March 18, 2007

Box Score

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri State softball kicked off its Ohio Valley Conference schedule yesterday during wintery weather conditions in the Cape Girardeau area with a doubleheader split against visiting Samford at the Southeast Softball Complex. The Redhawks (5-8, 1-1) captured the series opener by a score of 3-1 before the Bulldogs (14-10, 1-1) claimed the nightcap by a 10-2 margin.

After both teams battled through four scoreless innings, junior third baseman Michelle Summers (Glendale, Calif./Hoover) hit a solo home run into left field in the bottom of the fifth inning that gave the home team a 1-0 advantage. Samford came back to even the score at 1-1 in the top of the sixth after freshman Brittany Simao reached base on a Southeast infield error and later scored on another infield miscue.

Summers connected on a two-run homer with two outs to left field as the Redhawks regained the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth. Junior right fielder Katie Otterness (Schaumburg, Ill./Hoffman Estates), who ripped a single in the previous at-bat, also scored on the play.

Summers went 2-for-3 at the plate with three RBI and posted her first multi-home run game of the season. Junior pitcher Elaine Fisher (St. Peters, Mo./Francis Howell North) claimed her third win of the year after giving up a run on five hits while producing seven strikeouts and posting two walks.

In the second game, Summers led off with a single and scored two plays later on a single from junior shortstop Megan McDonald (Cape Girardeau, Mo./Cape Central) as Southeast posted an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Otterness crossed the plate in the bottom of the second on a Samford fielding error after reaching base with a fielder's choice to give the Redhawks a 2-0 advantage.

Senior Jenna Dempski's three-run homer in the top of the fourth put the Bulldogs ahead by a 3-2 margin, while sophomore Kylie Harmon drew an RBI walk in the top of the sixth to increase the visitor's lead at 4-2. A grand slam from junior Tracy Deaux provided the highlight of a six-run stanza in the top of the seventh as Samford concluded the scoring for the win.

Senior Shelley Stanley, senior Liz Pearse and freshman Amanda Barrs each tallied two hits to lead Samford, while senior Suzanna Meyer (4-4) captured the complete game victory thanks to four strikeouts and allowing only two walks on the mound.

Freshman catcher Alex Ramirez (Carona, Calif./El Modena) paced Southeast with a 2-for-3 day at the plate. Fisher (3-7) gave up eight runs on seven hits for the loss while posting a pair of strikeouts and walks in five and one-third innings of work.

The Redhawks and the Bulldogs will hook up in the series finale at the Southeast Softball Complex this afternoon with a start time of 1 p.m.