PEORIA, Ill. –
Madison Winkler went 2-for-4 with a double, home run, one run scored and three RBI to lead #5 Southeast Missouri (22-28) to a 5-2 victory over #4 Lindenwood (28-23) Wednesday night in the Ohio Valley Conference Softball Tournament.
Winkler set the tone early drilling the first pitch of her first at-bat over the left field wall giving SEMO an early 1-0 edge in the top of the first.
Then, for the second-straight game, the Redhawks scored four or more runs in the second inning to pull away.
Gracie Luna ripped a double to left center and quickly scored on an ensuing double by
Addy Martinie. Martine went to third on a groundout and scored when
Brittany Affolter grounded out to second.
Lily Delmain reached on an error and
Kamden Hutton singled. With runners at second and third, Winkler knocked in Hutton and Delmain on a two-out double to give SEMO a 5-0 advantage.
LU managed to cut SEMO's lead to three when it scored once in the second and fourth innings, but that was as close as the Lions would get.
Willow Van Haren (6-7) threw her team-high sixth complete game of the season. Van Haren surrendered only two runs on 11 hits, struck out five and walked two. She pitched out of multiple jams which led to the Lions leaving 11 runners on base.
Ava Risum (2-5) suffered the loss. Risum worked 1.2 innings allowing five runs and four hits.
SEMO had seven hits with Winkler and
Raigan Brannon each accounting for two. Brannon increased her hitting streak to 15 games.
The Redhawks move on to play #1 Eastern Illinois Thursday at 12:30 p.m., CT.
