March 8, 2005

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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - (Tuesday, March 08, 2005) The Redhawks softball team had a rough home-opener on Tuesday afternoon, dropping both games of a double-header against Lipscomb University at the Southeast Softball Complex, 5-4 and 7-3.

In the first game of the twin bill the Redhawks (1-5) bats were silent the first three innings but awoke in the fourth and fifth innings as freshman Michelle Summers (Glendale, CA/Hoover) led the way.

In the fourth inning, Summers led-off the inning with a single up the middle of the infield. Fellow freshman Megan McDonald (Cape Girardeau, MO) advanced Summers to second when she reached on a botched play by the Lady Bison's third baseman on a designed sacrifice bunt. Junior catcher Lyndsey Webb (Las Vegas, NV/Las Vegas HS) then doubled to right center to drive in Summers for the first run of the game by either team.

With runners at second and third with no outs, the Redhawks failed to score as Lady Bison pitcher Sara Meek retired Lindsay Pickering (St. Charles, MO/St. Charles West HS), Melissa Van Velkinburgh (St. Louis, MO/Cor Jesu Academy) and Callie Brittan (Valley Park, MO/St. Charles CC) in order to end the Redhawks threat.

Lipscomb's bats came alive the following inning as they scored three runs in top of the fifth to lead, 3-1.

The Redhawks responded in the bottom of the fifth. Kelly Birk (Huntington Beach, CA/Edison HS) doubled and Summers knocked her in with a two-run homerun to right center to tie the game at 3-3. The homerun by Summers was the first dinger of the year by the Redhawks.

In the sixth inning Lipscomb again regained the lead, 4-3. The Redhawks answered with a run of their own as Webb hit her second double of the game and advanced on a Pickering single. Pinch-hitter Stephanie Mata (Wheeling, IL/Wheeling HS) drove in Webb on a well-designed squeeze play. Pickering advanced to third but was left stranded as Victoria Torrez (Garden Grove, CA/Cypress CC) was retired for the final out of the inning.

The Lady Bisons scored in the top-half of the seventh to grab a 5-4 lead.

The Redhawks had a chance to tie in the final half inning but couldn't capitalized on a Birk lead-off walk.

Freshman Elaine Fisher (St. Peters, MO/Francis Howell North) received the loss for the Redhawks.

Allison Tyree got her second win of the season with 2 innings of relief.

Summers and Webb the Redhawks offensively. Summers went 2-4 with two RBIs and two runs. Webb went a perfect 2-2 with two doubles, one RBI and one run.

Fisher started game two but was hit hard immediately by the Lady Bisons as they scored two runs in the first to grab a quick 2-0 lead.

The Redhawks cut the lead to one when Pickering led off the bottom of the second with a stand-up triple as she crushed a pitch to right field. Charlene Ramirez (Walnut, CA/Mt. San Antonio CC) singles to center to drive in Pickering.

The Lady Bisons answered with a run in the third and four runs in the fourth to grab a 7-1 lead.

The Redhawks cut the deficit to four runs in the bottom of the fourth. After Summers reached base on a fielders choice, Birk launched a shot over the right field fence for her first homer of the year making the score 7-3.

Lady Bison's pitcher Danielle Catalano shut down the Redhawks bats the final three innings for a complete game victory.

Fisher again was credited with the loss.

Webb continued her hot hitting as she finished 2-4 with two singles.

The Redhawks will head to Orlando, Florida to participate in the Rebel Spring Games on March 12 thru 16.