Softball team captures pair

The Southeast Missouri State softball team won both of its games Saturday as the Louisiana-Monroe Mardi Gras Classic continued.

Southeast, which split its two tournament contests Friday, is 4-1 for its best start since the 1996 season.

The Redhawks beat Louisiana-Monroe 4-3 and Centenary 5-4 in eight innings.

Freshman pitcher Giana Zimmerman notched her second complete-game victory over Louisiana-Monroe in two days.

After firing a six-hitter at Louisiana-Monroe on Friday, Zimmerman allowed eight hits and two earned runs. She struck out three and walked two.

Zimmerman also had two of Southeast's five hits and drove in two runs. Sophomore Elise Sperakos tripled, doubled and scored twice for the Redhawks.

Zimmerman (3-0) came back and earned the win in relief over Centenary with three shutout innings. She allowed one hit and struck out four.

Sophomore Carmen Fowler had two of Southeast's seven hits, including the game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Southeast plays its final tournament game today against Centenary.

Track fares well

Southeast had several top-five finishes during Friday's Hoosier Hills Invitational track meet hosted by Indiana University.

The women's 1,600-meter relay team placed second as Travona Beard, Jerica Hamm, Jackson graduate Rachel Kahle and Melina Lewis finished with a time of 3 minutes, 57.62 seconds.

Juli Koenegstein was third in the mile (5:05.02), Central graduate Brianna Egbuka was fourth in the shot put with a career-best toss of 45 feet, 4 1/4 inches and Funtasia Clark placed fifth in the triple jump (35-9 1/2).

On the men's side, Josh Sutton was second in the high jump (6-6 3/4), Nate Shipley was fifth in the 3,000 (8:37.30), Paul Stemmerman was fifth in the mile (4:15.31) and Jackson product Andy Glass finished fifth in the shot put (51-0).

Southeast will have its only home meet of the indoor season Friday at the Student Recreation Center.