Southeast softball scores 19 runs in pair of victories at UCA Classic

The Southeast Missouri State softball team plated 19 runs in winning two games Friday in the Adam Brown Memorial Shamrock Classic hosted by the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Arkansas.

Southeast defeated the University of Louisiana-Monroe 8-0 in six innings, before beating host UCA 11-7.

Rachel Rook (2-1) struck out nine batters and allowed two hits over five innings against ULM (1-17). Alexis Estes closed out the win with a hitless inning.

Sarah Messex capped a 3-for-3 performance and the game with a three-run home run in the sixth to enact the mercy rule. Messex also scored three times.

Rachel Anderson added two hits and scored two runs. Ashley Ellis, Anna Griffin and Claudia Gallo each had a double for the Redhawks, who had eight hits overall.

Against UCA (10-8), Southeast dug out of a 4-0 first-inning hole with the help of seven extra-base hits -- eight hits overall -- including home runs by Anderson, Ellis and Griffin.

Griffin started the comeback with a homer in the second inning before a six-run third that included a two-run triple from Anderson and an RBI double by Addison Barnouski as the Redhawks moved ahead 7-4. Ellis clouted a three-run blast in the fourth to make it 10-4, and Anderson added a solo shot in the sixth.

Haley Thogmartin (6-3) picked up the win after relieving starter Marisa Davis in the second inning. Thogmartin allowed four hits and three runs -- two earned -- over six innings, striking out five and walking one.

UCA starter Kailia Searcy (1-1) lasted 2 1/3 innings and took the loss.

Southeast (11-6) will continue tournament play Saturday, facing Coppin State at 9 a.m. and Missouri State at 11:15 a.m.