Redhawks drop twinbill to Gamecocks

The Southeast Missouri State softball team saw its losing streak reach nine games Saturday as visiting Jacksonville State swept a doubleheader.

Jacksonville State won the opener 3-2 and took the nightcap 5-3, improving to 41-13 overall and 20-5 in Ohio Valley Conference play. The Gamecocks had already clinched second place in the 10-team league.

Southeast (27-21, 14-12) dropped from third place to fifth place entering today's regular-season finale, at 1 p.m. against Jacksonville State.

The Redhawks had already clinched a berth in the six-team OVC tournament that begins Thursday in Cookeville, Tenn., with regular-season champion Tennessee Tech serving as host.

Southeast's offense, so potent for most of the year, continued to slump Saturday. The Redhawks were held to 11 hits, including three in the opener.

Carly Kellam (21-5) struck out nine and walked two for the complete-game victory.

Stephanie Huffman (13-7) took the loss, allowing three runs and six hits in six innings. She struck out seven and walked five.

Jacksonville State built a 3-0 lead and saw Southeast score twice in the sixth inning.

In the nightcap, the Gamecocks broke a scoreless duel with a sixth-inning run and added four in the seventh to go ahead 5-0.

Southeast rallied with three runs in the bottom of the seventh, but again the Gamecocks held on.

Christina Pierce (19-7) picked up the win, while Kelly Raw recorded the final two outs for a save.

Elaine Fisher (12-14) allowed 12 hits and five runs in going the distance for the loss. She whiffed eight and walked one.

Megan McDonald and Charlene Ramirez both had two hits for Southeast in the nightcap. They each finished the day with three hits.