THURSDAY'S SCORES
Chattanooga 9,
Eastern Illinois 1
North Dakota State 7,
Eastern Illinois 5
@Southeast Missouri 5, Missouri State 2
SIUE vs. Alabama (@Honolulu, Hawaii) - 8:30 p.m.
SIUE at Hawaii - 10:00 p.m.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 5, MISSOURI STATE 2
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Rachel Anderson went 2-for-4 with a run scored and broke the school's all-time career triples record to lead Southeast Missouri (18-7) to a 5-2 win over Missouri State (14-9) Wednesday on a windy day at the Southeast Softball Complex.
Anderson hit her Ohio Valley Conference high fifth triple of the season in her first at-bat of the game. It was the 19th triple of her career as she surpassed Kathy Rediger (18 triples, 1981-84) for the new record.
SEMO's last loss prior to its season-long six-game winning streak came at the hands of MSU on Mar. 2 (7-4). The Redhawks weren't about to let that happen again in their home-opener today.
The Redhawks took an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning with the help of four hits.
With one out, Sarah Messex reached on a bunt single and scored on Anderson's ensuing record-breaking triple. Ashley Ellis flied out and Anderson scored. Addison Barnouski homered to left center to cap the big inning. For Barnouski, it was her third homer of the season.
The Bears pulled to within a run after scoring once in the third and fifth innings, but that was as close as they would get.
SEMO answered with a run in the bottom of the fifth when Ellis knocked in Messex on a single to left field. The Redhawks then added one final tally when Claudia Gallo scored on an error in the sixth.
The Redhawks picked up their third win over a Missouri Valley Conference school in 2019. SEMO has the top four teams in the MVC Preseason Poll on its schedule this season – Drake (1st), Southern Illinois (2nd), Northern Iowa (3rd), Missouri State (4th).
Alexis Estes (5-1) earned the win. Estes scattered five hits and allowed two runs in four innings. She struck out two and walked two, as well.
SEMO's bullpen did not allow a run once Estes exited the game in the fifth.
Freshman Marisa Davis tossed 2.1 shutout innings with two strikeouts and Rachel Rook struck out one and recorded the final two outs of the game to claim her first save of the season.
Bailey Greenlee (3-1) suffered the loss. Greenlee pitched two-thirds of an inning giving up three runs on three hits. She faced just six hitters in the first inning.
SEMO outhit MSU, 9-7. Rachael Donald joined Anderson with two hits. Messex added a hit, scored two runs and reached base three times, twice via hit by pitch.
The Redhawks ran their record to 21-7 all-time in home-openers. SEMO is 4-1 in home-openers under head coach Mark Redburn.
SEMO, which has won 11 of its last 13 games plays in its final tournament at the Saint Louis Billiken Spring Tournament this weekend. The Redhawks face Northern Illinois and Omaha Saturday, and Detroit-Mercy and Omaha Sunday.
CHATTANOOGA 9, EASTERN ILLINOIS 1; NORTH DAKOTA STATE 7, EASTERN ILLINOIS 5
CLEARWATER, Fla. - - Eastern Illinois softball fell in both rematches vs. UT Chattanooga and North Dakota State earlier today. The Mocs took a 9-1 win in six innings and the Bison won 7-5 to hold off the Panthers.
EIU falls to 7-19 overall and will close the USF Series tomorrow afternoon with two more games. The Panthers will play Buffalo at 12 pm and Seton Hall at 2:30 pm.
Game 1
The Panthers recorded seven hits in the first game of the day led by Breya Cooper who finished 2-of-3 at the plate. UT Chattanooga won 9-1 over EIU to sweep the Panthers in the season series.
The Mocs recorded 14 team hits with five players having at least two hits. They jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the second inning.
Cooper would score the Panthers only run on a solo homer to center field, while UTC added another two runs in the third, one in the fourth, and two more in the sixth.
Jade Montgomery was the starting pitcher for EIU. She falls to 2-10 on the mound. Sydney Cammon and Valerie Thompson each came in for relief.
Game 2
Haley Mitchell led the Panthers at the plate in game two of the day. She was 3-of-3 with one run scored and two RBI. EIU trailed by four runs heading into the sixth. They managed to get within two runs of NDSU, but the Bison took a 7-5 win in their last meeting of the season.
Mitchell opened the game with a two-run homer to left field. NDSU took a 3-2 lead in the third inning with a pair of one-run singles and a sac fly.
Kendyl McKeough tied the game 3-3 in the fourth with a single to center field that would score Ashley Bartlett.
The Bison added three more runs by the bottom of the fifth inning. McKeough tallied another RBI with a single to center, and Taylor Jones would later score on an error by the pitcher. EIU's two-run sixth inning fell short giving NDSU a 7-5 win.
Hannah Cravens and McKeough both finished 2-of-3 at the plate, while McKenna Coffman made the start on the mound. She pitched 3.1 innings and falls to 1-7. Cammon and Thompson each split the remainder of the game.