CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Ohio Valley Conference leader Southeast Missouri (21-13, 16-4) split a doubleheader with second place Eastern Kentucky (26-11, 17-5) Saturday at the Southeast Softball Complex. The Redhawks won game one, 8-0, in five innings and the Colonels took the nightcap, 6-2. 
 
Rachel Rook put together another dominating pitching effort to key SEMO's game one victory.
 
Rook retired the first 11 hitters she faced before giving up her first hit of the game, a bunt single in the fourth inning. 
 
While Rook was picking apart EKU's lineup, SEMO's offense gave her a lot of run support by scoring in each of the first four innings.
 
The Redhawks pulled ahead, 2-0, in the bottom of the first when Kynzie Wrigley scored on a groundout and Rachel Anderson touched home on a two-out single by Katie Dreiling.
 
Austine Pauley singled, advanced to second on the throw and scored on an ensuing base hit by Alyson Tucker in the second.
 
Then, in the fourth, after Anderson singled, Ashley Ellis crushed her team-high 13th home run of the season to straightaway center extending SEMO's lead to 5-0. With 47 career home runs, Ellis is not two away from breaking her program's all-time record presently held by Michelle Summers (48, 2005-08).
 
The Redhawks polished off the win when they scored twice more in the fourth inning. Anderson walked and came around to score with the help of an error and pinch-runner Kimmy Wallen stole home on a double steal.
 
Rook (14-7) pitched her sixth shutout of the season. She struck out seven, walked none and allowed just three hits in five innings.
 
SEMO handed Tori Peterson (13-3) just her third loss of the year. Peterson gave up five runs on six hits in two innings.
 
The Redhawks outhit the Colonels, 11-3. 
 
Ellis, Katie Dreiling and Alyson Tucker paved the way with two hits apiece. R. Anderson added three runs scored and Ellis finished with three RBI.
 
Game two featured another strong pitching performance, but this time it was from EKU's Mollie Paulick.
 
Paulick went the distance recording six strikeouts and allowing only two runs on eight hits to remain unbeaten at 7-0 this season.
 
The Colonels put up five runs in the top of the first inning and didn't look back.
 
SEMO scored once in the third and fourth innings for its two runs in the nightcap. Jillian Anderson knocked in Pauley on a double in the third, while Pauley then drove in pinch-runner Kelby Robinson on a single in the fourth.
 
Paytience Holman (6-6) took the loss. Holman worked four innings, scattered 10 hits, allowed six runs and posted two strikeouts.
 
Pauley went 2-for-3 with a run scored, double and one RBI, while R. Anderson also contributed two hits.
 
Additionally, R. Anderson broke SEMO's all-time career record in games started. She has started all 218 games as a Redhawk and surpassed former teammate Sarah Messex (216, 2016-19) for the new mark.
 
SEMO welcomed back its five seniors from the 2020 team, including Addison Barnouski, Rachael Donald, Alexis Estes, Claudia Gallo and Madison Harris. Barnouski, Donald, Estes, Gallo and Harris were recognized prior to first pitch of today's doubleheader.
 
The Redhawks and Colonels conclude their series at 12 p.m., CT Sunday.