(Photo Courtesy of Southeast Missouri State Athletics)
MONROE, La. – Southeast Missouri (1-0) scored nine runs in the final three innings to pull off a 9-7 come-from-behind win over Houston Baptist (2-4) Friday afternoon in its season-opener at the Mardi Gras Classic.
After getting just one hit in the game’s first four innings, Southeast pounded out 10 hits and scored all of its runs in the final three frames to simply overpower the Huskies. The win snapped a four-game losing streak in season-opening games for the Redhawks, who last began a season with a victory in 2010 (11-3, at Jackson State on Feb. 11).
Southeast fell behind quickly when HBU pushed across five runs in the bottom of the first.
Lauren Schwirtlich drew a leadoff walk and went to third with the help of a sacrifice-bunt and wild pitch. Kirsten Schwirtlich followed with a single to left center, bringing home her sister for the game’s first run. Melissa Herman reached on a fielder’s choice, Michaela Granchelli was hit by a pitch and Cecilia Bauer walked to load the bases after that. Schroeder was then hit by a pitch and Herman scored.
Freshman Aubrey Denno, who allowed three hits, five runs and three walks in one inning during her first career start, was relieved by fellow rookie Keaira Schilling. Schilling was immediately greeted with a two-out three-RBI double by Holly Webb which stretched the Huskies lead to 5-0.
Southeast rallied behind Lindsey Patterson’s three-run home run to tie the game in the top of the fifth. Patterson smacked Kendall Stiefel’s pitch over the wall in left center for her 14th career bomb. Back-to-back two-out RBI-doubles by Rachael Duncan and Kelsey Gass knotted things up at 5-5.
HBU regained a 7-5 edge during its at-bat in the fifth when Bauer knocked in two runs on a one-out single to left.
Southeast, however, answered with three more runs in the sixth and one more in the seventh to cage the Huskies.
Alexis Anderson doubled home Renee Terry on a double to right center, and Haylee Krack and Savannah Carpenter each had run-scoring hits in the sixth.
Leah Duffe’s first career home run tacked on the Redhawks insurance run to cap the 9-7 win in the seventh.
Hannah Durham (1-0) picked up her first win of the season. Durham tossed 2.2 no-hit, scoreless innings out of the Redhawks bullpen.
Stiefel (1-2) took the loss for HBU. She struck out eight, gave up five walks and scattered six hits in 5.2 innings.
Offensively, Patterson and Terry each paved the way with two hits. Patterson went 2-for-3 with a run scored, home run and three RBI, while Terry finished at 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Terry also touched home for Southeast’s go-ahead run in the sixth. Seven other Redhawks contributed a hit.
Southeast outhit HBU, 11-6, and did not commit an error.
