Southeast Missouri State softball team falls to Eastern Illinois

Hanna Mennenga was too much for the Southeast Missouri State softball team for the second straight day.

Mennenga, the Ohio Valley Conference's top pitcher statistically, fired a two-hitter Sunday as Eastern Illinois routed the host Redhawks 10-1.

EIU, the OVC's first-place squad, took two of three in the series after the teams split Saturday's doubleheader.

The Panthers improved to 28-11 overall and 15-2 in league play. Southeast fell to 12-25 and 4-11.

Mennenga struck out 12 and also allowed two hits during Saturday's opener won by EIU 5-1. Southeast then took the nightcap 4-1.

Mennenga (19-4), the OVC's leader in ERA and strikeouts, fanned only four Sunday but Southeast managed just three baserunners. The junior retired the first 11 batters before issuing a two-out walk in the fourth inning.

Senior right fielder Simone Patterson's team-high sixth home run of the season leading off the fifth inning broke up Mennenga's no-hit and shutout bids while slicing the Panthers' lead to 5-1.

Southeast's only other baserunner was a one-out infield single by junior center fielder Alexis Anderson in the sixth inning. Anderson, who hit two solo homers Saturday, leads the Redhawks with a .373 batting average.

EIU, which had 16 hits, scored a run in the first inning. The Panthers added two unearned runs in the fourth inning, scored twice more in the fifth inning and broke things wide open with a five-run seventh that featured two home runs.

Senior Taylor Cowan (6-18) took the loss in the circle. She allowed six runs -- four earned -- and eight hits in five innings. She struck out one and walked two.

Southeast continues its eight-game homestand Saturday when OVC opponent Eastern Kentucky visits for a noon doubleheader.

Tennis

Southeast wrapped up its injury-marred season Sunday with a 6-1 home loss to Belmont.

The Redhawks finished 4-11 overall and 1-9 in OVC play to place 10th in the 11-team conference. Belmont (9-9, 5-5) clinched a berth in the six-team conference tournament.

Southeast, down to four players, had to forfeit two singles matches and one doubles match.

Heather Robinson notched Southeast's lone singles win at the No. 1 spot. She and Jessica Courtnell teamed up for a win at No. 1 doubles although Belmont won the doubles point.

Belmont 6, Southeast 1

Singles

No. 1 -- Heather Robinson (SE) def. Nikki Maciel 6-0, 6-1

No. 2 -- Catherine Holliday (B) def. Jessica Courtnell 7-6, 6-3

No. 3 -- Carolyn Caire (B) def. Sarah Uptmor 6-0, 6-0

No. 4 -- Fabiana Mersan (B) def. Lauren Schaper 6-0, 6-0

No. 5 -- Natalie Nunes (B) won by default

No. 6 -- Ann Lauren Fiepke (B) won by default

Doubles

No. 1 -- Robinson-Courtnell (SE) def. Maciel-Sandra Kancheva 8-3

No. 2 -- Holliday-Nunes (B) def. Uptmor-Schaper 8-0

No. 3 -- Caire-Mersan (B) won by default

-- From staff reports