Southast Missouri State roundup: Redhawks softball team's postseason hopes nearly gone

The Southeast Missouri State softball team saw its chances of making the Ohio Valley Conference tournament virtually end Saturday.

Southeast was swept 3-1 and 10-7 in a doubleheader at Murray State. The squads close their three-game series at 1 p.m. today. The game will conclude Southeast's OVC schedule.

Southeast (22-28, 13-15) remained seventh in the 11-team OVC. The top six finishers qualify for the conference tournament.

The Redhawks are 2 1/2 games out of sixth place. They need a win today and then have an unusual set of circumstances take place today and next weekend when the remainder of the league squads play their final OVC series in order for them to make the tournament

Saturday's opener against fourth-place MSU (28-16, 16-10) represented Southeast's 13th OVC loss by one or two runs.

Things remained scoreless until the top of the sixth inning when Shelby Stein's home run gave the Redhawks a 1-0 lead.

The Racers answered with three unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Southeast had just three hits.

Alora Marble (13-13) pitched her 21st complete game of the season but took the loss. She allowed five hits and one walk while striking out four.

MSU went ahead for good in the nightcap with a four-run third inning that made it 8-5.

Southeast matched the Racers with 12 hits. Evan Sallis went 4 for 4. Lindsey Patterson homered and had two RBIs.

Taylor Cowan and Renee Kertz both added two hits. Kertz delivered two RBIs. She has 41 RBIs on the season and is four away from tying Southeast's career record.

Cowan (1-6) suffered the loss in the circle. She gave up six runs on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings.

Cowan struck out four and walked one.

Lowman honored

Junior volleyball player Samantha Lowman won Southeast's Student Life Achievement Recognition Award.

The award is given to a student, a member of the faculty and a member of the staff who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in building community at Southeast.

Lowman, the secretary of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee at Southeast, has volunteered her time for various activities including canned food drives, Dig for Life, Hoops for Heroes, Project Charlie, Toys for Tots and Soles for Souls.

Lowman also has visited residents at Auburn Creek Assisted Living, packed and delivered meals for Feed My Starving Children, participated in the Autism Walk and coached at the Parks and Recreation Fundamental volleyball camp.

"I have never coached someone as dedicated and committed to community service and campus involvement as Samantha," Southeast volleyball coach Julie Folliard said. "Samantha uses her position as a collegiate athlete to promote a sense of community at Southeast."

-- From staff reports