CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri (31-10, 9-3) bounced back to force a doubleheader split with Austin Peay (23-17, 8-4) Friday afternoon at the Southeast Softball Complex. The Redhawks dropped game one, 5-2, but regrouped to blank the Governors, 9-0, in five innings.
SEMO put up seven runs over the first two innings to get a comfortable early lead in the nightcap.
Mykaela Arellanes led things off with a bunt single and went to third on a one-out double by
Rachel Anderson.
Ashley Ellis stepped in and smashed a three-run home run over the left center wall to give the Redhawks a 3-0 advantage in the first inning. Ellis collected her team-high 11
thround-tripper of the season.
APSU committed two errors and SEMO added three more hits as part of a four-run second inning.
Rachael Donald knocked in
Sarah Messex on a single to left center. Arellanes singled to center and two runs scored after Carly Mattson mis-played the ball. Arellanes, who went to third on the play, later scored on a throwing error by Morgan Rackel to push SEMO's lead to 7-0.
With
Kaylee Anderson on first following an infield hit,
Claudia Gallo slugged a one-out home run to center to cap the 9-0 victory. For Gallo, it was her sixth home run of year.
Haley Thogmartin (14-3) tossed her third shutout of the season and lowered her earned run average to 0.39 in Ohio Valley Conference play. Thogmartin struck out two, walked one and allowed four hits in five innings. It was her fifth-straight appearance without giving up an earned run.
Kelly Mardones (3-11) suffered the loss. Mardones gave up seven runs on six hits in just one inning.
SEMO registered nine hits with Arellanes, R. Anderson and K. Anderson getting two apiece.
Rackel (17-5) recorded 11 strikeouts and walked just one to lead APSU to its game one win.
The Redhawks scored once in the first when Arellanes doubled and touched home on an ensuing single by Gallo. SEMO then tied the game at 2-2 on a sacrifice fly by R. Anderson in the bottom of the third.
Bailey Shorter gave the Governors the lead on a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning and tacked on two more runs in the fifth.
Rachel Rook (7-3) took the loss after allowing three runs on two hits. Rook struck out three, as well.
SEMO had four hits with Arellanes accounting for half. Arellanes went her third-straight doubleheader with five hits.
The Redhawks wore special green jerseys to celebrate National Donate Life Month.
SEMO continues its lengthy home stand when it hosts rival Murray State in a doubleheader Sunday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m., CT.
