April 15, 2007

Box Score

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Senior Natasha Anderson tallied a game-high 14 strikeouts on the mound as visiting Austin Peay defeated Southeast Missouri State, 9-0, to open an Ohio Valley Conference weekend series Saturday afternoon at the Southeast Softball Complex. The Lady Govs improved their season record to 17-20 (6-9) and snapped a nine-game losing streak, while the Redhawks fell to 10-23 (4-11) on the year.

Austin Peay tallied four runs on four hits to produce a 4-0 lead in the second inning. Senior Ami Bush began the rally by hitting an RBI single through the left side off Southeast starting pitcher Elaine Fisher (St. Peters, Mo./Francis Howell North) that scored freshman Beth Carr, Senior Nikki Garrett knocked in two more runs on the next play with a single before Anderson rocked an RBI single of her own to conclude the rally.

A three-run home run from freshman Ashley Taylor highlighted a five-run, six-hit sixth inning as the Lady Govs increased their advantage to 9-0. Freshman Brittany Williams also contributed an RBI double and Carr posted an RBI single to provide the final margin.

Taylor went 3-for-4 at the plate with five RBI to lead Austin Peay, while Carr hit 3-for-4 with two RBI and scored two runs. Bush and Williams added two hits and scored a pair of runs, respectively. Anderson (12-12) claimed the win after allowing no runs and walked two Redhawks.

Southeast was led offensively by freshman catcher Alex Ramirez (Corona, Calif./El Modena) as she went 1-for-2 with a double. Fisher (7-16) took the loss after allowing nine runs (five earned) on 13 hits in six innings of work to go along with a strikeout and a walk.

Both teams will conclude the series on Sunday with a doubleheader, beginning at 1 p.m.