Redhawks softball splits at Murray

The Southeast Missouri State softball team opened Ohio Valley Conference play Saturday by splitting a doubleheader at Murray State.

Southeast romped in the opener 9-3 before the Racers rolled in the nightcap 8-1.

The Redhawks (8-12) and Racers (7-12) close out their three-game series at 1 p.m. today.

Junior college transfer Alexis Anderson had a huge day, going 5 for 7 with two home runs, a double, four RBIs, three runs scored and two stolen bases. The center fielder also robbed MSU of a home run in the opener.

"Anderson had a monster day at the plate as well as robbing a home run. It is good to see her break out at the plate," Southeast coach Lana Richmond said in a release.

Southeast banged out 14 hits in the opener, getting home runs from Anderson and senior Kaitlin Zink. It was Zink's first homer of the season and the first homer of Anderson's Southeast career.

Anderson also doubled and went 4 for 4 with three RBIs. Zink had two hits and three RBIs.

Sophomore Lindsey Patterson doubled twice. Seniors Taylor Cowan and Xia Wilson added two hits apiece for the Redhawks, who trailed 3-0 after one inning and didn't take the lead until a three-run fifth inning put them ahead 5-3.

Cowan (5-6) pitched all seven innings in her eighth complete game of the season. She allowed seven hits, struck out two and walked two.

"Cowan continues to have excellent outings for us in the circle and Zink's defense at shortstop stole extra bases from Murray batters," Richmond said.

Anderson also homered in the nightcap, accounting for Southeast's lone run in the second inning. But the Redhawks were outhit 10-4. Patterson led the Redhawks with two hits.

Junior college transfer Lauren Reinagel (1-1), a Notre Dame Regional High School graduate, took the loss. She allowed five hits and four runs, two earned, in two innings. She walked two and did not record a strikeout.

Track and field

Southeast kicked off its outdoor season by posting four first-place finishes at Saturday's Rhodes Open in Memphis, Tenn. The Redhawks primarily sent a group of throwers to the meet.

"Today was a good day," Southeast coach Eric Crumpecker said in a release. "We had several PRs right out the gate. Any time you open the season with a career best, you figure that athlete is going to have a pretty good year."

Craig Robinson won the shot put with a distance of 55 feet, 9 3/4 inches. He was also second in the hammer throw (career-best 188-10) and third in the discus (148-5).

Joel Krause captured the javelin title (career-best 170-8). Brian Grote (158-1) and Jason Walker (152-9) were fourth and fifth, respectively.

Kevin Farley was second in the shot put (51-10), second in the discus (156-5) and third in the hammer throw (career-best 185-0).

Jared Siemers (fourth, 178-9) and Walker (fifth, 157-2) rounded out a dominant hammer throw performance by Southeast.

Another notable performance for Southeast's men was the 2013 track debut of senior Nate Shipley. The second-team all-OVC performer in cross country exhausted his indoor eligibility, but took eighth in his first 5,000-meter run of the season in 15 minutes, 49.53 seconds.

On the women's side, Courtney Gapelu won the shot put (49-9 3/4). Kayla Guttierez was second (45-9 1/4) and Sarah Hall third (45-7 3/4).

Hall captured the hammer throw (165-10). She was also second in the javelin (111-10) and third in the discus (134-5).

Emilea Old was second in the hammer throw (career-best 150-11).

Southeast is back in action Saturday at the SIU Edwardsville Invitational.

Gymnastics

Southeast posted a score above 194 for the third straight competition, finishing third out of four teams during Friday's quad meet at 22nd-ranked Kent State.

The host squad was first at 195.975, followed by New Hampshire (194.675), Southeast (194.025) and Cornell (192.450). It was the Redhawks' third-highest score of the season.

Southeast captured two individual titles as Margaret O'Neal tied for first on bars (9.875, matching her career high) and Emma Garrett tied for first on floor (9.825).

The Redhawks took three of the top four all-around spots, with Taryn Vanderpool second (38.325), Kimberly Pickerl third (38.200) and Megan Fosnow fourth (38.000).

Southeast's other top-five finishes were by Vanderpool and Fosnow, who tied for fifth on bars (9.800).

The Redhawks end the regular season Saturday at the Midwest Independent Conference Championships in Shreveport, La.

Tennis

Southeast's women opened their OVC schedule Saturday with a 7-0 home loss to Eastern Illinois.

The Redhawks (2-3) won just one set, that coming at No. 2 singles as Elizabeth Nyenwe dropped a 7-5, 3-6, 10-6 (super tiebreaker) decision.

Sarah Uptmor, a member of Southeast's soccer team, made her debut at the No. 5 singles position.

Southeast has another OVC contest today, visiting SIU Edwardsville at 5:30 p.m.

The Redhawks were supposed to host today's match but it was moved due to the strong forecast of rain in Cape Girardeau. The Cougars will instead visit the Redhawks next season.

EIU 7, SOUTHEAST 0

Singles

No. 1 -- Janelle Prisner (EIU) def. Heather Robinson 6-0, 6-3

No. 2 -- Sephora Boulbahaiem (EIU) def. Elizabeth Nyenwe 7-5, 3-6, 10-6

No. 3 -- Merritt Whitley (EIU) def. Nikole Novikova 6-3, 7-6

No. 4 -- Ali Foster (EIU) def. Jessica Courtnell 6-3, 6-2

No. 5 -- Jennifer Kim (EIU) def. Sarah Uptmor 6-0, 6-0

No. 6 -- Kristen Laird (EIU) def. Lauren Schaper 6-1, 6-1

Doubles

No. 1 -- Prisner-Whitley (EIU) def. Robinson-Novikova 8-3

No. 2 -- Kim-Hannah Kimbrough (EIU) def. Nyenwe-Schaper 8-3

No. 3 -- Foster-Laird (EIU) def. Courtnell-Melissa Martin 8-5

-- From staff reports