NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Southeast Missouri (25-8, 3-1) split a doubleheader with Belmont (19-10, 2-2) Sunday afternoon at E.S. Rose Park. The Redhawks took game one, 3-2, and dropped the nightcap, 7-0.
SEMO's season-long 13-game winning streak came to an end after the Redhawks edged the Bruins in game one.
Claudia Gallo went 2-for-3 and hit the game-winning home run with one out in the top of the seventh inning to send SEMO to victory.
Ahead, 2-0, BU tied the game on back-to-back home runs by Audrey Lyle and Elison Ollinger.
Following a
Parker Bandy strikeout, Gallo launched her third home run of the season to straightaway center to regain the lead for SEMO in the seventh.
BU loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh, but
Alexis Estes forced Cheyenne Cavanaugh to ground out on a 3-2 count to end the contest. Estes claimed her second save of the season.
The Redhawks took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when
Sarah Messex scored with the help of an error.
SEMO tacked on another run courtesy of a solo home run by
Rachel Anderson in the top of the third. For Anderson, it was her seventh round-tripper of the season.
Rachel Rook (7-2) picked up the win in relief. Rook struck out one and walked two in 1.2 scoreless no-hit innings.
Rook took over for
Haley Thogmartin who gave SEMO a strong start. Thogmartin pitched a perfect game through 5.1 innings and retired the first 13 hitters she faced. She struck out two and allowed two runs on three hits.
Brooklin Lee (9-4) took the loss. Lee went the distance striking out 10, walking one and giving up three runs on six hits.
Messex and Gallo led the Redhawks with two hits apiece.
Alicia Veltri tossed a complete game four-hit shutout with eight strikeouts to lead BU to its win in the nightcap.
The Bruins staked Veltri to a 5-0 lead after scoring once in the first and four times in the second. Lyle hit a two-run home run and Hayley Baker delivered a two-RBI single up the middle to key BU's big second inning.
A two-RBI single by Chelsea Thomas finished off the scoring in the bottom of the fifth.
Estes (7-2) gave up five runs, four hits, struck out one and walked two in 1.2 innings.
Addison Barnouski had two of SEMO's four hits.
The Redhawks return home to host Morehead State on Mar. 29.
