CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri (14-10, 3-0) hit seven home runs to power its way to a 6-0, 11-3, doubleheader sweep of Tennessee State (9-16, 0-3) Saturday at the Southeast Softball Complex.
SEMO opened Ohio Valley Conference play with a three-game sweep of TSU. The Redhawks also gave
Mark Redburn his 400th career win as a head coach with their five-inning victory in the nightcap. Redburn is in his 13th year overall coaching at the NCAA Division I level and eighth season at SEMO.
Kat Sackett hit two home runs and
Paytience Holman was strong in the circle during SEMO's game one victory.
Holman set the tone by retiring eight-straight hitters after giving up a leadoff single in the top of the first inning.
Sackett got SEMO on the board in the bottom of the second inning with her first career home run, a two-run shot inside the right field foul pole.
Kynzie Wrigley singled ahead of Sackett for the Redhawks first hit of the contest.
Wrigley and Sackett again delivered consecutive hits, this time with two outs in the bottom of the third. Wrigley doubled off the left field wall to score both
Alyson Tucker and
Kaylee Anderson before Sackett stepped in and homered to center extending the Redhawks lead to 6-0.
Holman (3-2) went the distance for her second complete game in four starts. She recorded a season-high eight strikeouts, gave up five hits and walked none en route to her first shutout this year.
Francys King (1-6) suffered the loss. King allowed six runs on seven hits, struck out three and walked two in six innings.
SEMO outhit TSU, 7-5. Sackett finished at 2-for-3 with two runs and four RBI, and Wrigley went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI.
The Redhawks unloaded to hit four home runs as part of a seven-run second inning to blow by the Tigers in game two.
Paige Halliwill started the ambush with a one-out solo home run to right center. After a double by
Tatum Gerwitz and walk by
Alyson Tucker, Wrigley and
Kaylee Anderson hit back-to-back homers to left.
Chelsy Pena then belted her first career home run to left to put SEMO ahead, 8-1.
After TSU scored twice in the top of the fifth, SEMO nailed down its second run-rule victory of the series in the bottom half of the inning.
Pinch-hitter
Abigail Rickermann led things off with a triple and scored on an ensuing base hit by Karsy Davis. On the next play, Halliwill stepped in and blasted her second home run of the game over the left field wall to polish off the 11-8 win.
Marisa Davis (2-2) picked up the win. Davis struck out two and walked one in 4.1 innings.
Caitlyn Manus (5-3) took the loss. Manus gave up six runs on five hits, struck out one and walked one in just 1.1 innings.
SEMO pounded out 10 hits with Halliwill and Gerwitz contributing two apiece. Wrigley and Halliwill added two runs and three RBI, as well.
The Redhawks, who are on a five-game winning streak, return to action when they host regional-rival Southern Illinois on Mar. 23.
