Southeast Missouri State softball drops series to JSU

The Southeast Missouri State softball team suffered its first Ohio Valley Conference series loss of the season, thanks to a second straight tough defeat.

Jacksonville State scored eight runs in the fifth inning Sunday to wipe out a five-run deficit. The Gamecocks went on to post a 13-8 victory.

The host Gamecocks also came back to salvage a split of Saturday's doubleheader, scoring six sixth-inning runs to wipe out a three-run deficit.

Southeast had used a late rally of its own to take Saturday's opener of the three-game series in Jacksonville, Ala., marking the Redhawks' first victory over JSU.

The Redhawks fell to 9-18 overall and 5-4 in OVC play.

JSU, the defending OVC tournament champion and preseason favorite, is 23-8 overall and 10-1 in the OVC.

Southeast fell behind 1-0 on Sunday but went ahead with a three-run second inning and built a 7-2 lead through four innings. JSU then exploded in the fifth to go ahead 10-7.

The Redhawks got one run back in the sixth but JSU added three more runs in the bottom of the frame.

Junior Renee Kertz belted her second home run of the series and third of the season. She went 2 for 2 as Southeast had nine hits.

Junior Evan Sallis added two hits for the Redhawks. Senior Carmen Fowler drove in two runs.

Freshman Alora Marble took the loss in relief. She was charged with three runs on three hits while not recording an out during the big fifth inning.

Freshman Shea Cothren, the starter, gave up six runs on six hits in four innings before being knocked out in the fifth. She struck out six and walked five.

JSU had 11 hits, including three home runs. Sallie Beth Burch's grand slam highlighted the Gamecocks' fifth-inning explosion that featured six hits.

Southeast returns to action Wednesday with a 4 p.m. OVC home doubleheader against Tennessee-Martin.