Redhawks knock Samford out of OVC's top spot

Southeast Missouri State softball coach Lana Richmond couldn't have asked much more from her surging team Saturday afternoon.

The Redhawks clicked in virtually all phases as they extended their Ohio Valley Conference winning streak to six games by sweeping a doubleheader from visiting Samford, 7-0 and 2-1.

"Our defense was flawless, we got some big hits, and our pitching was very good," Richmond said. "This was just a great day for us. We're really playing well."

Southeast (22-16, 10-4) is in second place by percentage points, just ahead of Samford (20-19, 12-5), in the 10-team OVC, and the Redhawks are tied with Jacksonville State for first place on the loss side, although the Gamecocks have two more wins. Samford entered Saturday in first place.

"We knew we had to make a move this weekend," said Richmond, whose squad closes out the three-game series with the Bulldogs at 1 p.m. today. "We wanted to leave this weekend being considered a contender."

The Redhawks will do just that regardless of what happens today, thanks to a dominating first-game victory and a thrilling second-game triumph.

"It feels unbelievable to win these two," sophomore Stephanie Mata said. "We came in [to the series] looking to take it one game at a time, and now we have two down."

Mata's two-out triple in the bottom of the sixth inning of the nightcap scored freshman Megan McDonald from first base to break a 1-1 tie. McDonald had reached with a one-out single.

Mata also belted her first home run of the season in the opener.

"The home run felt great, but that [the triple] felt so much better," she said.

Said Richmond: "Stephanie's hit was huge. And how about Mac coming through with a big hit to get it started."

Southeast prevailed in the finale despite having just three hits.

Freshman Elaine Fisher allowed four hits and one run in 5 1/3 innings. She struck out one and walked two.

Senior Amy Fahnestock, who pitched a complete game in the opener, notched her second win of the day with 1 2/3 innings of one-hit relief, striking out two.

Fahnestock (13-7), who had struggled some recently, was dominant in the first game, allowing just three hits while striking out seven and walking none.

"I was focusing more," Fahnestock said. "I knew we needed this."

Added Richmond: "Amy struggled her last two outings, but she had a really sharp game today. And she didn't throw that many pitches, that's why I brought her back in the second game. And she'll throw again [today]."

The Redhawks backed Fahnestock with a powerful nine-hit attack that featured Mata's two-run homer in the sixth and senior Kelly Birk's three-run blast in the fifth, her fourth home run of the season.

Birk also doubled as she went 2-for-3 with four RBIs. Freshman Michelle Summers went 3-for-4, including a double. Senior Victoria Torrez was 2-for-3.

Southeast made just one error in the two games and turned in several sparkling defensive plays.

"We've had so many people, on any given day, come through," Mata said. "We're playing really good and hopefully we can keep it up."

Kelly Smith had three of Samford's eight hits on the day, and she drove in the Bulldogs' lone run.