Area digest 3/16/03

Southeast loses a pair in S.C. tournament

ROCK HILL, S.C. -- Southeast Missouri State University's softball team lost a pair of games Friday in the first day of the 24-team Winthrop Ringer Invitational at Winthrop University.

Saturday's scheduled games against Akron and Pittsburgh were rained out, as were the day's other tournament games. The schedule will be doubled today, giving Southeast its first game at 9 a.m.

North Carolina-Greensboro scored six runs off starter Kelly Birk in the second inning on its way to an 8-2 win in the final game of the day. Birk gave up three hits -- two of them home runs -- and struck out three in two innings. The Otahkians (3-8) had two errors.

In the opener, Toledo took the lead with a three-run fourth inning and defeated Southeast 4-2. Rachel VanFleet pitched four innings, struck out four and gave up six hits, two of them home runs.

Kate Groden was 3-for-4 for Southeast.

Central swimmers finish 10th in opening meet

ST. LOUIS -- The Central High school girls swimming team finished with 126 team points to place 10th overall out of 15 teams at the season-opening Marquette relays.

The diving squad of Staci Cook, Cara Crawford, and Cassi Andrews finished fifth, the highest individual finish for Central.

Marquette finished first overall with 354, Parkway South had 320 to finish second, and Parkway Central finished third with 298.

-- From staff reports