April 16, 2005

Box Score

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - (Saturday, April 16, 2005) The Southeast Missouri State Redhawks won both games of a doubleheader against the conference-leading Samford Bulldogs. The Bulldogs found it hard to muster much offense against the dominant Redhawk pitching as Southeast one the first game 7-0, and finished off the twin bill with a 2-1 win.

Game one starter Amy Fahnestock was lights out as she led Southeast (22-16, 10-4) to a lopsided win. In her 14th complete game of the season, Fahnestock allowed only three Bulldogs (20-19, 12-5) to reach base all game. She struck out seven batters as she picked up her fifth shutout.

Southeast got on the board in the third inning with two runs when Fahnestock helped out her own cause as she drew a one-out walk off Samford starter Emilee Lewis. Lindsey Woodworth, pinch-running for Fahnestock, advanced to third base when Michelle Summers delivered her team-leading tenth double. Victoria Torrez followed up with an RBI single to enter that brought Woodworth across the plate for the first run of the ballgame. Kelly Birk drove in Summers with a double to center field.

The Redhawks would add five more runs before the game was over, all of which came as a result of two home runs off reliever Susanna Meyer. In the fifth, Summers and Torrez hit back-to-back singles. Birk followed with a 3-run blast to left center for her fourth homer of the season. An inning later, Stephanie Mata hit her first home run of the season to drive in herself and Charlene Ramirez who reached on error.

The top third of the batting order was unstoppable in game one. Combined in game one, the first three Redhawk batters went 7-for-11 with four runs scored and five RBIs between them. Summers set the table with a 3-4 performance, while Torrez and Birk each had 2-3 efforts (Callie Brittan was 0-1 in a pinch hit appearance). Summers crossed home plate two times. Torrez added a run scored and an RBI, while Birk had one run scored and four RBIs.

In game two, Elaine Fisher and Fahnestock collaborated to pitch another brilliant game. They battled against Samford's Haley Scism and Meyer who were equally effective in their combined effort. Ultimately, Fisher and Fahnestock would prevail as the Redhawks were able to come out on top, 2-1.

Southeast jumped out on top again in the third inning. Ashley Robison led the inning off with a base on balls, but Summers and Torrez were swiftly retired on fly ball outs. Things were going Southeast's way, though. Robison advanced to second on a wild pitch. Capitalizing on Samford mistakes, she scored when Bulldogs center fielder Trisha Holman dropped Birk's fly ball on the run.

Elaine Fisher was smooth sailing toward her sixth victory of the season until the sixth inning. Erin Hall started the inning off with a double down the left field line, and advanced to third on Bethany Weisser's sacrifice bunt. After issuing a walk to Shelley Stanley, Fahnestock was brought on in relief for Fisher who pitched five and one-third innings of solid work. Hall was picked off third base when Stanley stole second base. Samford went on to score their only run when Kelly Smith's double drove in Stanley.

The Redhawks didn't wait long to retake the lead. After a strikeout of Stephanie Huffman, Meyer came on to make her second relief appearance of the day. It started off on a sour note when Megan McDonald singled to left field. Following Lindsey Webb's foul out to third, Mata came through again with her third RBI of the day when she tripled to right field.

Fahnestock returned for the seventh inning to retire the side in order as she picked up her second win of the afternoon to improve her record to 13-7. She pitched eight and two-third innings on the day, allowing only four hits and striking out nine.

Despite the no decision, Fisher threw a solid five and one-third innings. The freshman gave up only four hits and struck out one Bulldog batter.

Mata's triple in game two puts her atop the Ohio Valley Conference with three. She was a combined 2-5 on the day with one run scored and three RBIs.

McDonald added a hit in each of the games to extend her hitting streak to eight games.

Southeast will attempt a weekend series sweep of the Samford Bulldogs tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. at the Southeast Softball Complex.

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