Area sports digest

Central grad McDonald signs with SE softball

Former Cape Girardeau Central High School star Erica McDonald is one of four players to recently sign letters of intent with Southeast Missouri State University's softball program.

McDonald, who will be a junior at Southeast, played the past two years at Shawnee (Ill.) Community College. The first baseman led the Saints with a .410 batting average in earning all-regional honors last season.

Also signing were shortstop/second baseman Suzie Lair from John A. Logan (Ill.) Junior College; third baseman Marie Coode from Gulf Coast (Fla.) Community College; and catcher/outfielder Lyndsay Webb, a recent high school graduate from Las Vegas, Nev.

Buttrum leads Harper in super pro division

Mark Buttrum of Murphysboro, Ill., won with a .577 dial in the super pro class Saturday night at the Sikeston (Mo.) Drag Strip. Buttrum ran in 5.78 seconds (120 mph).

Jeremy Harper of Sikeston ran 6.17 (109 mph) with a 6.16 dial.

In the pro class, Darrell Jones of Bertrand, Mo., ran a 8.63 (77 mph) with a 8.64 dial to lead Darrell Woodlard of Poplar Bluff (6.36, 104 mph).

Josh Ames of Dongola, Ill., won the ET class with a 7.17 (90 mph). Colby Gossett of Van Buren, Mo., was second (7.72, 88 mph).

The track hosts an outlaw super-street shootout Saturday.

-- From staff reports