CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Rachel Rook pitched a two-hit shutout with nine strikeouts to lead Southeast Missouri (15-10) to a 5-0 victory over Southern Illinois (23-6) Wednesday afternoon at the Southeast Softball Complex.
 
SEMO and SIU split a home-and-home series this season as today's meeting marked the 95th  between the teams. The Redhawks shutout the Salukis for the first time since in 20 years. SEMO last blanked SIU, 4-0, on Mar. 20, 2001.
 
With Rook again dominating in the circle, SEMO gave her an early lead in the bottom of the first inning.
 
All nine SEMO hitters came to the plate. Kynzie Wrigley walked and went to third Rachel Anderson's ensuing single and an error. Katie Dreiling and Kaylee Anderson each singled home a run before another error allowed two more unearned runs giving the Redhawks a 4-0 advantage. 
 
Karsyn Davis, who reached on a fielder's choice, scored the Redhawks final run on a two-out single by Jillian Anderson in the sixth inning.
 
Rook no-hit SIU through four innings before Elizabeth Warwick's leadoff single in the top of the fifth. She improved her record to 10-5 this year and posted the second 10-win season of her career. Rook leads the Ohio Valley Conference in wins.
 
Additionally, Rook threw the 13th complete game and eighth shutout of her career.
 
Madi Eberle (7-4) suffered the loss. Eberle gave up four runs on four hits, walked three and struck out one in 1.1 innings.
 
SEMO outhit SIU, 9-2. A freshman, Dreiling led the way by going 3-for-4 with an RBI. R. Anderson broke the school's all-time career runs record with her run in the first inning. She now has 162 runs scored and surpassed Michelle Summers (161, 2005-08) for the new mark.
 
Maddy Vermejan and Warwick had the Salukis quiet two hits.
 
The Redhawks return to OVC action when they host Eastern Illinois in a three-game series on Apr. 2-3.