Dupuis pitches Southeast softball team to split

The Southeast Missouri State softball team bounced back to salvage a split of Saturday's Ohio Valley Conference road doubleheader.

First-year program Murray State romped 9-1 in the opener that went just 4 1/2 innings because of the eight-run rule. Southeast won the nightcap 9-6.

The squads close out their three-game series at 1 p.m. today.

Southeast is 14-23 overall and 5-11 in OVC play. The Redhawks are tied for last place in the 10-team conference. MSU (14-24, 6-9) is in sixth place.

Nicole Troncoso doubled twice and had three of Southeast's eight second-game hits. She drove in three runs.

Elise Sperakos added two hits and Alex Ramirez got her first home run of the season.

Whitney Dupuis notched the victory. She allowed six hits and two earned runs while working around nine walks in 6 2/3 innings. She struck out two.

Stefanie Barnes recorded the final out for her first career save.

Southeast managed just four hits in the run-rule opener. Troncoso had a double.

Barnes took the loss, allowing 10 hits in going the four-inning distance. All nine runs were earned. She struck out three and walked five.

Two players sign

Southeast coach Lana Richmond recently announced the signing of two more high school players to national letters of intent.

Renee Terry and Alene Bethel will join the Redhawks' five fall signees as members of the 2011 recruiting class.

Terry, who can play a variety of positions, batted .433 and stole 20 bases as a senior at Hazelwood West High School in suburban St. Louis. She also went 7-3 with a 2.97 ERA as a pitcher following a junior season that saw her go 13-6 with a 1.85 ERA.

Bethel, from Veradale, Wash., is a four-year starting catcher.

She was batting .406 with four home runs and 11 RBIs through eight games this season. She hit .480 as a junior.