Semoball briefs, March 16: Redhawk gymnast honored again

Southeast Missouri State senior gymnast Anna Kaziska was awarded the Midwest Independent Conference Performance of the Week on Wednesday.

Kaziska won the floor title with a career-best matching 9.950 in the third rotation of Southeast Missouri women's gymnastics final regular-season dual at Illinois State on March 12.

She matched a career-high 9.950 to capture her 10th event title in 2022 (47 career titles). It was Kaziska's second 9.950 in just over two weeks.

The floor score ranks tied for fifth all-time in SEMO program history with Alexis Traylor (2004) and Kate Farrington (1995).

Kaziska hasn't scored lower than 9.800 on the floor in the last eight SEMO competitions.

She also finished tied for second on beam at the dual meet with a 9.775.

Kaziska has registered a 9.775 or higher in each of the last eight competitions this season on beam and nine times this campaign. She has tallied three 9.875s this season and added a season-best 9.900 to win the event title against Illinois State on Feb. 25.

For Kaziska, the MIC weekly honor is her fourth of the season and 15th in her career. It is her third MIC Performance of the Week in 2022 after she was tabbed the MIC Gymnast of the Week on March 9.

SEMO travels to Denton, Texas on Friday for the 2022 MIC Championship at 5 p.m.

Redhawks knock off Iowa

Southeast Missouri State edged Iowa 4-3 on Tuesday for its first softball win over a Big Ten Conference opponent in 21 years.

The Redhawks (11-10) also beat host Kansas City 7-1 earlier on Tuesday.

Facing the Hawkeyes, SEMO was trailing 3-2 in the top of the seventh inning. Kynzie Wrigley connected for a lead-off double, which was followed by a walk drawn by Kaylee Anderson, who reached base four times in the game.

Tori Bradley doubled down the left-field line and Wrigley scored the tying run.

After a pitching change, Anderson touched home on a wild pitch for the winning run.

The Redhawks' last win over a Big Ten opponent came during the 2001 season against Indiana.

Anderson had a big game against the Hawkeyes going 3-for-3 with a home run, double, walk, three runs, and two RBI. She scored a run to put SEMO ahead, 1-0, on her solo home run in the top of the first and tied the game at 2-2 with her two-out double in the top of the third.

Rachel Rook (7-4) recorded her team-high seventh victory of the season.

She pitched her sixth complete game and shut down Iowa when it threatened in its final at-bat by getting the tying run on base.

In the win over the Kangaroos, SEMO picked up its 800th win as an NCAA Division I softball program.

The Redhawks jumped on Kansas City early with a quick two-run home run by Wrigley in the top of the first inning.

Alyson Tucker reached on a lead-off single and scored on Wrigley's first home run of the season and third of her career.

Holding a 2-1 lead in the second, Bradley drove in both Anderson and Wrigley on a two-out double to right-center giving the Redhawks a 4-1 lead.

Another two-run inning came for SEMO in the top half of the fifth, as Wrigley reached on a one-out error and both Bradley and Anderson followed with infield hits to load the bases.

On the next play, Sydney Melton singled through the left side to score both Anderson and Wrigley widening the Redhawks margin to 6-1.

One more RBI-hit, this time a pinch-hit single by Aubrie Shore, put the finishing touches on SEMO's 10th win of the season.

Tucker, Anderson, and Wrigley combined for five hits, seven runs, and two RBI.

Bradley added two hits, as well.

SEMO out-hit Kansas City 10-3, posting double-digit hits for the sixth time this year.

Paytience Holman evened her record to 2-2.

She worked five scoreless innings with four strikeouts and allowed just two hits.

The Redhawks will open Ohio Valley Conference play on Saturday in Cape Girardeau at 3 p.m. against Tennessee State.

Sycamores belt Redhawks

Indiana State pounded out 13 hits, and used an early grand slam, to beat Southeast Missouri State 10-1 on Tuesday in Terre Haute, find.

The loss snapped the Redhawks' (13-2) 11-game winning streak.

The Sycamores (8-6) had a no-hitter through four innings before SEMO catcher Andrew Keck spoiled the bid with a lead-off double in the top of the fifth.

The Redhawks went scoreless for seven innings before scoring its only run in the top of the eighth on a double by Peyton Leeper.

Keck broke up the no-hitter in the fifth inning, roping a double that bounced off the outfield fence.

A walk from Brett Graber and the Redhawks had runners on first and second with one out for the first threat of the game.

Leeper, Keck, and Ty Stauss each had a hit for the Redhawks.

Ethan Osborne (0-1) suffered the loss for SEMO after giving up four hits and four runs in two innings.

He struck out four and walked one, as well.

The two teams will play again today at 2 p.m.