CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri (14-22, 10-6) swept Ohio Valley Conference leader Eastern Illinois (21-20, 13-3) in a doubleheader with a pair of one-run victories, 9-8, 4-3, Saturday at the Southeast Softball Complex.
SEMO claimed the series win and handed EIU its first series loss of the season.
The Redhawks scored two unearned runs on a two-out error by shortstop Chloe Wamboldt to walk off with a 9-8 come-from-behind win in game one.
Aubrie Shore singled to start the bottom of the seventh inning and Kaylin Yamnitz stole second after entering the game as a pinch runner for Shore.
Gracie Luna delivered a one-out single and
Sydney Miles knocked in Yamnitz on a base hit.
After
Sophie Schupp advanced pinch-runner
Abby Robbins to third and Miles to second,
Lily Delmain was safe at first after Wamboldt's throw got away from her. Manau and Robbins scored on the play giving the Redhawks the victory.
SEMO trailed, 7-1, when it scored eight runs in the final three innings to edge the Panthers.
Brittany Affolter drove in Delmain on a sacrifice fly and
Kamden Hutton scored on a groundout sparking SEMO's late-inning comeback.
The Redhawks then added three runs in each of the sixth and seventh innings.
In the sixth, Hutton singled through the right side to score both
Madison Winkler and Miles. Delmain also touched home on an error.
EIU committed four of its five errors in the game during the last two innings of play.
SEMO outhit EIU, 11-10, with Hutton going 3-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI to lead the way. Luna, Miles and Delmain followed with two hits apiece. Additionally, Delmain finished with three runs scored.
Abbi Hatton went 3-for-4 with a home run, double and five RBI to pace the Panthers.
Maddie Carney (4-9) picked up the win. Carney gave up three runs on five hits, walked one and struck out four in four innings.
Bryanna French (7-6) took the loss in relief. French allowed four hits, six runs, walked two and struck out two in two innings. Three of French's runs were unearned.
In the nightcap, SEMO took a two-run lead on a home run by
Raigan Brannon in the bottom of the second inning. For Brannon, it marked her second homer of the season.
EIU countered with three runs of its own in the top of the third.
Lizzie Stiverson doubled down the left field line and Marybeth Dyson scored. Alisha Frederick followed with a two-RBI hit to put the Panthers ahead, 3-2.
The Redhawks quickly regained the lead during their at-bat in the bottom of the third. Shore ripped a two-out single up the middle bringing home Hutton and Winkler to make it a 4-3 ballgame.
Shore's big two-out hit was the difference as neither team scored the rest of the way.
Freshman
Summer Branch (3-2) earned the win in relief and
Willow Van Haren nailed down her first save.
Van Haren threw four scoreless one-hit innings. She also walked three and got a huge strikeout against Panthers' cleanup hitter Hatton to end the game.
Rylan Gick (8-4) suffered the loss. Gick worked 3.2 innings giving up four runs on six hits.
SEMO outhit EIU, 7-3, with Shore going 2-for-2 with a run scored and two RBI and Brannon going 2-for-3 with a run and two RBI.
The Redhawks and Panthers wrap up their series with one more game at 12 p.m., CT Sunday.
