Southeast drops pair to Lipscomb

It was certainly not the way Southeast Missouri State's Redhawks wanted to open their home softball schedule.

The Redhawks (1-5) suffered a doubleheader defeat Tuesday as Lipscomb University from Nashville, Tenn., posted 5-4 and 7-3 victories.

"It was disappointing," Southeast coach Lana Richmond said. "I expected more out of my starting pitching."

Pitching problems have been at least partly responsible for Southeast's three straight losing seasons after the Redhawks dominated the Ohio Valley Conference for much of the 1990s.

Richmond entered this year confident her pitching would be vastly improved, and she thought it was solid this weekend during the Missouri Coaches Against Cancer Tournament in Kansas City.

"It was improved in Kansas City," Richmond said. "But it wasn't very good today."

Richmond was also not very pleased with the Redhawks' defense, which made four errors Tuesday. Southeast did outhit the Bisons (7-7) 14-13.

"I thought we hit good enough to win," Richmond said. "But we never could string enough hits together."

Southeast had eight hits in the tight first game that saw Lipscomb break a 4-4 tie with a run in the top of the seventh and final inning.

Michelle Summers and Lindsay Webb both had two hits for the Redhawks, with Summers homering and driving in two runs. Webb had two doubles.

Starter Stephanie Huffman allowed three runs and four hits in four innings. Amy Fahnestock worked two hitless frames, giving up an unearned run. Elaine Fisher allowed a hit and the winning run in the seventh to take the loss.

Lipscomb's Allison Tyree pitched two scoreless innings for the victory.

In the second game, Lipscomb piled up all seven runs in the first four innings to win going away.

Fisher started and took her second loss of the day, allowing two runs and three hits in just one inning. Fahnestock gave up five runs (four earned) and four hits in 2 1/3 innings.

A bright spot on the mound was the work of Kelly Birk, who wasn't expected to pitch for a while after having offseason ankle surgery. But she was sharp over the final 3 2/3 innings, allowing just one hit while striking out three and walking none.

"I didn't think she would be ready because of her surgery, but she looked good," Richmond said.

Birk also homered and drove in two runs, while Webb had two more of Southeast's six second-game hits, making her 4-for-6 on the day.

Danielle Catalano fired a complete-game for the Bisons, striking out six and walking one.

Candice McWherter and Leigh Little both had three of Lipscomb's 13 hits on the day. Jessica Wilson delivered four RBIs.

The Redhawks will now prepare for their annual trip to the Rebel Spring Games in Orlando, Fla., where they will play 10 games in five days beginning Saturday.

"I told the team that one trip can turn the season around," Richmond said. "We just need to play and get in a lot of games."