Redhawks Rally Late to Defeat Raiders, 10-6 :: Michelle Summers' fourth inning grand slam highlights six-run inning

March 22, 2005

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - (Tuesday, March 22, 2005) Determined to play a game despite early morning showers, Southeast Missouri State softball Head Coach Lana Richmond might have been second guessing herself after her team fell behind 6-0 early in their game against Wright State Tuesday afternoon at the Southeast Softball Complex. However, she was quick to remind her team there was plenty of softball to play and that they had the ability to come back and win the game. Her team believed and that belief led to a 10-6 comeback victory over the Raiders.

After the Redhawks (11-8, 1-2 OVC) scored six runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning to tie the game at six apiece, they used a four-run sixth and strong relief pitching to pull ahead and keep the Raiders (4-3) at bay.

Pinch-hitter Callie Brittan (Valley Park, MO/St. Charles CC) started the four-run rally with a lead-off single to left. Melissa Van Velkinburgh (St. Louis, MO/Cor Jesu Academy) moved Brittan over to second on a sacrifice bunt. Michelle Summers (Glendale, CA/Hoover) was intentionally walked. Senior Victoria Torrez (Garden Grove, CA/Cypress CC) made the Raiders pay for pitching around Summers with an RBI single to right center to drive in Brittan and moving Summers to third. Brittan's run gave the Redhawks the lead, 7-6.

After an Amanda Cody wild pitch scored Summers and moved Torrez into scoring position. Kelly Birk (Huntington Beach, CA/Edison HS) doubled to right to drive in Torrez. Megan McDonald (Cape Girardeau, MO) drove in the final run of the game when she doubled to left center to score pinch-runner Lindsey Woodworth (Sparta, IL/Sparta) to make it 10-6.

Stephanie Huffman (Valmayer, IL/Forest Park CC) pitched around a lead-off single in the top of the seventh with the help of a Redhawks doubleplay to earn the victory and give the Redhawks their second-straight victory.

The Raiders did their damage in their half of the second as they scored five runs, only two of which were earned to grab and early 5-0 lead.

They later added a run in the third to make it 6-0.

The Redhawks exploded in the fourth for six runs to tie the game. The six runs were the most runs scored in an inning by the Redhawks this season.

The inning started with a lead-off single by Huffman. McDonald, who went 3-3 with two doubles, doubled to center to give the Redhawks runners at second and third with no outs. Lindsay Pickering (St. Charles, MO/St. Charles West HS) singled to right to drive in Huffman. Catcher Lyndsey Webb (Las Vegas, NV/Las Vegas HS) reached on an error giving the Redhawks a bases-loaded situation.

Pinch-hitter Charlene Ramirez (Walnut, CA/Mt. San Antonio CC) battled back from a 0-2 count to walk and force McDonald home for the Redhawks second run of the game.

With the bases-loaded Summers homered to leftfield for a grand slam and tying the game at 6-6.

Michelle Summers hit a fourth inning grand slam vs Wright State

Summers' homer gave her three homeruns in her last two games. It also gives her a team-leading four homeruns for the season.

Huffman (3-2) pitched 2.1 shutout innings allowing only one hit and striking out one.

Joining McDonald with a multi-hit game were Torrez, Birk and Huffman who each finished 2-4.

Coach Richmond was able to use every player in her dugout for the win.

The series, originally scheduled to be a doubleheader was limited to one game due to weather.

Next for the Redhawks is a scheduled home doubleheader against Belmont tomorrow at the Southeast Softball Complex. The first game is slated for 2:00 p.m.