Redhawks softball team ends losing streak

The Southeast Missouri State softball team snapped a seven-game losing streak Sunday by winning the second game of a doubleheader against visiting Austin Peay.

Southeast salvaged the finale of the three-game series 9-1 as the contest was stopped in the bottom of the fifth inning by the eight-run mercy rule.

Austin Peay won Sunday's first game 7-6 after prevailing 9-0 in Saturday's series opener.

The Redhawks (11-24, 5-12) are in ninth place in the 10-team Ohio Valley Conference.

Southeast had 20 hits and four home runs in Sunday's doubleheader, including two homers from freshman Stacia Dopudja. She leads the Redhawks with nine homers.

Also homering were Stephanie Mata and Jennifer Vasquez, who had four hits in the two games.

Dopudja, Michelle Summers and Megan McDonald all added three hits for the Redhawks.

Elaine Fisher was the second-game winner, allowing four hits.

Austin Peay (18-21, 7-10) built a 7-1 lead after four innings in the opener and held off the Redhawks.

Southeast returns to action Tuesday with a 3 p.m. nonconference home doubleheader against St. Louis University.

Gymnasts end season

The Southeast gymnastics team ended its season Saturday as four individuals competed in the NCAA South Central Regional in Tucson, Ariz.

Freshman Bryanna Wong had the Redhawks' top finish, as she was 16th among 22 competitors in the all-around with a score of 38.400.

Sophomore Sandra Blake was 19th (38.275) and freshman Rikara Turner 20th (38.000) in the all-around.

Wong was 39th on vault (9.475), 32nd on bars (9.600), 28th on beam (9.650) and 25th on floor (9.675).

Blake was 17th on vault (9.750), 40th on bars (9.000), 17th on beam (9.775) and 17th on floor (9.750).

Turner finished 28th on vault (9.650), 36th on bars (9.375), 35th on beam (9.350) and 30th on floor (9.625).

Southeast's other qualifier, freshman Jena Nguyen, was 23rd on beam (9.750).

The top two all-around finishers and the event winners, who were not on two of the six teams that advanced), qualified for the national meet, set for April 26 through 29 in Salt Lake City.

Colbert leads track

Southeast freshman Brandon Colbert finished second in the discus Saturday at the rain-shortened Sea Ray Relays hosted by the University of Tennessee.

The final 13 events Saturday were cancelled due to rain and lightning. It was the first cancelation in the 41-year history of the meet.

Colbert, already an NCAA regional qualifier in the discus, threw 165 feet, 4 inches to place second.

The other top finisher for the Redhawks was Brandon Karcher, who placed fourth in the 10,000 meters in a time of 30 minutes, 14.75 seconds.

Southeast's 800 relay team of Chris Williams, David Reid, Myron Pettigrew and Chris Poindexter finished sixth in 1:25.52.

All-American Miles Smith did not run in the inclement conditions. He was not entered in the 400 and was scheduled to run in the 1,600 relay that was canceled.

The Southeast women got a 10th-place finish by Lindsay Hearne in the javelin.

Southeast will compete this weekend at the Vanderbilt Invitational.

-- From staff reports