March 28, 2007

Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Southeast Missouri State softball ended its road trip today with a mid-week doubleheader split against Evansville at UE's Cooper Stadium. The Redhawks (9-15) claimed a 5-3 win in the first game before the host Purple Aces (19-10) claimed a 7-6 victory in eight innings in the nightcap. The two teams met in late February at the Blues City Classic, hosted by Memphis, which was won by Evansville by a 3-2 margin.

The Redhawks opened the first game with a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning with a run-scoring single from freshman pitcher Stacia Dopudja (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) to right center that scored junior shortstop Megan McDonald (Cape Girardeau, Mo./Cape Central) after she reached base on a walk. Evansville tied the score at 1-all in the bottom of the first on a RBI double by sophomore Amanda Ockomon to left center, scoring junior Brittany Herald, who walked on the previous play.

The Purple Aces claimed a 2-1 advantage in the bottom of the second after freshman Jamie Lindauer drew a one-out walk and later crossed home plate on a double from fellow classmate Krista Price to left center. A two-run home run from Dopudja helped Southeast regain its advantage at 3-2 in the top of the third.

Freshman left fielder Elise Sperakos (Nipomo, Calif./Nipomo) posted a double up the middle in the top of the fourth before scoring on an Evansville infield error that increased the Redhawks' leading margin at 4-2. A solo homer by Dopudja, her second of the game, to hike Southeast's advantage to 5-2 in the top of the fifth, but Evansville closed its deficit at 5-3 with a run-scoring double from Herald which plated sophomore Kristen Shirk from third base.

Dopudja went 3-for-3 with four RBI and scored twice to pace Southeast offensively, while Sperakos finished with a 2-for-4 day at the plate and scored a run. Dopudja (1-3) captured her first collegiate win on the mound after allowing two runs on two hits in addition to producing three walks and a strikeout.

Price led Evansville by hitting 1-for-1 with an RBI and freshman Jennifer McKee (1-1) allowed three runs on five hits in taking the loss.

In the second game, Southeast tallied an early 4-0 lead in the second inning which was highlighted by a two-run homer by sophomore designated player Amber Peterson (Camarillo, Calif./Oaks Christian). The Redhawks produced two more runs in the top of the fourth that hiked their lead to 6-0 thanks to a pair of RBI singles from Summers and freshman second baseman Jennifer Vasquez (Placentia, Calif./El Dorado).

A two-run infield single from Lindauer scored Ockomon and Price, who reached base with singles, in the bottom of the fourth to slice the Purple Aces' deficit to 6-2. The home team concluded its comeback with four runs in the bottom of the sixth with a two-RBI single from Lindauer being the biggest highlight, while both teams did not score in the seventh to send the game into extra innings.

The Redhawks threatened to score in the top of the eighth when Ramirez advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Peterson before being stopped by a double play. Evansville had placed junior Danny Murphy on second in the bottom of the eighth before she advanced to third with an intentional walk. Murphy scored the game-winning run on an RBI fielder's choice from Lindauer for the final margin.

Herald produced a 3-for-4 offensive effort with an RBI to lead the Purple Aces, while Lindauer went 2-for-3 at the plate with five RBI. Murphy (7-3) captured the win for Evansville after posting four strikeouts and walked two despite allowing two runs on five hits.

Peterson led Southeast with a 2-for-2 day at the plate with two RBI. Junior third baseman Michelle Summers (Glendale, Calif./Hoover) hit 2-for-4 and drove in three runs and Vasquez went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Junior pitcher Elaine Fisher (St. Peters, Mo./Francis Howell North) fell to 6-11 despite posting two strikeouts and two walks, but allowed seven runs (five earned) on 12 hits in seven and one-third innings of work.

The Redhawks return to the Southeast Softball Complex this weekend to begin a five-game homestand with an Ohio Valley Conference weekend series against Eastern Kentucky, beginning with a Saturday afternoon doubleheader at a start time of 1 p.m.