March 24, 2002

Box Score

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - The Eastern Kentucky Colonels were clicking on all cylinders on Sunday, completing a three-game sweep of Southeast Missouri by exploding for five runs in the third inning and by getting another dominant pitching performance from Jonelle Csora.

Eastern Kentucky (15-7 overall, 3-0 Ohio Valley) missed a golden opportunity to score in the first inning when SS Diana Barreras and LF Elise Burch singled back-to-back to open the inning. When DP Jennifer Norris tried to sacrifice the runners up a base, she popped up to Southeast 1B Reagan Hamlin who doubled up Burch at first. Southeast starter Kristen King then struck out cleanup hitter Amber Berthoud to end the inning.

After Southeast (3-13, 0-3) got out of the top of the second inning with a strike out-throw out double play of Eastern Kentucky, the Otahkians got on the board thanks to RF Katie Cerneka. Cerneka drove a Jonelle Csora fastball over the leftfield wall for her first career homerun in a Southeast uniform and put the Otahks up 1-0. She had been homerless in 71 prior at-bats at Southeast.

EKU came through big in the third inning scoring five runs off King. CF Kelli Bromley singled to open the inning for Eastern and RF Jen Christiansen reached on an error by Jamie Birk. After a sacrifice, Burch singled in both Bromley and Christiansen and the big inning was underway. After Norris grounded out the inning looked to be over for Southeast but a walk to Berthoud and an RBI single by 1B Amy Herrington continued the inning for the Colonels. Amy?s sister Bethany then doubled home two more runs to extend the EKU advantage to 5-1.

The third would be the last inning of work for King (0-5), who allowed seven hits and five runs. Only one run, however, was earned.

Southeast had a great chance to score in the bottom of the sixth when SS Dawn Piantino and 2B Brooke Nett connected on back-to-back singles to open the inning. With two outs Cerneka singled through the left side and Nett was thrown out at home plate trying to score from second base, ending the inning and the Otahkian threat.

EKU added two more runs in the top of the seventh Norris doubled home Barreras and Burch to extend the Colonel lead to 7-1.

Csora (9-4) got the victory by scattering seven hits and allowing only one run while striking out six. She struck out 18 Otahkian batters in the weekend series.

Kelly Birk relieved King for Southeast and pitched three innings, allowing only two hits. Rachel Van Fleet pitched the seventh inning for Southeast, allowing three hits and two earned runs.

"Our pitching just got hammered today," Southeast coach Lana Richmond said after the game. "EKU did what they had to do and was clicking on all cylinders, pitching, hitting and fielding. Csora seemed to get stronger after her team gave her some run support."

"We just need to get back on track and look ahead to next week. We have an important conference matchup with Tennessee State next weekend."

Burch was the killer for EKU today, going 4-4 at the plate, driving in two and scoring two runs. Norris and Bethany Harrington added two hits apiece as the Eastern team combined for 12 on the day, one of the highest totals ever by an Otahkian opponent at the Southeast Complex.

Cerneka finished the game 2-3 with an RBI and run scored for Southeast.

Defensively, Southeast turned an amazing five double plays on the day.

The Otahkians next travel to Southwest Missouri State for a doubleheader with the Bears at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26.