Craig Tosses Shutout

ADA, Okla. --- Lacee Craig pitched a complete game shutout over East Central here Saturday to lead Northeastern State to a 2-0 Lone Star North softball victory over host East Central. The RiverHawks (9-21 overall and 4-8 in conference play) dropped the first game, 5-2.

Despite giving up nine hits to the Tigers (9-14 and 2-10), Craig pitched out of several jams to earn her second win this week against ECU. Craig fanned four and walked one to earn the victory.

Erica Holly, who had two of Northeastern State's six hits, tripled home Shaelyn Moore in the fourth inning for a 1-0 lead. Moore returned the favor in the sixth by hitting a triple of her own to score Megan Heskett and that's all Craig needed.

It didn't come easily for Craig, however. ECU put its leadoff runners on base in each of the second, third, fifth and seventh innings before Craig closed the door. She was particularly good in the final frame when Hilary Kuestersteffen and Nicole Sanchez led off with back-to-back singles and Hillary Hughes advanced the runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. But, Craig retired the next three hitters with a groundout to short and two pop-ups to Moore at short to close out the game.

Besides Holly, Heskett and Moore each had two hits.

In the opener Northeastern State took a 1-0 lead in the fourth when Holly singled home Heskett. ECU took the lead for good by striking for two runs in bottom of the fifth off Jenny Collins, who fell to 3-8 on the season. Collins gave up two singles and a triple and the Tigers had a 2-1 edge. Three East Central runs in the sixth put the game out of reach.

The RiverHawks had eight hits in the first game iwth Brandy Kimberlin and Heskett reaching safely twice. Moore, Kaylee Moody, Holly and Ashley Rogers had the other hits.

Northeastern State will remain on the road with a Lone Star North doubleheader at Cameron on Sunday. The two teams will complete the series in Tahlequah on Tuesday, Mar. 17.