Tech falls behind early, drops OVC tourney contest to SEMO, 7-1
Red-hot Southeast Missouri struck quickly Friday afternoon, scoring three times in the top of the first and twice more in the second, then rode its advantage to a 7-1 victory over Tennessee Tech in the winner's bracket final of the 2009 Ohio Valley Conference softball tournament.
Golden Eagles begin quest Saturday; Face UT Martin at 10
a.m.
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Red-hot Southeast Missouri struck
quickly Friday afternoon, scoring three times in the top of the
first and twice more in the second, then rode its advantage to a
7-1 victory over Tennessee Tech in the winner's bracket final of
the 2009 Ohio Valley Conference softball tournament.
The Golden Eagles (26-30) will need to win three times Saturday to
claim the championship, beginning with a game at 10 a.m. against UT
Martin, which eliminated Jacksonville State, 2-0. A win over the
Skyhawks would put Tech into the championship game against SEMO
(29-19), where the Golden Eagles would need to win twice for the
title.
The damage came quickly against starter Holly Thomas, as Renee
Kertz and Alex Ramirez each singled, and with one out Jennifer
Vasquez popped a 2-2 pitch over the left field fence for a 3-0
lead. The Redhawks loaded the bases to start the second inning, and
Kertz delivered a two-run single up themiddle to make it 5-0.
It could have gotten worse, but Thomas got Vasquez to pop up to
end the second inning, leaving two runners stranded.
The Golden Eagles got one run back in the bottom of the second.
Katie Betry singled to lead off the frame and with two outs,
Cassidy Skeen singled. Jordan Leff's double sent Betry home, but
that was as much as Tech could muster.
Sophomore Maddie Schmissrauter relieved Thomas to start the third
inning, and held SEMO scoreless for the next three innings, but the
Golden Eagles couldn't produce a comeback against Redhawk starter
Giana Zimmerman and the score remained 5-1 through five
innings.
Schmissrauter appeared to be close to ending the SEMO sixth,
giving a leadoff single before retiring thenext two hitters. With
two outs, Depuis singled and Kertz walked to load the bases, and
Shelby Stein drove a two-run double to center to make it 7-1.
Senior Kristina Hortert relieved Schmissrauter and ended the frame
with a strikeout of Ramirez.
Thomas (14-16) took the loss, working two innings and allowing
five runs on seven hits. Schmissrauter pitched 3.2 innings and was
responsible for two runs on five hits. Hortert was perfect over the
final 1.1 innings. Zimmerman (19-8) went the distance for SEMO,
pitching seven innings and allowing just four hits. She walked two
and struck out nine Golden Eagle batters.
Five different SEMO hitters had multiple hit games as the Redhawks
combined for 12 hits off Tech's three pitchers.
