Southeast Missouri State softball team goes 1-4 in weekend tournament

The Southeast Missouri State softball team went 1-4 over the weekend at the Blues City Classic in Southaven, Miss. Three of the losses were by one run.

Southeast (3-7) began the tournament Friday with a 10-7, 10-inning win over Detroit.

The Redhawks lost to Samford 2-1 in eight innings and to Nicholls State 8-7 on Saturday.

Sunday's action saw Southeast fell to Mississippi State 8-4 and host Memphis 2-1.

Southeast outhit Detroit 17-10, led by Taylor Cowan's 4-for-5 performance that featured a home run, a double and four RBIs. Her three-run homer in the top of the 10th inning broke a 7-7 tie.

Lindsey Patterson also homered and had three RBIs. Kaitlin Zink and Brittany Smith each doubled twice. Simone Patterson had two hits, including a triple. Savannah Carpenter added two hits.

Lindsey Patterson was the winning pitcher with 2 2/3 innings of relief. She allowed one hit and no earned runs.

Cowan allowed just one earned run and six hits while pitching all eight innings against Samford. She struck out three and walked none. Simone Patterson had two of Southeast's six hits. Cowan drove in the Redhawks' only run.

Nicholls State scored a walk-off run in the bottom of the seventh inning to beat Southeast, which was outhit 11-7.

Simone Patterson and Lindsey Patterson both had two RBIs. Lindsey Patterson took the loss in relief.

Mississippi State outhit Southeast 9-5. Zink had two RBIs. Lindsey Patterson suffered the loss, allowing six hits and four runs, three earned, in six innings.

Memphis pitcher Jordan Richwood struck out 16, walked one and allowed four hits. Cowan also was strong in the circle, firing a four-hitter and giving up one earned run. She struck out three and walked three. Simone Patterson had two hits and drove in Southeast's only run.

Cowan earned second-team all-tournament honors.

The Redhawks return to action this weekend as they take their turn to host the annual All-Missouri Cancer Classic that also features 17th-ranked Missouri, Missouri State, Saint Louis University and Missouri-Kansas City.

Play will be held Friday through Sunday. Southeast faces Saint Louis at noon Friday, Missouri at 2 p.m. Friday, UMKC at noon Saturday and Missouri State at 2 p.m. Sunday.

Tennis

Southeast notched its first win of the season, dropping just one game during Saturday's 7-0 rout of visiting Rend Lake (Ill.) College at the Drury Plaza Conference Center.

"We expected to win, but at the same time, I was proud of the way we maintained our focus throughout the entire match," said first-year Southeast coach Josh Moore, whose squad improved to 1-1. "It's nice to get that first win as we continue to get better."

Heather Robinson, Elizabeth Nyenwe, Nikole Novikova, Jessica Courtnell and Melissa Martin all posted shutouts in singles, while Lauren Schaper won by default.

The doubles teams of Robinson/Novikova dropped one game; Courtnell/Martin notched a shutout; and Nyenwe/Schaper won by default.

The Redhawks are back in action Friday, visiting Jackson State.

Singles

No. 1 -- Heather Robinson def. Alyssa Williams 6-0, 6-0

No. 2 -- Elizabeth Nyenwe def. Ally Adcock 6-0, 6-0

No. 3 -- Nikole Novikova def. Alyssa Burge 6-0, 6-0

No. 4 -- Jessica Courtnell def. Brooke Moore 6-0, 6-0

No. 5 -- Melissa Martin def. Taylor Adams 8-0

No. 6 -- Lauren Schaper won by default

Doubles

No. 1 -- Robinson/Novikova def. Adcock/Burge 8-1

No. 2 -- Courtnell/Martin def. Williams/Moore 8-0

No. 3 -- Nyenwe/Schaper won by default

Gymnastics

Southeast posted a season-high score during Sunday's 195.000-193.925 dual-meet loss at Illinois State.

Taryn Vanderpool won the all-around with a career-best 39.150 to claim her 10th event victory of the season.

Southeast's other first-place finish was by freshman Taylor Penzien on floor with a score of 9.875. Megan Fosnow was second with a career-best 9.850, while Emma Garrett tied for third (9.825). Southeast's floor score of 49.150 tied for the 10th-best in school history.

Vanderpool was second on beam (9.800) and tied for third on vault (9.750).

Fosnow was second on vault (9.800).

"We were strong in three events today, and I'm happy about those three," Southeast coach Kristi Ewasko said. "Our floor routines were spot on today. All the landings were crisp, and the things we worked on this week carried into the meet.

"We had some good individual performances that we can build on, but again, we just need to put all the routines together at the same time."

Southeast returns to action Sunday, hosting Eastern Michigan at 1 p.m.

-- From staff reports