COMMERCE, Texas – Southeast Missouri (1-6) split two games during the opening day of the East Texas A&M Lion Invitational Thursday.
 
SEMO beat tournament host East Texas A&M, 7-4, for its first win of the season and fell to Grambling State, 8-1.
 
The Redhawks scored in the first three innings to build a quick 5-1 advantage against the Lions.
 
Kamden Hutton delivered a leadoff double and advanced to third on an ensuing base hit by Winkler. After Winkler stole second, Brooklyn Saysoff singled and Hutton scored. Winkler later touched home on a sacrifice fly by Gracie Luna to put the Redhawks ahead, 2-0, in the top of the first.
 
ETAMU answered with a run in the bottom half of the first before the Redhawks tacked on two during their at-bat in the second.
 
Raigan Brannon reached on an error and pinch-runner Jaylie Walther moved to second on a bunt single by Kinley Wilkins. With two on and two outs, Winkler singled up the middle to score both Hutton and Walther.
 
Addisyn Martinie's two out-double knocked in Wilkins to push SEMO's lead to 5-1 in the top of the third inning.
 
The Lions countered with a run in each of the third and fourth innings to narrow the Redhawks margin to 5-3.
 
Then, in the fifth, SEMO put up two more runs, both unearned with the help of a pair of two-out errors. Wilkins and Hutton both scored to put the finishing touches on the Redhawks first win of the season.
 
Offensively, the Redhawks pounded out 11 hits. 
 
Winkler and Hutton combined for five of those at the top of the lineup. Winkler went 3-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI, while Hutton finished at 2-for-4 with a run. Wilkins and Martinie had two hits apiece, as well. Additionally, Wilkins scored three runs.
 
Maddie Carney (1-2) went the distance for the third complete game of her career. Carney recorded a career-best six strikeouts, allowed four runs and did not give up a walk.
 
Maddie Muller (0-1) suffered the loss. Muller was roughed up for four runs on five hits in 1.2 innings. She also walked two and struck out one.
 
The Lions committed three errors that led to four unearned tallies.
 
A six-run first inning keyed GSU's win in the second contest.
 
SEMO's lone run of the game came on Martinie's first career home run, a solo shot over the left field wall in the top of the third inning.
 
Willow Van Haren (0-3) was the pitcher of record for the Redhawks. Van Haren allowed four runs on two hits and walked two in one-third of an inning.
 
Jaidan Richard (1-1) pitched a complete game win for the Tigers.
 
SEMO continues play at the Lion Invitational vs. Jackson State Friday.