Southeast Missouri State softball team captures title at Mardi Gras Classic

The Southeast Missouri State softball team beat Northwestern State 3-1 on Sunday to win the Mardi Gras Classic in Monroe, La.

Southeast went 4-1 in the three-day event and improved to 4-2 on the season.

Alora Marble pitched all seven innings against Northwestern State. She allowed five hits, while striking out one and walking four.

The Redhawks scored an unearned run in the top of the first inning. An RBI double by Taylor Cowan in the third inning made it 2-0. Brittany Smith's RBI single in the sixth inning capped Southeast's scoring.

Cowan and Renee Kertz both had two of Southeast's seven hits.

Kertz was named the tournament's most valuable player, while Marble, Shea Cothren and freshman Lindsey Patterson earned all-tournament honors.

Southeast returns to action Feb. 24 at the Blues City Classic in Memphis, Tenn.

Tennis team falls

Southeast fell to 0-2 on Sunday with a 4-3 loss at Central Arkansas.

The Bears (2-4) won two of three doubles matches to win the doubles point, which proved decisive when the teams split the six singles matches.

Southeast singles winners were Elizabeth Nyenwe at No. 2, Melissa Martin at No. 4 and Heather Robinson at No. 6. Martin, a freshman, improved to 2-0.

Southeast's doubles victory came from the No. 1 unit of Nyenwe and Nikole Novikova.

The Redhawks are back in action Feb. 25, facing South Dakota in Peoria, Ill.

Singles

1. Simona Horsikyan (UCA) def. Nikole Novikova 6-4, 6-3

2. Elizabeth Nyenwe (SE) def. Kristina Horsikyan 6-3, 6-4

3. Allison Murphy (UCA) def. Jessica Courtnell 6-4, 6-1

4. Melissa Martin (SE) def. Allison Hartman 6-3, 6-3

5. Sasha Ruocco (UCA) def. Laura Garcia 6-0, 6-1

6. Heather Robinson (SE) def. Kazumi Otani (UCA) 4-6, 6-3, 10-2 (super tie-breaker)

Doubles

1. Novikova-Nyenwe (SE) def. Murphy-Hartman 8-4

2. S. Horsikyan-Otani (UCA) def. Courtnell-Robinson 8-4

3. K. Horsikyan-Ruocco (UCA) def. Martin-Lauren Schaper 8-3

-- From staff reports