Southeast Missouri State softball splits doubleheader with OVC favorite Jacksonville State

Southeast Missourian

Sunday, March 25, 2018

Southeast Missouri State's Madeline Krumrey pitches to a Tennessee Tech batter during Game 1 of a doubleheader Friday afternoon at the Southeast Softball Complex in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The Redhawks swept the pair of games to begin Ohio Valley conference play.

Josh Mlot ~ Southeast Missourian

If Southeast Missouri State softball was looking for proof it can be a factor in the Ohio Valley Conference this year, it got some Sunday.

Southeast bounced back from a 6-0 opening loss, got two big home runs in the nightcap and split a doubleheader with visiting Jacksonville State thanks to a 7-2 Game 2 victory at the Southeast Softball Complex.

It was the first conference loss in exactly one year to the day for the Gamecocks (14-16 overall, 3-1 OVC), who won both the regular-season and tournament conference titles a year ago and were the preseason pick to again finish atop the Ohio Valley Conference this season. They suffered just one OVC loss in 2017.

Trailing 2-0 entering the bottom of the fourth inning in the day's second contest, Sarah Messex and hit a three-run home run before Claudia Gallo got a pinch-hit, two-run bomb to vault the Redhawks (19-11, 3-1) into a 5-2 advantage that held up behind another strong pitching effort by Maddie Krumrey.

Krumrey (10-3) threw all seven innings for the hosts, scattering seven hits and allowing two runs with seven strikeouts and a pair of walks.

While Messex and Gallo came up with the big home runs, Parker Bandy also went 2-for-2 with a pair of RBIs and Addison Barnouski was 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored.

Riley Hayes added a double for SEMO.

JSU starting pitcher Nicole Rodriguez (1-1) took the loss, going 3 1/3 innings and allowing five runs on five hits with two strikeouts, two walks and a hit batter.

In the opener, the Gamecocks steadily stacked up a lead and then let pitcher Faith Sims hold the Redhawks down.

Sims (9-7) pitched a complete-game shutout, allowing just three hits. She walked four batters and struck out two.

Haley Thogmartin (5-4) was the loser in the pitcher's circle, going two innings for SEMO and allowing two runs on three hits. Alexis Estes and Rachel Rook pitched in relief, with the latter striking out six batters in four innings.

JSU set the tone when Taylor Beshears homered to right field in the top of the first inning. The visitors then added a run in the second and two more in the third to open a 4-0 lead, before adding some late cushion.

Hayley Sims went 2-for-2 with a home run and two runs scored for the Gamecocks, while Jada Terry was 2-for-3 with a double and a triple and Alexus Jimmerson was 2-for-4 with three RBIs.