Box Score | Season Stats
 
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo.. – A three-run first inning by Southeast Missouri State put visiting Missouri State in an early hole it was unable to overcome Thursday in a 5-2 win by the Redhawks on a blustery afternoon here.
 
SEMO (18-7) sent eight hitters to the plate in the bottom of the first to set a blistering pace. The Redhawks got a one-out RBI triple from Rachel Anderson, a sacrifice fly by Ashley Ellis and a solo homer by Addison Barnouski – her third of the year – to take a 3-0 advantage in the opening frame.

"We dug ourselves a hole which was the difference in the game," said MSU head coach Holly Hesse. "We certainly had some positives as well. Erin Griesbauer threw almost four quality innings in relief, and we had some players who had been struggling really perform well today. Kelly Metter had a big home run for us, and Alex Boze got on base all three times. I think today made us better, which will help as we get back into Valley play this weekend.".
 
The Bears (14-9) battled back with a run in the top of the third to make it 3-1. Boze led the inning off with a walk before Darby Joerling doubled off the wall in center to send pinch-runner Abi LaValley to third. LaValley scored moments later on a sacrifice fly by Daphne Plummer.
 
Missouri State added another tally in the fifth on a deep blast to right center by Metter, her first home run of the season, to make it a 3-2 game.
 
But, SEMO ended the Bears' comeback efforts in the late innings with two critical insurance runs. An RBI single by Ellis in the bottom of the fifth pushed the home team ahead by two, and then an unearned run in the sixth by Southeast made it a 5-2 contest.
 
Missouri State got a leadoff single by Boze in the top of the seventh, her second hit of the day, but Southeast Missouri brought in reliever Rachel Rook to retire the final two MSU hitters and earn her first save.
 
MSU relievers Griesbauer and Steffany Dickerson allowed just one earned run in 5.1 innings of work out of the bullpen.
 
Anderson and Rachael Donald paced SEMO's nine-hit performance with two hits apiece, while starter Alexis Estes improved to 5-1 on the season with two strikeouts and a pair of earned runs in 4+ innings of work. It Southeast Missouri's 10^th win in 11 games.
 
The Bears, 1-1 in The Valley, resume conference play on Saturday afternoon when they host Loyola Chicago (15-4, 0-0 MVC) for a Noon doubleheader at Killian Stadium. The Ramblers and Bears will also play a single game Sunday at 11 a.m.