WEDNESDAY'S SCORES
Middle Tennessee 3,
@Tennessee State 0
@Eastern Illinois 4, Southern Illinois 0
@Arkansas 13,
Southeast Missouri 5
Southeast Missouri 3, @Arkansas 3
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 3, TENNESSEE STATE 0
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee State closed out its non-conference schedule on Wednesday evening against Middle Tennessee at Tiger Field. The Blue Raiders earned its second shutout of the Tigers this season, with a 3-0 victory.
Middle Tennessee improved to 21-27 as Kelci Cheney tossed a complete game six hit shutout. Cheney (12-13) was challenged by the Tigers in each of the first three innings as TSU stranded five runners. The MT hurler settled in to retire 12 straight through the middle innings, until Cariona Hassell singled with two outs in the seventh.
MT scored two runs off starter Taylor Green (6-17) in the second inning and scratched another in the seventh. Green worked the first three innings before returning in the sixth and surrendered eight hits, a walk and hit a batter in 4.2 innings of work.
Jasmine Matchen tossed the fourth and fifth innings, facing seven batters, giving up one hit. Amber Galyon worked a third of the inning allowing one hit and two walks.
Danica Gleason, Kailey Richard, Lauren Dreitlein and Courtney Gearlds all collected hits with Hassell. Joselyn Yates notched the lone extra base hit with a double in the first.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 4, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 0
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois softball closed out the nonconference regular-season slate on Wednesday (April 29) with a 4-0 home shutout over instate rival Southern Illinois at Williams Field.
Juniors April Markowski and Kylie Bennett each delivered respective two-run homers to lead the Panthers to the win, as Eastern improves to 18-24 overall, while the Salukis drop to 19-24-1 on the year.
Meeting for the 43rd time, EIU has now won three consecutive games over SIU in the long-time series history, which includes consecutive shutouts at home.
The Panthers return to Ohio Valley Conference action this coming weekend as EIU will entertain current league-leader SIU Edwardsville in a key three-game series on Saturday-Sunday (May 2-3).
For the day, Bennett finished with a team-best 2-for-3 plate performance as she also nailed her fifth double of the season. Sophomore Hannah Rachor also delivered her own double to now sport four on the year.
Following two scoreless innings, which saw the visiting squad strand five base runners, the Panthers jumped out to the 2-0 advantage in their half of the third frame, as Markowski's no-out dinger also scored junior Haylee Beck from first base.
Then in the bottom of the sixth, after senior Hannah Cole roped a shot to center field, Bennett stepped up for the second Panther bomb of day with one out.
Freshman pitcher Michelle Rogers earned the complete game win, and first shutout of her Panther career, as she fanned four Saluki batters and walked five to move to 7-12 overall.
The EIU defense also stepped to help strand nine total SIU base runners, as compared to four for Eastern, while holding the traditional Missouri Valley power to just four singles on the day.
Junior Jennette Isaac and Cole both scampered for stolen bases for the Panthers.
ARKANSAS 13, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 5; SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 4, ARKANSAS 3
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Southeast Missouri (16-25) split a doubleheader with SEC member Arkansas (16-34) Wednesday afternoon at Bogle Park. The Redhawks dropped game one, 13-5, before rallying in extra innings to win the nightcap, 4-3.
Southeast posted its first win over an SEC opponent since it beat Ole Miss, 7-3, on Mar. 21, 2007.
Arkansas 13, Southeast Missouri 5
Arkansas scored five runs in both the first and fourth innings to fuel its game one victory.
Southeast pulled ahead, 2-0, in the top of the first when Riley Hayes delivered a two-out, two-RBI single to right center.
The Razorbacks quickly responded with a two-RBI single by Jessica Harrison. After Stephanie Canfield stole home, Kate James hit a two-run home run to give Arkansas a 5-2 lead.
Southeast sliced Arkansas' lead to a run in the top of the fourth. Kayla Fortner scored Chelsea Smith on a double to right center and Alexis Anderson touched home when Savannah Carpenter grounded out to shortstop, making it a 6-5 game.
That was as close as the Redhawks would get.
Kasey Fagan lifted a sacrifice fly to knock in a run and Harrison drove in Tori Cooper on a single to left. Parker Pocklington also singled home a run before two Southeast errors led to a pair of unearned tallies, giving Arkansas an 11-5 advantage in bottom of the fourth.
Devon Wallace and Fagan scored Arkansas' final two runs to cap the 13-5 win an inning later.
Grace Moll (1-7) picked up her first win of the season, working five innings. Moll gave up five runs on seven hits, walked one and struck out three.
Keaira Schilling (4-10) suffered the loss. Schilling allowed 11 runs on 12 hits in 3.2 innings. She also struck out two and walked one.
Southeast had seven hits, with Lindsey Patterson going 2-for-3 with a run scored to pave the way.
Harrison and Pocklington each had three hits and three RBI for the Razorbacks. Arkansas finished with a total of 14 hits.
Southeast Missouri 4, Arkansas 3
A double by Carpenter and sacrifice fly by Meaghan Touchette pushed across two runs in the top of the eighth inning, sending Southeast Missouri to a 4-3 win in the nightcap.
The game was tied 2-2 after seven innings when the Redhawks rallied to take the lead.
Arkansas managed to score once in the bottom of the eighth, but Madeline Krumrey got Pocklington to fly out and struck out James to end the game.
Southeast again took an early lead when it scored twice in the top of the first. Fortner doubled home Alexis Anderson and later scored when Hayes hit into a fielder's choice, grabbing the Redhawks a 2-0 edge.
After being held scoreless for 6.2 innings, Arkansas tied the game in the bottom of the sixth when Harrison tripled down the right field line and scored on a throwing error. Fagan also touched home on the play to bring things to a 2-2 deadlock.
Krumrey (11-10) scattered five hits and gave up three runs in eight innings, her team-high 13th complete game of the season. She finished with four strikeouts, as well.
Sydney Wright (10-12) also went the distance, giving up seven hits and four runs.
Carpenter and Taylor McDannold paced Southeast with two hits apiece.