next play and scored on a double to right center by
Ashley Ellis. Ellis belted her team-high ninth extra base hit of the season. Ellis later scored when
Addison Barnouski lined out to grab SEMO a 3-0 lead.
Messex got on again to start the bottom of the third, this time on an error. With one out, right fielder Korie Kreps misplayed a ball in right field allowing
Rachel Anderson and Messex to score as the Redhawks extended their lead to 5-0.
With
Chelsy Pena and
Kaylee Anderson on base with two outs in the sixth, Messex launched a three-run home run to polish off SEMO's 8-0 shutout. The victory was the Redhawks fourth this season in less than seven innings.
Messex finished with three runs scored, a walk and three RBI. The home run was her second of the season. R. Anderson went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI, while Pena added two hits and a run scored.
SEMO collected three stolen bases and eight hits against the Warhawks.
Kresta and Jayden Mount combined for ULM's quiet two hits.
The Redhawks handed the Warhawks their 15th consecutive loss.
R. Anderson fell a double shy of hitting for the cycle and tied SEMO's career record in triples to lead the Redhawks to a come-from-behind win against UCA.
Anderson's 18th career triple was part of a big six-run, six-hit third inning. Messex singled up the middle to start things off and Arellanes followed with an infield hit. Anderson tripled to right center on the next play to score both Messex and Arellanes. Anderson scored the tying run on Barnouski's double to left center. Moments after Barnouski scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch, the Bears committed two errors which led to two more runs as the Redhawks soared to a 7-4 lead.
Ellis clobbered a three-run home run to increase the Redhawks margin to 10-4 in the top of the fourth inning. Ellis now has a team-high six home runs for the season.
Anderson then sent her second home run over the left field wall to tack on another run in the sixth after UCA scored twice the inning before.
Seven of SEMO's 14 hits went for extra bases against UCA.
Anderson went 3-for-4 with a triple, home run, single, three runs scored and three RBI to lead the way. She is now tied with Kathy Rediger (1981-84) for the school's all-time career triples record.
Messex, Arellanes and Barnouski followed close behind with two hits each. Additionally, eight different Redhawks scored.
Haley Thogmartin (6-3) picked up the win. Thogmartin relieved starter
Marisa Davis in the second inning and struck out five, walked one and allowed three runs on four hits through six frames.
SEMO, which has won four of its last five games, faces Coppin State and Missouri State in the final day of the Adam Brown Memorial Shamrock Classic Saturday.
