May 6, 2006

Box Score

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - (Saturday, May 6, 2006) The Redhawks softball team's struggles continued as they dropped their ninth-straight game as visiting Jacksonville State won both games of a Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader, 3-2 and 5-3 at the Southeast Softball Complex on Saturday afternoon. The loss drops the Redhawks into sixth place in the OVC standings as the team battles four other OVC teams for higher seeding for next weekends OVC Softball Tournament.

In game one the Redhawks (27-22, 14-13 OVC) attempted comeback came up short as they cut the Gamecocks (41-13, 20-5 OVC) to one in the bottom of the sixth. Michelle Summers (Glendale, CA/Hoover) singled to right field to lead-off the inning. Charlene Ramirez (Walnut, CA/Mt. San Antonio CC) doubled to right center to plate Summers. With two outs Ramirez scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-2.

The Redhawks comeback attempt was thwarted however as Carly Kellam retired the Redhawks in order in the seventh to secure the victory.

Kellam (21-5) allowed only two runs on three hits (all singles) in her complete game effort. She struckout nine batters while walking two.

Stephanie Huffman (Valmayer, IL/Forest Park CC) was pegged with the loss despite a strong outing. She pitched 6.0 innings allowing three runs on six hits. Huffman (13-7) struckout seven but issued five walks.

The Gamecocks scored two runs in the third on a Maigin Alexander single and added the decisive run in the fourth when Becky Carpanetti singled in Megan Jezerski.

Megan McDonald (Cape Girardeau, MO/Cape Central) added a single to join Ramirez and Summers as the only Redhawks with hits.

Jezerski led the Gamecocks going 2-3 with two doubles and two runs scored.

Game two started off as a pitching dual as Redhawks ace Elaine Fisher (St. Peters, MO/Francis Howell North) and Christine Pierce combined to shutout each other's respected teams the first five innings.

The Gamecocks struck first however in the top of the sixth when pinch hitter Alana Hicks singled in Daniela Papano for the 1-0 lead.

In the seventh the Gamecocks exploded for four runs off the bat of Lauren Horwath who hit a grandslam to make it 5-0.

The Redhawks refused to give up however and made a game of it in their final inning. Jennifer Monaghan (West Palm Beach, FL/American Heritage) recorded a one-out single and Callie Brittan (Valley Park, MO/St. Charles CC) followed her with a triple to right center. Pinchhitter Lyndsey Webb (Las Vegas, NV/Las Vegas HS) then singled down the leftfield line to plate Brittan. Summers then singled through the right side moving Webb to second. After Ramirez flied out McDonald hit a two-out single to score Webb and moved to second on the throw. With tying runs on second and third Gamecocks reliever Kelly Raw struckout Lindsay Pickering (St. Charles, MO/St. Charles West HS) swinging to end the game 5-3.

Pierce (19-7) was credited with the win throwing 6.1innings allowing three runs on seven hits. Raw picked-up her second save of the season.

Fisher (12-14) recorded her team-high 23rd complete game of the season in a losing effort. She allowed five runs on 12 hits while striking out eight and walking only one.

Ramirez and McDonald each went 2-4 to lead the Redhawks offensively. McDonald extended her hitting streak to five games.

The Gamecocks were led by Horwath who went 3-4 highlighted by her grandslam.

The Redhawks will look to end the 2006 regular season on a positive note and snap their losing streak as they host the Gamecocks for one game at 1:00 p.m. at the Southeast Softball Complex. Tomorrow's game will mark the final home game for four Redhawk seniors. Brittan, Huffman, Ramirez and Webb will be honored before the game for their contributions to the Redhawks softball program.