March 9, 2004

Box Score

Nashville, Tenn. - The Southeast softball Otahkians (2-4) lit up for ten hits in the first game of their doubleheader with Belmont this afternoon, posting a 6-1 victory. However Belmont's Jessica Jeffers cooled Southeast's bats in the second game, as the squad managed only two hits suffering a 4-1 loss.

In game one, SE Missouri opened the scoring in the first inning when Amy Murphy singled and later scored on a Mandy Miles wild pitch. The squad posted three more runs in the third when Melissa Van Velkinburg and Kelly Birk both reached base on errors and Alana Bagby-Leonard walked. Stephanie Mata pinch ran for Birk, while Charlene Ramirez replaced Bagby-Leonard on the bases as Van Velkinburg, Mata and Ramirez all scored in the inning. Suzi Lair posted the squad's lone RBI of the game driving Ramirez home on a single.

The Bruins' only run came in the fifth when Julie Castelli reached on a fielder's choice and Erin Mullen drove her home on a double. Southeast put together another powerful inning in the seventh as Victoria Torrez produced a hit to get on base and Murphy walked. They both scored on the inning, taking advantage of Belmont errors to cushion the Southeast lead.

Amy Fahnestock pitched her first win as an Otahkian in a complete game, while Belmont's Miles took the loss. Fahnestock pitched seven innings and allowed just one run on four hits. Victoria Torrez led SEMO by going 4-for-4 with one run scored. Bagby-Leonard went 0-for-1 while recording three walks in four plate appearances.

Game two saw no scoring until the fourth inning when both teams posted a run. Southeast scored first as Bagby-Leonard reached first on an error going on to score SEMO's only run of the game. Belmont answered right back scoring its run in the fourth when Sara Peeples singled and later scored on a wild pitch.

The Bruins broke it open in the fifth when Julie Castelli singled to right and advanced to second on a groundout. LeAnna Crandall walked and later she and Castelli each advanced a base on a wild pitch. Kelly Major walked to load the bases. Then Erin Mullen singled scoring both Castelli and Crandall. The next batter, Sara Peeples singled scoring Major from third.

Jessica Hunter took the loss for the Otahks pitching five innings and allowing eight hits, while Kelly Birk came in for relief for the final inning with one strikeout and no hits. Belmont's Jeffers picked up the win.

Birk led the Otahks offensively hitting 1-for-1 and picking up two walks in three appearances at the plate to record a perfect on base percentage for the game.

Defensively the Otahkians really stepped up their game committing only one error in 16 innings, while the Bruins committed seven.

On deck...Southeast comes home to open their home slate as they host the Southeast Missouri Classic this weekend. The tournament will bring a six-team field to the Southeast Softball Complex as the Otahks open this Friday, March 12, hosting in-state rival Southwest Missouri State at 4:00 p.m.