Samford completes sweep of Redhawks

~ The Bulldogs limited Southeast to one run in each game of Saturday's doubleheader.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Southeast Missouri State softball team dropped two 2-1 decisions on the road Saturday, and Samford completed a three-game Ohio Valley Conference sweep of the Redhawks.

Southeast, which fell to 27-15 overall and 14-6 in the OVC, lost 1-0 on Friday to the Bulldogs (17-34, 7-12 OVC).

The Redhawks, who were no-hit on Friday, fell into third place in the conference.

Southeast managed just three hits in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, all of which came in the final two innings. Megan McDonald drove in Southeast's lone run in the sixth, singling up the middle to bring home Katie Otterness, who had doubled and stole third.

Lindsay Pickering delivered a one-out double in the seventh inning but was stranded, as Samford pitcher Stephanie Royall retired the next two batters.

Shelley Stanley hit a two-out, two-run home run in the first inning for the Bulldogs.

Stephanie Huffman pitched a complete game for Southeast, allowing two earned runs off four hits in six innings. She struck out four and walked two.

Royall struck out 13 batters in seven innings to earn the win.

In the nightcap, Samford scored the game-winning run on a sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the 10th inning.

The Bulldogs scored their first run on Meghan Wagner's leadoff home run in the third inning, but Southeast countered with Lyndsey Webb's solo homer to lead off the fifth inning.

Pickering had two of the Redhawks' five hits.

Elaine Fisher suffered the pitching loss for Southeast, allowing five hits and striking out five in 9 2/3 innings.

Southeast entered the series leading the OVC with a .304 batting average, which ranked 21st nationally. But the Redhawks managed just eight hits in the three games.

The Redhawks will head to OVC leader Tennessee Tech for a three-game series next weekend.