SEMO dominates SIU, win 9-0 in five innings

By Howard Woodard, Sports Reporter|April 12, 2023

Tori Schullian (25) strikes the ball in the game against SEMO March 28, 2023 at the Charlotte West Stadium in Carbondale, Ill.

Saluki softball (29-8) was unable to hand the Southeast Missouri Redhawks (21-9) their first loss at home Tuesday afternoon. SEMO moved to 10-0 at home in their 9-0 victory and cut the game short to five innings due to the run rule. It marks a three-game losing streak for SIU now as the Dawgs have now been handed shutouts in back-to-back games.

The Redhawks jumped all over Southern starting pitcher Elliott Stinson in the first inning. After she offered back-to-back walks to leadoff the bottom of the first, Alyson Tucker unloaded on a three-run homer to put SEMO up 3-0 before Stinson could record an out. Stinson only pitched the initial inning as the Salukis opted to Hannah Hockerman for the second and beyond.

Hockerman didn’t have the best success either but didn’t benefit from an error that began the bottom half of the second inning. A runner was gunned down at the plate attempting to score after a good relay from the Saluki defense, but another error plated two more runs and created a five-run deficit for SIU.

The Saluki pitcher then surrendered a single and two walks in the third before the Redhawks capitalized on a bases-clearing double that pushed the SEMO lead to 8-0. Another RBI double in the bottom of the fourth scored the ninth Redhawk run. The tandem of Stinson and Hockerman were unable to miss Redhawk bats, as they didn’t collect a strikeout in their combined four innings pitched. They also walked six batters total while allowing eight hits.

Southern’s bats were silent as SEMO starter Marisa Davis pitched a shutout in the five innings played. She earned her eighth win of the year as she walked three and struck out two. The Dawgs only mustered two hits off of Davis and they were both singles.

SIU will continue their play on the road this weekend against the University of Northern Iowa Panthers (23-11). They will look to wake up their bats and break their short losing streak beginning Friday at 5pm in Cedar Falls.

Sports reporter Howard Woodard can be reached at [email protected].

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