Southeast Missouri State softball team falls to Racers

~ The Redhawks lost 9-7 on Sunday after sweeping a doubleheader Saturday

The Southeast Missouri State softball team fell short of sweeping its Ohio Valley Conference series with Murray State.

Southeast put up five first-inning runs, but the visiting Racers came back for a 9-7 victory Sunday.

The Redhawks still won the three-game set after taking both ends of Saturday's doubleheader.

Southeast fell to 19-24 overall and 13-10 in OVC play as the Redhawks remained fifth in the 11-team league. Eighth-place MSU is 14-23 and 7-13.

MSU scored three runs in the top of the first inning but Southeast answered with five runs in the bottom of the frame.

The Racers responded with three in the second and two in the third to lead 8-5. They kept at least a two-run advantage the rest of the way.

Southeast had three of the game's five home runs. Senior Carmen Fowler, junior Renee Kertz and freshman Shelby Kuryllo all homered.

Kertz has seven homers this year to tie sophomore Taylor Cowan for the team lead. It was Kuryllo's fourth home run of the season and Fowler's second.

Kertz and Kuryllo both had two hits and three RBIs. Kuryllo also doubled. Fowler added two of Southeast's eight hits.

MSU had nine hits, with Lauren Buch and Ellyn Troup homering. It was Buch's 11th long ball of the season. She had three RBIs.

Freshman Shea Cothren, the third of four Southeast pitchers, took the loss. She allowed three runs and four hits in 2 1/3 innings.

Freshman Alora Marble, who recorded both wins Saturday, was the Redhawks' most effective hurler Sunday. She gave up one hit in 2 2/3 scoreless innings.

The Redhawks continue their six-game homestand Tuesday with a 5 p.m. contest against OVC leader Eastern Illinois, which has the nation's top ERA.

Eastern Illinois swept a doubleheader from Southeast last week in Charleston, Ill., shutting out the Redhawks in both games.