Redhawks conclude disappointing season with fifth straight loss

Southeast Missouri State softball coach Lana Richmond lauded her team for a spirited comeback.

But Sunday's effort could not prevent an 8-4, eight-inning loss to visiting Jacksonville State in the final game of another disappointing season.

The Redhawks failed to make the six-team Ohio Valley Conference tournament for the second straight year. They finished eighth out of 10 squads.

Southeast (24-28, 11-16) had been eliminated from contention with Saturday's doubleheader sweep by OVC regular-season champion JSU (35-14, 22-4).

Prior to last season, Southeast had never missed the OVC tournament since joining the conference in 1992.

"It is disappointing, because the kids worked extremely hard," Richmond said.

Southeast failed to make the OVC tournament despite having two of the league's premier offensive players in seniors Michelle Summers and Megan McDonald, who practically rewrote the school record book.

FRED LYNCH ~ flynch@semissourian.com Southeast Missouri State's Allie Borowiak, wearing helmet, celebrated with her teammates after hitting a two-run homer against Jacksonville State in the second inning Sunday at the Southeast Softball Complex.

The Redhawks also had a solid pitcher in senior Elaine Fisher, who like Summers and McDonald ranks high in many of the program's single-season and career statistical categories.

But the Redhawks never could find a consistent second hurler to go along with Fisher.

That forced Fisher to throw too many innings — 234 1/3 — and Richmond believes Fisher (19-20, 2.75 ERA) was simply worn out toward the end of the season.

After winning two of three games in a series with OVC runner-up Morehead State two weekends ago, Southeast lost six of its final seven league games, including its last five.

"I thought we pitched Elaine Fisher 60 innings too much," Richmond said. "After the Morehead series, I thought she didn't have any gas in the tank.

"I felt our defense was solid and we had the hitters. But in this sport, it takes that solid pitching game after game. That's what Jacksonville State had, two solid pitchers."

Southeast's offense also didn't have many consistent threats beyond McDonald (.406, 15 doubles, nine homers, 41 RBIs) and Summers (.376, 13 doubles, 13 homers, 40 RBIs), the program's single-season and career home-run leader.

No other player hit higher than .260.

Despite her top three players being seniors, Richmond said she believes the program can begin moving forward again if she can shore up the pitching staff.

Richmond, who with more than 750 wins in 26 seasons at Southeast is among the nation's winningest softball coaches, led Southeast to five straight OVC titles between 1995 and 1999.

Southeast has had just one winning record in the past eight seasons. The Redhawks have just one winning OVC mark in the last five years.

During Southeast's run of OVC titles Richmond said "our pitching was dominant and we always had two that were consistent. You've got to have two that can pick each other up."

Richmond still believes freshman Whitney Dupuis (4-8, 4.76 ERA in 97 innings), who entered Southeast with big-time credentials but never could find a solid groove, can be a factor on the mound next season.

"She was just a freshman," Richmond said. "She just had an inconsistent freshman year, but she can still be effective for us."

Southeast has already signed a high school pitcher for next season, and Richmond said the Redhawks would still like to add two more hurlers.

Offensively, Richmond knows it will be virtually impossible to replace Summers and McDonald, but most of Southeast's other key players will be eligible to return.

"Those two have been our top hitters for four years," she said. "It's something you just don't replace immediately. You look for other kids to step up."

As for Sunday's finale, Southeast received a two-run second-inning homer from junior Allie Borowiak to lead 2-0.

Southeast fell behind 4-2 but rallied with two outs in its final at-bat in the seventh, tying the game on McDonald's two-run single.

But JSU scored four in the eighth off Fisher to claim the extra-inning victory.

Junior Lauren Bradley and sophomore Alex Ramirez both had two of Southeast's seven hits. JSU had 13 hits.

"The kids had a great comeback to tie the game in the seventh," Richmond said. "I have nothing but good things to say about the kids"