Southeast Missouri State softball team recovers from big inning, tops Grambling

The Southeast Missouri State softball team survived a six-run sixth inning by Grambling State and closed the season-opening Mardi Gras Classic with a 10-8 victory Sunday in Monroe, Louisiana.

The Redhawks took an 8-2 lead into the home half of the sixth before the Tigers banged out seven hits and sent 10 batters to the plate, chasing starting pitcher Madeline Krumrey in the process.

Southeast needed help from the Grambling defense in regaining the lead in the top of the seventh. The Tigers committed fielding errors on the first two batters of the inning and both eventually came home. Claire Werning scored India Davis with the winning run on a groundout before Taylor McDannold drove home an insurance run with an RBI double.

McDannold banged out three doubles in going 4 for 5.

The Redhawks scored in every inning but the fifth, jumping out to a 6-0 lead with single runs in the first, second and fourth innings and three runs in the third. Grambling got on the board with two runs in the fourth before Southeast countered with a two-run home run by Darby Pruett in the sixth.

Southeast (2-3) finished with 16 hits. Kayla Fortner, Savannah Carpenter, Lindsey Patterson, Leah Duffe and Nicole Deering all finished with two hits apiece.

Duffe's hits included a leadoff home run in the second inning.

Carpenter, Pruett and Duffe each finished with two RBIs.

Keaira Schilling evened her record at 2-2 with two innings of relief. Schilling struck out three, walked one and gave up five hits. Krumrey allowed nine hits over five innings. She struck out one, walked four and allowed five runs -- four earned.

Nicolette Wunderly (0-2) took the loss for Grambling (0-7).

It was the second straight victory for Southeast, which also defeated Grambling 11-7 on Saturday for its first win of the season. Southeast had dropped its first three games of the Classic to Alabama State, Louisiana-Monroe and Alabama State.

The Redhawks return to action at the Memphis Blues City Classic on Saturday.