Southeast Missouri State softball team closes season with split of doubleheader

The Southeast Missouri State softball team closed its season Sunday with a split of a doubleheader with Eastern Illinois in Charleston, Illinois.

The Redhawks fell 6-1 in the opener, but ended their season on a winning note with a 4-1 victory.

Southeast, which did not qualify for the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament, closed its second season under coach Mark Redburn with an overall record of 16-33 and an OVC mark of 10-17.

Sophomore Madeline Krumrey and junior Mackenzie Hoelting limited the Panthers to five hits in the season finale.

Krumrey recorded the win to finish with a record of 6-14. She allowed three hits over four innings, striking out one and walking one.

Hoelting allowed two hits over the final three innings.

Sophomore catcher Abby Tillotson sparked the offense with two hits and two RBIs.

Southeast took a 2-0 lead in the fourth on an RBI single by Tillotson and a run-scoring double by sophomore Darby Pruett.

The lead grew to 3-0 in the fifth on another RBI single by Tillotson.

EIU (23-26, 17-8) scored in the bottom of the frame, but Southeast countered with a run-scoring double by junior Harli Wheeler in the sixth for the final score.

The Redhawks finished with five hits in the game off EIU pitcher Michelle Rogers, who threw a complete game.

EIU accumulated 11 hits in winning the opener, including a 3-for-3, three-RBI performance from Kylie Bennett, who had a double and a home run.

Freshman starter Haley Thogmartin took the loss, allowing four hits and three runs over 3 1/3 innings. Aubrey Denno, a junior, took over in a two-run fourth and gave up seven hits and three runs in 2 2/3 innings.

Jessica Wireman picked up the win for EIU, allowing four hits in throwing a complete game. She struck out four and walked three.

Junior Danielle Turner went 2-for-2 and accounted for Southeast's lone run with her seventh home run of the season that gave the Redhawks a 1-0 lead in the top of the second.