March 20, 2007

Box Score

MURFRESSBORO, Tenn. - Southeast Missouri State softball managed to outhit host Middle Tennessee by an 8-5 margin, but the host team claimed a 3-2 victory in a 12-inning marathon this afternoon at Blue Raider Field in Murfreesboro, Tenn. The Blue Raiders improved to 14-16 with the win, while the loss dropped the Redhawks' season record to 6-11.

In the second inning, freshman first baseman Stacia Dopudja (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) led off with a single before freshman Sarah Estopare (Imperial, Mo./Fox) came in to pinch run for her. After reaching second and third on back-to-back fielder's choice plays, Estopare handed Southeast a 1-0 lead after scoring on an infield throwing error.

The score remained the same until the sixth inning when junior Katie Mielke lined an RBI double down the left field line which scored freshman Caitlin McLure, who opened the inning with a single to tie the game at 1-1.

The Redhawks took a 2-1 lead in the top of the 12th inning after junior right fielder Katie Otterness (Schaumburg, Ill./Hoffman Estates) brought home freshman left fielder Elise Sperakos (Nipomo, Calif./Nipomo) from third base with an RBI sacrifice fly to center field.

In the bottom of the 12th, the Blue Raiders evened the score at 2-2 thanks to junior Ashley Cline scoring from second on a Southeast error in which senior Shelby Stiner also reached base. Stiner later scored the game-winning run on an RBI single from freshman Corrie Abel down the left field line for the final margin.

Junior third baseman Michelle Summers (Glendale, Calif./Hoover), sophomore designated player Amber Peterson (Camarillo, Calif./Oaks Christian) and freshman catcher Alex Ramirez (Corona, Calif./El Modena) tallied two hits apiece to lead Southeast at the plate. Junior Elaine Fisher (St. Peters, Mo./Francis Howell North) saw her record fall to 4-9 on the year despite posting six strikeouts in a career-best 11 and one-third innings of work.

Abel and Mielke posted a hit and drove home a run to pace Middle Tennessee, while freshman Lindsey Vander Lugt (10-10) captured the win in relief by allowing a run on three hits and producing a pair of strikeouts.

The second game of today's doubleheader was called off due to the length of the first game. Southeast heads to Ole Miss for a doubleheader tomorrow evening with the first game to begin at 4 p.m.