OXFORD, Ala. – #4 Southeast Missouri (30-23) never trailed en route to bouncing #3 UT Martin (34-19) from the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament with a 10-8 victory Friday morning at Choccolocco Park.
 
Although SEMO didn't give up its lead, the game came down to the wire and a huge two-run home run by Kaylee Anderson stood tall in the end.
 
The Redhawks picked up their 30th win of the season and stayed alive as one of just three teams left duking it out for this year's OVC Championship. The 30-win season is SEMO's 19th in program history and fourth in a row when the team has played a complete season (SEMO did not complete the 2020 season due to COVID-19).
 
SEMO notched five hits to key a four-run second inning. 
 
Kynzie Wrigley sent a jolt into the Redhawks when she legged out an infield single. Kaylee Anderson followed with a single to right center and Chelsy Pena laid down a great bunt to load the bases. Rookie Tori Bradley, behind 1-2 in the count, ripped a two-RBI single up the middle. Fellow freshman Sydney Dennis later smacked a one-out double to right center and both Bradley and Pena scored to put SEMO ahead, 4-0.
 
UTM answered to make it a one-run game with three runs of its own during the home half of the second. Erin Gilstrap and Katie Dreiling each had run-scoring hits and Shyanne Sheffield touched home on a fielder's choice to cut the Redhawks lead to 4-3.
 
Two innings later, the Skyhawks tied the game on a one-out single by Paige Clark.
 
SEMO then capitalized executed some small ball to regain a three-run lead in the top of the fifth. With Dennis already on base by way of an error, Abigail Rickermann reached on a bunt single. Paige Halliwill bunted and a throwing error on the play led to a pair of unearned runs. Wrigley brought home Halliwill on a sacrifice fly to give SEMO a 7-4 advantage.
 
After Pena scored on a passed ball in the sixth, UTM sparked a one-out rally with three-straight hits and scored three times to get within one. The Skyhawks had the bases loaded with one out when Rachel Rook settled in to get out of the jam to keep it an 8-7 ballgame.
 
Halliwill led off the seventh with a walk and that would come back to hurt the Skyhawks after Anderson drilled her home run to left center extending the Redhawks margin to 10-7. It was team-best 11^th home run for the First-Team All-OVC outfielder. 
 
UTM didn't go away quietly during its final at-bat. The Skyhawks had runners on first and third with one out and Katie Dreiling – who played her freshman year at SEMO -- at the plate. Dreiling grounded out and Erin Gilstrap scored. Rook struck out Kaitlyn Kelley to end the game.
 
Marisa Davis (5-7) picked up the win after giving the Redhawks two innings of relief. Davis gave up three runs on three hits, struck out three and walked none.
 
Rook logged the final 1.2 innings where she struck out two and allowed one run on five hits. She secured her third save and second in as many games.
 
SEMO finished with eight hits with Anderson and Pena accounting for two apiece. Anderson and Pena both scored two runs, as well. Rickermann, who returned to the starting lineup after sustaining a cut on a collision with Tennessee Tech's third baseman Thursday night, had a hit and one run scored.
 
Wrigley added a hit and two runs, while Bradley and Dennis also contributed a hit.
 
SEMO will face the loser of #1 Murray State and #2 Belmont in an elimination game later today. Initial start time is set for 4 p.m., CT.