By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Southeast Missouri's offense struck quickly to take a 7-0 victory over the Tennessee Tech softball team on Friday in its first home action since 2019, but the day's second game remains in doubt as field conditions from persistent rain forced the suspension of the second contest.
The visiting Redhawks lead game two 4-1 in the top of the fourth inning. Tentatively, the game is expected to be picked back up at 10 a.m. on Saturday at the Tech Softball Field, with the third and final game of the set to be played afterwards.
Rain is expected to continue off and on through the night with an 81-percent chance of rain at 10 a.m. and afternoon showers in the forecast.
The suspended contest is left off in the top of fourth with pinch runner Kimmy Wallen at second and Alyson Tucker at first with two down for Kynzie Wrigley at the plate, facing a 0-0 count.
SEMO picked up a two-run home run from Kaylee Anderson in the first inning, bringing home Jillian Anderson along the way. After a scoreless second, the Redhawks tagged the scoreboard for two more runs as Jillian Anderson drove in Wrigley with a single through short, then Kaylee Anderson hit her second homer of the game, a solo shot off the batter's eye in straight-away center.
Tech scored its lone run of the day as Chandler Caldwell scored on a throwback to the circle, the errant throw missing the pitcher and sailing into the outfield.
The day started with a 7-0 defeat, a 25-minute delay to the first pitch of the contest, then another two-and-a-half hour delay slowing down the pace of play.
It didn't stop SEMO's bats though as Rachel Anderson and Ashley Ellis both drove in two runs, while Rachel Anderson and Wallen both collected two hits. Only one of the Redhawks' starting nine did not collect a hit in the contest.
Karsyn Davis put SEMO's first run on the board in the top of the first, driving in Kaylee Anderson with a single up the middle. Jillian Anderson made it 2-0 in the second as she grounded into an unassisted fielder's choice at second, allowing Wallen to score.
The Redhawks plated five runs in the fifth as Ellis hit a two-run homer to left, Wrigley collected an RBI double to left center to score Wallen, then Rachel Anderson drilled a single up the middle to plate two more.
Paytience Holman picked up her first win of the season, yielding just two hits to the Golden Eagles, while walking and striking out two. Kendall Durard had the tough-luck loss, starting in the circle as she allowed two runs on four hits, while walking three over 2 2/3 innings. Alyssa Arden allowed four runs on five hits over two frames with one strikeout, while Callie Piper pitched the final 2 1/3, allowing one run on one hit with one walk.
