The Southeast Missouri State softball team struggled against a tough nonconference schedule that featured 18 of its first 19 games away from Cape Girardeau.

But the Redhawks have thrived at the outset of Ohio Valley Conference play.

Southeast opened its OVC home schedule Saturday by sweeping a doubleheader from perennial league power Tennessee Tech, 4-1 and 6-3. The squads close their three-game series at 1 p.m. today.

The Redhawks, predicted to finish eighth in the 11-team OVC, improved to 7-14 overall and 4-1 in conference play. They opened their league schedule last weekend, taking two of three at SIU-Edwardsville.

Tech, picked second in the OVC, fell to 11-10 and 2-3. The Eagles had won nine of their previous 10 games.

Pitching sparked the sweep as the Redhawks allowed just 11 hits and four runs. They entered play eighth in the OVC with a 4.99 ERA.

Freshman Shea Cothren was the first-game winner, allowing four hits and a run in five innings.

Sophomore Taylor Cowan notched the save with two perfect innings.

Cowan relieved Cothren in the sixth with runners on second and third and nobody out but escaped the jam without a run scoring. She closed the game in the seventh by assisting on all three putouts.

Southeast had all four of its hits and all four of its runs with two outs in the third inning. The key blow was a three-RBI double by senior Nicole Troncoso. Senior Carmen Fowler added an RBI single.

Junior Stefanie Barnes was the second-game winner, allowing three hits and a run in 2 2/3 innings of relief.

Freshman Alora Marble earned the save, giving up one hit in 3 1/3 scoreless innings.

The Redhawks grabbed the lead with three runs in the first inning. Junior Renee Kertz had the key blow, a two-RBI triple.

After Tech scored twice in the second inning, Southeast answered in the third with a three-run homer by freshman Shelby Kuryllo to make it 6-2.

Southeast had 10 hits, with all nine starters hitting safely.

Sophomore Kaitlin Wallace had two hits.