April 16, 2007

Box Score

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri State softball earned a doubleheader split to conclude an Ohio Valley Conference series Sunday afternoon against Austin Peay at the Southeast Softball Complex. The Lady Govs (18-21, 7-10) won a close 7-6 decision in the first game and the Redhawks (11-24, 5-12) produced a 9-1, five-inning win in the series finale.

Austin Peay posted an early 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning after freshman Ashley Talyor connected on a two-run home run to right center off Southeast sophomore pitcher Lauren Bradley (Overland Park, Kan./Shawnee Mission South). Freshman second baseman Jennifer Vasquez (Placentia, Calif./El Dorado) hit an RBI single that helped the Redhawks sliced their deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the third.

The Lady Govs increased their lead to 7-1 in the fourth inning, highlighted by senior Ami Bush's two-run single to center field that plated freshmen Brittany Williams and Beth Carr.

In the fifth inning, Southeast closed its gap to 7-3 on a two-run homer from Vasquez to left field that also scored junior third baseman Michelle Summers (Glendale, Calif./Hoover), while freshman first baseman Stacia Dopudja (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) connected on a solo homer that hit the scoreboard in right center during the sixth inning as the home team pulled within 7-4.

Two more runs crossed the plate in a seventh-inning rally by the Redhawks to slice Austin Peay's advantage to 7-6. Sophomore catcher Amber Peterson (Camarillo, Calif./Oaks Christian)brought home Summers with a sacrifice fly to left field before Dopudja scored Vasquez from second on a fielder's choice, but was tagged out on the same play at second base to conclude the game.

Bush went 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of RBI to lead the Lady Govs, while senior Natasha Anderson (13-12) gained the victory despite allowing six runs (four earned) on 11 hits to go along with seven strikeouts.

Vasquez finished the game hitting 3-for-4 at the plate, three RBI and scored a pair of runs to lead Southeast. Bradley (2-2) took the loss after giving up two runs on eight hits in six and two-third innings of work.

The Redhawks started the second game with a 1-0 advantage in the first inning when junior shortstop Megan McDonald (Cape Girardeau, Mo./Cape Central) lined an RBI double to score Vasquez from fitst base. Austin Peay tied the game at 1-1 in the second inning after Carr plated freshman Daniela Hooper from third with a sacrifice fly to left field.

Senior left fielder Stephanie Mata's (Wheeling, Ill./Wheeling HS) three-run homer to right field highlighted a Redhawk seven-run rally that hiked the home team's leading margin. Dopudja and Sperakos also brought home runs for Southeast in the inning. Dopudja ended the game in the fifth inning with a solo homer to right field to end the game.

McDonald and Dopudja paced the Redhawks with a 2-for-3 output at the plate, respectively. Junior pitcher Elaine Fisher (St. Peters, Mo./Francis Howell North) claimed the win after holding Austin Peay to a run on only four hits in five innings of work. Fisher (8-16) also tallied a pair of strikeouts and did not walk a batter.

Southeast welcomes Saint Louis to the Southeast Softball Complex for a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday (April 17) with a start time of 3 p.m.