'Hawks' bats erupt

~ The Redhawks bounced back from a quiet weekend.

Southeast Missouri State had an uncharacteristically silent offensive performance over the weekend, which led to its first Ohio Valley Conference series loss this year.

But the Redhawks' potent bats were back in form Tuesday, sparking a doubleheader sweep of visiting Eastern Illinois.

The Redhawks remained solidly in second place in the 10-team OVC by knocking off the Panthers 11-1 and 10-5. The first game was stopped after 4 1/2 innings by the mercy rule.

Southeast improved to 27-12 overall and 14-3 in OVC play. EIU fell to 27-19-1 and 9-8.

"Our bats kind of left us for a while," sophomore shortstop Megan McDonald said. "We really needed this."

The Redhawks are the OVC's top-hitting team, with a .304 batting average after getting 20 hits Tuesday. Southeast averages more than five runs per game.

But during a three-game series at Eastern Kentucky over the weekend, the Redhawks scored just five runs and managed only 14 hits. They lost twice to the Colonels.

"I think it was a combination of their good pitching and us not hitting very well," sophomore third baseman Michelle Summers said. "It's a good thing we got back on track."

Southeast coach Lana Richmond could not have agreed more as the Redhawks continued their best season since 2000.

"There's nothing better for your confidence after losing your first conference series of the season to put up 21 runs," Richmond said.

The Redhawks have clinched their first winning season since the 2000 squad went 31-24.

Southeast also equaled its victory total from last year, when the team went 27-28. The Redhawks have also posted their most conference victories since 2001.

"Getting to 27 wins already is a great accomplishment for us," said Richmond, who in her 24th season at Southeast ranks as the OVC's all-time winningest softball coach and among the nation's winningest active coaches. "We knew we turned the corner last year with so many young kids, and we still have young kids."

The Redhawks are dominated by sophomores and freshmen, with a few key juniors and seniors sprinkled in.

One of those sophomores, Summers, set a school record and also tied one by leading off the bottom of the first inning of the second game with a home run over the left-field fence.

Summers' 21st career home run broke the record she previously shared with Kim Palmer, who played for Southeast from 1996 to 1998.

It was Summers' 11th homer of the year, which ties Palmer for the single-season record.

"She's just a little power plug," Richmond said.

Summers leads the Redhawks with a .386 batting average, just ahead of McDonald (.379), a Central High School product who was last season's OVC freshman of the year.

"What they have already done here in less than two years is pretty amazing," Richmond said.

McDonald had two hits in each game, as did junior center fielder Lindsay Pickering, who doubled twice in the nightcap.

Freshman Jenn Monaghan had a home run in the opener, her sixth of the season, which is second on the Redhawks.

Monaghan had three hits in the doubleheader, as did senior Charlene Ramirez. Ramirez drove in five runs, including an RBI single in the fourth inning of the nightcap that broke a 5-5 tie.

Sophomore Elaine Fisher was the winning pitcher in both games.

Fisher (12-8) went all five innings of the opener, allowing five hits and an unearned run, with six strikeouts and no walks.

Fisher relieved senior Stephanie Huffman in the nightcap and worked 3 2/3 scoreless innings. She gave up two hits, with two strikeouts and no walks.

"She was a big key today," Richmond said of Fisher. "These were two big games."

The Redhawks return to action Friday with a doubleheader at Samford, which begins a stretch of seven straight road games for them.

"It's tough to play on the road," Richmond said. "This is going to be a big stretch for us."