By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Last season, Southeast Missouri cruised to a 20-2 finish in the Ohio Valley Conference softball race. While the start of the 2024 conference campaign has seen the Redhawks a little more level in the race thus far, SEMO is still a very dangerous opponent – after all, historically, Tennessee Tech and Southeast Missouri have been among the top programs since the league first sponsored softball.
The Redhawks (13-20) and the Golden Eagles (15-14) will square off Saturday in a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m., while the third game will be Sunday at noon. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required).
Southeast Missouri passed Tech in the standings last week as the Golden Eagles fell in the series against Lindenwood. The Redhawks currently stand in a tie for third with Tennessee State at 7-5, while the Golden Eagles are 6-6, a three-way tie for fifth. Tech currently stands two games ahead of Morehead State and SIUE and three games ahead of Western Illinois with 15 conference games remaining in this final month of the regular season.
As a team, the Redhawks are hitting .263 with 60 extra-base hits – 48 doubles, one triple and 11 home runs. They have scored 118 runs and stolen 33 bases on 39 attempts.
SEMO is coming off of a 1-0 victory Wednesday over No. 11 Missouri. Brittany Affolter's double to plate Zoe Schulte was the difference as Redhawk hurler Paytience Holman collected her eighth win of the season, allowing just three hits in the complete-game effort with one walk and three strikeouts.
Prior to that, the Redhawks went 1-2 at Southern Indiana, falling 2-1 and 4-5 around a 6-0 victory in game two in Evansville. SEMO took two of three at home against Tennessee State, swept SIUE and went 1-2 against Eastern Illinois in the conference opening series.
Aubrie Shore leads the team in production with 21 RBI and 33 hits, while hitting .330. Abigail Rickerman leads the team in batting average with a .383 mark in 28 games, while Paige Halliwill (.268) has a team-best 15 RBI and tied with Sydney Dennis (.247) with 17 runs scored.
In the circle, Holman leads the team with an 8-8 record and 2.87 earned run average, walking 20 and striking out 50. Opponents are hitting .260 against her. Maddie Carney (2-4, 4.64 ERA) has three starts in 19 appearances, while Tegan Livesay (1-3, 4.13 ERA) has nine starts in 15 appearances. As a team, the Redhawks have a 4.17 cumulative ERA with 89 walks and 117 strikeouts, while opponents are batting .285.
After a strong start to conference play, taking two out of three from Southern Indiana, Western Illinois and Morehead State, Lindenwood tripped up the Golden Eagles, sweeping Tech at home last weekend to even their conference record at 6-6.
Tech's scheduled midweek game at Bellarmine was postponed to a later date.
The Golden Eagles are hitting .295 as a team with 63 extra-base hits – 51 doubles, one triple and 11 home runs. Carmen Betts, who shared the OVC Player of the Week honor this past Monday, had a tremendous series against Lindenwood, batting .667 with seven RBI and four runs scored against the Lions.
On the season, Betts leads the team in batting average (.402), hits (37), doubles (11) and RBI (31), while she is tied with Meaghan Houk and Faith Rush with two round-trippers. Betts ranks third in the OVC in batting average, tied for sixth in hits, fourth in doubles and second in RBI.
The Golden Eagles tout six players with 10 or more RBI, including Sydney Kirby (.298) with 20, Abby Shoulders (.301) with 18, and Abby Buettner (.352), Mac Fitzgerald (.292) and Houck (.263) with 10 each.
Tech has 70 stolen bases on 80 attempts, leading the conference by a 16-base margin, with Fitzgerald leading the way with a 26-for-26 effort and Shoulders 17-for-19.
The Golden Eagles are third in batting average in the conference, fourth in runs scored (144), second in slugging percentage (.398), second in on-base percentage (.364), fourth in hits (240), third in RBI (130), second in doubles (51), tied for third in home runs (11), fifth in total bases (326), third in walks drawn (86) and have the fewest strikeouts batting (105).
In the circle, Tech has a cumulative 3.89 ERA with 86 walks and 117 strikeouts. Emily York leads the team in earned run average with a 1.58 mark in 21 appearances and 66 1/3 innings worked, walking 15 and striking out 43. She has a 5-2 record, matching Payton Wagner (2.84 ERA, 28 walks, 23 strikeouts). Lennon Spicer (4-7, 5.66 ERA) has thrown 55 2/3 innings in 17 appearances, while Faith Rush (1-3, 7.81 ERA) has seen action over 26 innings.
The Golden Eagles return to Tech Softball Field next week as they host Kennesaw State Wednesday afternoon, then UT Martin for a three-game set next weekend.
Photo | Jim Dillon
