THURSDAY'S SCORES
#1 Southeast Missouri 11, #4 Jacksonville State 2 (5)
#2 Eastern Kentucky 5, #3 Austin Peay 2
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 11, JACKSONVILLE STATE 2
OXFORD, Ala. - Kaylee Anderson went 2-for-2 with two home runs, three runs and a career-high six RBI to lead top-seeded Southeast Missouri (29-15) to a commanding 11-2 win over fourth-seeded Jacksonville State (23-24) Thursday in the opening game of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.
Anderson got the Redhawks going early with a grand slam as part of an eight-run first inning. A total of 12 hitters came to the plate in that frame which saw SEMO get five hits, two home runs, a double and four walks.
Alyson Tucker led things off with a single to center and quickly moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. After Kynzie Wrigley and Katie Dreiling walked to load the bases, Anderson clobbered her first career grand slam over the center field wall. For Anderson, it was her 12th home run of the season.
Shortly after Ashley Ellis walked, Karsyn Davis ripped an opposite field home run to right field during her first OVC Tournament at-bat to give SEMO an 8-0 advantage. The home run marked Davis' second of the year.
The Redhawks tacked on another run when Jillian Anderson walked with the bases loaded in the bottom of the second. Anderson scored on the play to widen SEMO's lead to 9-1.
With two outs and a runner on in the third inning, Anderson stepped in and belted her second home run, this time to left center as the Redhawks pulled ahead, 11-1.
OVC Pitcher of the Year Rachel Rook (19-8) set the tone by striking out the side in the first inning before her offense gave her a big lead. Rook allowed just two runs on three hits, struck out eight and walked two in five innings. It was her eighth game with eight or more strikeouts and 13th complete game of the season. Additionally, Rook picked up the second OVC Tournament win of her career.
Anderson (2) and Davis (3) combined for five of SEMO's nine hits. Anderson posted the fourth multi-home run game of her career and second against JSU in a span of five days. Davis was 3-for-3 with a run scored, home run and two RBI. Her three hits marked a career-best.
SEMO beat JSU via the league's mercy rule for the first time in program history. The Redhawks collected their fourth-straight OVC Tournament win since their last appearance in 2019. All of those victories came in Oxford.
The Redhawks have won eight of their last nine games and defeated the Gamecocks for the third time in four contests since May 8.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 5, AUSTIN PEAY 2
OXFORD, Ala. - The Eastern Kentucky University softball team knocked off Austin Peay State University, 5-2, in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament on Thursday night.
Eastern Kentucky (33-15, 22-9 OVC) scored runs in the third, fourth, and fifth innings to take control over Austin Peay and not look back.
Austin Peay (27-15, 22-11 OVC) got on the board first in the top of the third after a RBI single by Emily Harkleroad to left field.
The Colonels answered back in the bottom half of the inning with a crooked number.
Jaelyn Sanders got things started with a bunt single and advanced to second on a throwing error. Sammi Miller followed with a single to left field to put runners on the corners with no one out. Zoe Mihalicz tied the game with a RBI sacrifice fly to center field to score Sanders and tie the game at 1-1. After a ground out, Vianna Barron took the 1-0 pitch over the left field fence to give Eastern a 3-1 advantage.
Isabella Gonzalez joined in on the fun in the bottom of the fourth taking the 0-2 pitch deep to dead center field to extend the EKU lead 4-1.
The two teams each pushed a run across in the fifth inning.
Barron went 1-for-1 with one home run and three RBIs. Gonzalez went 1-for-3 with one home run and one RBI.
Harkleload went 2-for-4 with one RBI.
Mollie Paulick picked up the win in the circle tossing three and one-third innings allowing one run and striking out four. Samantha Reynoso tossed three and one-third inning allowing one run and striking out three.