Redhawks post narrow win before lopsided loss

~ Southeast emerged with a split despite being outscored 16-4.

RICHMOND, Ky. -- The Southeast Missouri State softball team won a tight opener and lost a lopsided nightcap during Friday's doubleheader at Eastern Kentucky.

After the Redhawks posted a 3-1 victory, the Colonels romped 15-1 in a game stopped after the top of the fifth inning by the mercy rule.

Southeast is 25-11 overall, and the Redhawks remained in second place in the Ohio Valley Conference at 12-2. The Redhawks and Colonels (24-19, 9-6) will close out their three-game series at 1 p.m. today.

Elaine Fisher (10-7) pitched a two-hitter for the Southeast victory. She had seven strikeouts, no walks and allowed only an unearned run.

The Redhawks had five hits, led by Megan McDonald with two. McDonald also drove in two runs.

EKU bounced back to hammer Southeast pitching for 17 hits and three home runs.

Stephanie Huffman (13-4) took the loss, allowing 10 hits and eight runs -- six earned -- in 3 2/3 innings. Jessica Rosencrants was tagged for seven hits and seven runs -- all earned -- in just one-third of an inning.

Southeast, the OVC leader in batting average at .307 entering the day, managed just four hits in the nightcap. McDonald again had two.

Southeast signs player

Southeast signed California high school standout Stacia Dopudja to a national letter of intent on Wednesday, which marked the start of the spring signing period.

Dopudja is a pitcher and first baseman from Santa Margarita, Calif. She currently leads the Sierra League with a .455 batting average after hitting .336 average in 2005. She also had an 0.81 ERA in 2005.

Playing last summer for the nationally known Southern California Vipers, Dopudja led the team in batting average and RBIs, while going 14-4 with an 0.89 ERA.

"We have definitely landed a solid all-around athlete in Stacia," Southeast coach Lana Richmond said. "She is well known for her hitting throughout the summer ball circuit and is a complete pitcher."

Dopudja joins early signees Sarah Estopare, Samantha Espiricueta and Alex Ramirez as Southeast newcomers for the 2007 season.