Southeast Missouri State's Carter finishes 13th at NCAA championshps

Southeast Missouri State junior Blake Carter finished 13th in the long jump Friday at the NCAA Division I indoor track and field championships in Fayetteville, Ark.

Carter's top distance was 24 feet, 5 1/2 inches.

Carter qualified for the national meet with a school-record jump of 25-6 that was tied for 10th nationally. Only those ranked among the top 16 made the field.

The native of O'Fallon, Mo., was just the second Southeast athlete to ever qualify for Division I indoor nationals.

"He had a great year and it is a great honor. It is just quite the accomplishment to qualify for the indoor championships," Southeast coach Eric Crumpecker said.

Softball

Southeast dropped its two games Saturday at the round-robin Evansville tournament.

The Redhawks (4-10) lost to Bowling Green 4-1 and Evansville 8-0, the latter contest being stopped after 4 1/2 innings by the eight-run mercy rule. Southeast plays the same two squads again today as the tournament ends.

Southeast scored its lone run against Bowling Green in the bottom of the first inning. Simone Patterson doubled and came around on Taylor Cowan's single.

Bowling Green plated all four of its runs in the second inning.

Cowan pitched her fifth complete game of the season and took the loss. She struck out five, walked four and allowed six hits.

Chelsea Smith went 2 for 2 to lead the Redhawks' four-hit attack.

Evansville scored four first-inning runs to take control early. The Aces outhit Southeast 8-3, all of the Redhawks' hits coming in the top of the fifth inning when they left the bases loaded.

Hannah Clemons took the loss.

-- From staff reports