Southeast Missouri State softball team avoids perfect game on final chance

~ NDSU pitcher was one strike away from perfection in the Bison's 11-0 victory

Down to its last pitch, the Southeast Missouri State women's softball team finally marred an otherwise perfect performance by North Dakota State pitcher Krista Menke.

The Redhawks' Leah Duffe managed to bounce a 3-2 pitch off the left-hander's glove for an infield hit in the bottom of the fifth inning to end the only remaining drama in Tuesday's 11-0 loss to the Bison at the Southeast Softball Complex.

Menke, who had nine strikeouts, set down the first 14 batters she faced in order. She recorded her final strikeout after surrendering the hit to Duffe.

"She stuck with her curveball all game and didn't have to change a thing against us, and we took a lot of big hacks at it and were unable to connect," Southeast coach Lana Richmond said about Menke. "I give her a lot of credit for sticking with her plan of throwing that curve with some rises and a few changeups, but if your curve is working like that, why not just stay with it."

Southeast Missouri State shortstop Leah Duffe fields a ground ball during the first inning of Tuesday’s 11-0 loss to North Dakota State at the Southeast Softball Complex. Duffe provided the Redhawks’ lone hit at the plate. (Adam Vogler)

The Bison collected 13 hits and 11 runs in five innings before the eight-run rule came in to effect.

The Bison scored early and often, plating a run in every inning except for the third.

Jenina Ortega drove in the first two runs of the game for the Bison when she singled up the middle. The single scored Logan Moreland, who had reached on a strikeout and passed ball, and Cheyenne Garcia, who was aboard on a walk.

The runs proved to be the only ones the Bison would need.

Garcia added three runs in the second inning with a bases-loaded double up the middle, giving NDSU a 5-0 lead. The double ended the day for Redhawks starting pitcher Hannah Durham, who struck out two batters and walked two.

Aubrey Denno took over with one out in the second and retired the next five batters before getting into trouble in the fourth.

Meanwhile, Menke was cruising. She struck out at least one batter in every inning.

"We'll have to adjust to that type of pitching because we're better than we showed today, and we know it," Richmond said. "Our pitchers had good stuff, too. We just didn't have the hitting to back them up."

Denno allowed five runs on five hits in the fourth. Jackie Stifter opened the inning with a double and Alex Sobrero followed with a walk. A throwing error on a ground ball scored Stifter and advanced Sobrero to second. A double by Moreland scored Sobrero for a 7-0 lead and chased Denno.

A single by Garcia, who went 2 for 3 with three RBIs, off reliever Keaira Schilling advanced Moreland to third base. Two batters later, Amanda Grable singled to left to score Garcia and Moreland for a 9-0 lead.

Grable tagged up on Maria Lopez-Portillo fly ball to center field and scored on Brandi Enriquez's single down the right-field line for a 10-0 lead.

NDSU added one more run in the fifth on an RBI single by Moreland, who finished with two hits and two RBIs.

The Redhawks will spend the rest of their spring break on the road. Southeast will travel to Indiana State for a doubleheader against the Sycamores today. The Redhawks will play another doubleheader against Evansville on Thursday. The Redhawks close out the week with their Ohio Valley Conference opener against Eastern Kentucky on Saturday.

The Redhawks are eager to get into a groove after having all five of their games canceled last week due to inclement weather. Southeast has had a total of 10 games canceled this season.

"You want to play as many games as you can before going into conference," Richmond said. "And to do that this time of the year with the horrible winter we've had just hasn't been possible. It definitely hurts us when we have to cancel games and it kind of takes us out of our rhythm."