TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Southeastern explodes for 13 runs in game two to earn a split with Northeastern State in Tuesday's twin bill. The Riverhawks got the day going with a 4-0 win in the first game, but the Savage Storm came roaring back in game two, winning 13-5.
Southeastern (19-20, 10-10 GAC) remains on the road this week as they head north to Weatherford to take on Southwestern Oklahoma State in a three-game series on April 4 and 5.
GAME ONE: NSU 4, SE 0
Southeastern was held to one hit in the first three innings, which allowed the Riverhawks to build a 4-0 lead in the first and second frames. NSU plated a single score in the bottom of the first and later added to its lead in the second, scoring three runs on four hits.
The Storm looked to plate their first run of the game in the top of the fourth after a leadoff double by
Iliana Olivares, who made it to third two batters. However, the final out of the frame would come to strand the runner in scoring position. SE got runners on in the fifth, sixth and seventh but struggled to chain any hits together as NSU held on for a 4-0 win.
Starting pitcher
Alyson Malone went 1.2 with four runs allowed on four hits, and
Emily Simmons finished the final 4.1 innings in the circle with a pair of strikeouts and zero runs allowed. All four hits for SE came from four different players, with
Kennedy Morgan reaching twice on a hit and walk.
GAME TWO: SE 13, NSU 5
Similar to the first game, NSU got the first run of game two in the bottom of the first, and the score soon showed 1-all after SE worked a one-run third inning. SE loaded the bases with two outs, with
Sabetha Sands,
Sage Harlow and
India McMurray all reaching safely. On the sixth at-bat of the inning,
Laci Larsen was hit by a pitch to bring in a run to make it 1-1. Northeastern State was quick to respond, adding two more runs in the bottom half of the third to go back in front 3-1.
Southeastern soon found the breakthrough it was looking for in the top of the fourth, scoring six runs to surge ahead 7-3. SE was down to its final out with two runners on, and Harlow delivered a double down the left-field line to score one run. Another double from Olivares on the following bat scored two more runs to make it 4-3, and two batters later, Larsen blasted a three-run home run to left field to extend the lead to 7-3.
SE stayed on the front foot, scoring two more runs in the top of the fifth with Harlow's second RBI double of the game, and Larsen walked in another run for her fifth RBI for the game to make it 9-3. NSU replied with a run in the fifth and sixth, but the Storm exploded for another four runs, including a two-run homer by McMurray in the top of the seventh to extend their advantage to 13-5.
Larsen was one of five players with a multi-hit game, recording two hits and a team-high five RBIs, while Harlow went 3-of-5 with three doubles, three runs scored and two RBIs. Sands, Olivares and
Lorryn Johnson rounded out the lineup with two hits each, and all scored a run.
Trinity Oden picked up the win in the circle to improve to 6-4, pitching 5.0 innings with five runs allowed on seven hits and five strikeouts.
