FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Southeast Missouri (2-7) again split two games at the Razorback Invitational Saturday. The Redhawks took down Big 12 Conference member Texas Tech (4-5), 5-3, in eight innings and fell to #24 Arkansas (10-2), 6-3, Saturday.
After TTU tied the game at 3-3 on a two-RBI triple by Karli Hamilton in the bottom of the sixth inning,
Rachel Rook came on to shut down the Red Raiders.
Rook (2-3) tossed 2.1 scoreless innings, struck out four and allowed only one hit in her strong relief outing. Left-hander
Marisa Davis also pitched well out of the bullpen before giving way to Rook. Davis, although giving up the game-tying triple to Hamilton, struck out three in 2.1 innings.
Once SEMO headed into its at-bat in the eighth, the Redhawks pulled away from TTU for good.
Abigail Rickermann and
Rachel Anderson both walk and advanced on a double steal to quickly give SEMO runners at second and third.
Kaylee Anderson followed with a single and Rickermann scored.
Ashley Ellis stepped in and flied out to left field scoring Anderson on the sacrifice to give the Redhawks a 5-3 edge.
Rook retired the Red Raiders in order during their turn in the eighth to put the finishing touches on SEMO's second win of the season.
The Redhawks held a 2-0 lead until TTU tied things up in the sixth. Ahead 3-2 in the count with two outs, Ellis hit a two-run home run to right center in the top of the first inning. For Ellis, it was her second home run of the season and 36th in her career.
SEMO beat a Big 12 Conference opponent for the second time in three years. The Redhawks last defeated Kansas twice in 2019.
R. Anderson and
Katie Dreiling teamed up for four of SEMO's six hits. Anderson was 2-for-3 with a run scored and Dreiling went 2-for-4 with one run scored and a double. Ellis paved the way with three RBI.
Down, 2-0, to nationally-ranked Arkansas after three innings in the nightcap, SEMO took the lead on back-to-back home runs by R. Anderson and K. Anderson.
After Rickermann reached on an error, Rachel smacked a two-run home run over the left field wall. On the next play, Kaylee launched her second homer of the season to right center putting the Redhawks up, 3-2.
The home run claimed SEMO's all-time career RBI record for R. Anderson, who impressively broke three of her program's career records in two days at the Razorback Invitational.
Her 133rd RBI passed both
Renee Kertz (132, 2009-12) and Michelle Summers (132, 2005-08) for the new mark. That was in addition to R. Anderson breaking the school's all-time career hits and walks records Saturday.
After four innings of play and SEMO ahead, the game was delayed due to inclement weather.
When play resumed, Arkansas scored one run in the fifth and three in the sixth to get the win.
Rook (2-4) went the distance striking out five and walking three in six innings. She also allowed six runs on eight hits.
Autumn Storms (2-0) picked up the win. Storms struck out seven and walked none in her complete game win.
K. Anderson had two of the Redhawks three hits.
SEMO wraps up the Razorback Invitational against Texas Tech Sunday.
