Redhawks struggle but win two vs. TSU

Tennessee State did not perform like one of the Ohio Valley Conference's worst softball teams Saturday.

Fortunately for Southeast Missouri State's Redhawks, they were able to hold off the visiting Tigers and sweep a doubleheader.

The Redhawks rallied from a late 4-1 deficit to take the opener 6-4, then scored the nightcap's lone run in the bottom of the sixth inning to win 1-0.

Southeast improved to 23-10 overall and 10-1 in OVC play. The Redhawks, who have won 19 of their last 22 games, are in second place among 10 OVC squads, just one-half game behind Tennessee Tech.

TSU fell to 14-22 and a ninth-place 1-11 in the conference. The Tigers and Redhawks will conclude their three-game series at 1 p.m. today.

"You have to respect every opponent that takes the field," Southeast coach Lana Richmond said. "You have to give Tennessee State credit. I thought they played very well.

"Our bats were a little silent today, but we came up with some key hits. The main thing is we pulled out both games."

Said senior Stephanie Huffman, the winning pitcher in the nightcap after earning a save in the opener: "Every team is tough. You can't take anybody lightly. Our bats struggled a little bit, but we pulled through."

Southeast sophomore ace Elaine Fisher, who entered with a 1.61 ERA, allowed 10 hits and four runs -- three earned -- in 4 2/3 innings of the opener.

Fisher was taken out in the fifth inning, and the Redhawks received shutout work from freshman Jessica Rosencrants and Huffman.

Rosencrants (2-0) allowed one hit in 1 1/3 innings and received credit for the win, while Huffman pitched a perfect seventh for her first save of the season.

The Redhawks scored twice in the fifth to pull within 4-3 and went ahead for good with a three-run sixth. Freshman Jenn Monaghan had the big blow, a two-RBI double that made the score 5-4. Freshman Lauren Bradley added insurance with an RBI single.

Junior Lindsay Pickering went 3-for-3 to pace Southeast's nine-hit attack. Sophomore Michelle Summers had two doubles and Monaghan added two hits.

Huffman throws shutout

Huffman (12-3) dominated in the second game with her first shutout of the season. She allowed two hits, with four strikeouts and no walks, as she faced just two batters over the minimum.

"Stephanie Huffman gave us a huge performance on the mound, and Jessica Rosencrants did a good job in the first game," Richmond said.

TSU pitcher Candace Hildebrand was just about as tough as Huffman, allowing only three hits.

But the Redhawks finally broke up a scoreless duel in the bottom of the sixth, thanks in part to a key error.

With one out, sophomore Katie Otterness drew a walk. Summers followed with a line-drive single to right field that was misplayed and went all the way to the fence. Otterness scored on the error.

"How about Katie Otterness drawing the walk. That was big," Richmond said. "In the first game, Jenn Monaghan came up with a huge hit.

"That's the thing with our team, it's somebody different every time. That's the mark of a good team."