Feb. 26, 2006

Box Score

STARKVILLE, Miss. - (Sunday, February 26, 2006) After seeing two of their games cancelled due to weather on Saturday the Redhawks softball team bounced back with two strong outings on Sunday as they split their two games defeating Northwestern State, 12-7 before falling to host Mississippi State, 3-0 in the final game of the Bulldog Round-Robin Tournament at MSU Softball Field. The Redhawks finish the tournament with a record of 2-2, losing both games to the Bulldogs.

Against the Bulldogs (12-0) the Redhawks bats were silenced by ace Stephanie Comeaux (6-0)who threw a complete game shutout, allowing only four Redhawks on base with three singles and one walk.

The Redhawks best chance to score came in the bottom of the sixth inning when Callie Brittan (Valley Park, MO/St. Charles CC) led-off with a single. But Comeaux retired the next three hitters to strand Brittan.

The Redhawks lost despite an outstanding game by ace Elaine Fisher (St. Peters, MO/Francis Howell North). On the heels of her one-hit shutout on Friday she limited the high-power offense of the Bulldogs to three runs (two earned) in six innings of work. Fisher (1-1) did not issue a walk extending her streak of no free passes to 13 innings to start the season.

Stephanie Mata (Wheeling, IL/Wheeling HS) and Lauren Bradley (Overland park, KS/Shawnee Mission South) added the other two Redhawks hits.

The Bulldogs were led by Redhawk nemesis Courtney Bures who went 2-3 with three RBIs including a two-run triple in the third inning. Michelle Kinney also went 2-3 and scored a run.

Earlier in the day the Redhawks won a slugfest with Northwestern State (7-7) as both teams combined to bang out 20 hits and 19 runs.

The Redhawks set the tone early as they scored five runs in the opening inning. After the Redhawks first three batters reached safely, Michelle Summers (Glendale, CA/Hoover) scored the first run when she made it home on an error. Bradley then collected the first of her four hits in the game when she singles to left to plate Charlene Ramirez (Walnut, CA/Mt. San Antonio CC). Starting pitcher Stephanie Huffman (Valmayer, IL/Forest Park CC) helped her cause with a two-run single driving in Jennifer Monaghan (West Palm Beach, FL/American Heritage) and Megan McDonald (Cape Girardeau, MO/Cape Central). Bradley then scored on an RBI groundout by Lindsay Pickering (St. Charles, MO/St. Charles West HS) to give the Redhawks a quick 5-1 lead.

The Demons added runs off of Huffman in the second and third to make it 5-3. The Redhawks responded with another huge inning in their half of the third.

Bradley took advantage of a dropped foul ball to single to left. Huffman doubled to right to move her to third and scored on a fielder's choice. Mata singled to plate Huffman. The Demons then retired the next two batters before Ramirez reached on a throwing error to score Mate and keep the inning alive. The demons again shot themselves in the foot when they allowed Summers to score on yet another error. Monaghan made the Braves pay for their miscues as she doubled to left center to score McDonald and Ramirez and put the Redhawks up 11-3.

The Braves added a run in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the seventh. The Redhawks added one more in the sixth inning when Bradley doubled to center to lead-off. Pickering eventually drove her in with a single to left.

Huffman (1-1) picked up her first win of the season despite allowing seven runs (five earned) on nine hits.

Kristen Lindley (2-3) was collared with the loss allowing 12 runs (four earned) on 11 hits. She was hurt by six Braves errors.

Bradley went 4-4 with one RBI and three runs scored. Huffman went 3-4 with two RBI and a run scored.

Pickering drove in three runs as she went 1-3 at the plate.

Sarina Noack led the Braves at the plate with a 3-5 performance.

Bradley, Monaghan and Fisher were all named to the Bulldog Round-Robin All-Tournament Team.

The Redhawks will next head to Springfield, Missouri to play in the 2nd Annual All-Missouri Coaches Against Cancer Tournament. The Redhawks start the tournament with host Missouri State before facing 24th ranked Missouri on Friday, March 3.