May 3, 2002

Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. - Eastern Kentucky used a pair of three-run innings in the first three stanzas of the game and got a no-hitter from junior ace Jonelle Csora to knock Southeast Missouri (14-26) into the consolation bracket at the 2002 OVC Softball Tournament, defeating the Otahkians 7-0 on Friday afternoon.

Eastern Kentucky (31-11) drew blood first scoring three unearned runs in the first inning with only one hit. After the first two batters of the inning were retired, DP Jennifer Norris singled to centerfield to start the threat. The next batter, 3B Ashley Totten walked bringing 1B Amy Herrington to the plate. Herrington hit a blooper to shallow rightfield that kept carrying. Confusion between 2B Brooke Nett and RF Courtney Eklund allowed the ball to fall between the two scoring both Totten and Herrington when the inning should have been over. Amy's sister Bethany came to bat next and hit a grounder that went between the legs of SS Dawn Piantino, scoring her sister and increasing the early EKU advantage to 3-0.

The Colonels increased their advantage by scoring three more times in the third inning. LF Elise Burch singled to open the frame and Norris walked to put runners on first and second. Following a sacrifice bunt that moved the runners each up a base, Amy Herrington singled through the left side scoring Burch. A batter later, Bethany Herrington's sacrifice fly to deep right field scored pinch runner Amy Wells and made the EKU advantage 5-0. Following a single by C Megan Mills, CF Kelli Bromley lined a laser to right field scoring Amy Herrington and pushing the lead to 6-0.

Bethany Herrington drove in her second run of the game by leading off the fifth inning with a monster blast over the leftfield wall off Southeast reliever Rachel Van Fleet for her seven homerun of the season, pushing the EKU lead to 7-0.

Csora got some help from her defense in the final inning to preserve the no-hitter, including a diving grab by Totten at third base on a Courtney Eklund smash and a nice play by Bethany Herrington on a Reagan Hamlin pop-up to end the game.

Csora (20-6), a leading candidate for OVC Pitcher of the Year honors, won her 20th game of the season with the no-hitter. She struck out nine Otahkian batters and allowed only three base runners, all on walks.

Kelly Birk (7-11), going in her second start of the day, took the loss. In four innings, she allowed six hits and six runs, three of which were earned and walked three.

Southeast falls into the consolation bracket to face number three seed Tennessee-Martin, who was a 6-1 loser to Eastern Illinois in nine innings on Friday. The game was originally on the schedule for 4:00 p.m on Friday, but overnight rains limited the first day of the tournament to one field and pushed the game back to a 10:00 a.m. Eastern start on Saturday morning. Assuming play is able to take place on both fields on Saturday, the winner of that game would play at Noon against either Austin Peay or Eastern Illinois.

Game Notes: The game, originally scheduled for a Noon start, was pushed back to 2:00 p.m. due to a wet field that cancelled games on the second field of the tournament; the game was delayed another 45 minutes after the previous game between Eastern Illinois and Tennessee-Martin went nine innings ... senior 1B Reagan Hamlin started her 90th consecutive game for Southeast; she is the only Otahkian to start and play in every game over the past two seasons ... the game featured a pair of sisters on either team: Amy and Bethany Herrington for EKU and Jamie and Kelly Birk for Southeast ...Southeast fell to 26-10 all-time in the OVC Tournament, still the best record of any team ... Southeast is now 2-3 all-time in the OVC Tournament against the Colonels ... Southeast fell to 0-20 in games this season when trailing after six innings, 2-7 in shutout games and 2-6 on Friday's.