Southeast Missouri State roundup: Tennessee-Martin sweeps Redhawks in OVC softball doubleheader

The Southeast Missouri State softball team concluded a nine-game road swing Wednesday by losing two tough games at Tennessee-Martin.

Ohio Valley Conference leader UTM swept the doubleheader 5-4 in nine innings and 2-1. Southeast failed to hold late leads in both games.

The Skyhawks improved to 18-10 overall and 8-0 in OVC play. The Redhawks fell to 10-17 and 3-5.

"We came up short. Alora Marble and Shea Cothren pitched two excellent games, but we came up short," Southeast coach Lana Richmond. "We keep telling the girls that we are right there with our conference opponents."

Southeast held a 4-1 lead in the opener before two errors in the bottom of the fifth inning allowed UTM to score three unearned runs.

Things remained 4-4 through the regulation seven innings before UTM won in the ninth on a walk-off RBI single by Leah Taylor.

Taylor Cowan delivered the game's big blow for Southeast, a three-run homer that was part of a four-run third inning. Renee Kertz had two of Southeast's nine hits.

Marble pitched a complete game. She gave up 11 hits and two earned runs, struck out four and walked one.

The nightcap saw Southeast take a 1-0 lead in the third inning on an RBI single by Cheyenne Gipson.

It remained 1-0 until the bottom of the sixth when Lauren Smith belted a two-run homer that stood up as the game-winner.

Cowan and Gipson both had two of Southeast's seven hits.

Cothren also hurled a complete game. She allowed five hits, struck out two and walked two.

Both squads finished the day with 16 hits.

Southeast hosts SIU Edwardsville in a three-game OVC series this weekend. There will be a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday and a 1 p.m. contest Sunday.

Gymnastics

Southeast junior Angela Serafini has been named the Midwest Independent Conference specialist of the week.

Serafini put together her best meet of the season against Texas Woman's on Friday by scoring 9.800 on both the uneven bars and balance beam to finish as runner-up on both events.

Southeast competes Saturday at the MIC Championships in Chicago.

-- From staff reports