Southeastern’s LadyStorm softballers rode the big-bat boogie to a pair of wins on the first day of the inaugural South Central Shootout at Durant’s Multi-Sports Complex.

The Storm defeated Emporia State 9-2 and St. Edward’s 8-4 to make the season record 16-3.

Coach Ron Faubion’s club posted school records with six home runs and three back-to-back-to-back, against Emporia State, then added a single homer against St. Ed’s.

On the day, the Storm scored 17 runs on 22 hits and no errors, while allowing six runs on seven hits.

Faubion said, “It was a good first day for us. We hit the ball well and got good pitching except for one rough inning for Jami McAdoo. She worked out of it to pitch a complete game against St. Edward’s.

“Marge Johnson also had a complete game against Emporia State. She wasn’t really sharp, but she gave up just one hit and that ball left the park. She walked 12, but struck out 15.

“Benita Sanchez and Erika Bernal really hammered the ball and Kristi Goins had a huge triple to drive in two runs in the sixth when we were tied with St. Ed’s. That was the difference in the game.

“Laney Anderson opened that inning with a double and scored the winning run. Johnson helped herself with a pair of home runs in the first game. Bernal also had two homers in the first game.

“We played well, but it won’t mean anything unless we stay hooked up the rest of the weekend.”

Southeastern was playing Newman and Northwest Missouri State Saturday and will take on Nebraska-Omaha at noon today, followed by Fort Hays at 2 p.m.

Nebraska-Omaha nipped Angelo State 1-0 in Friday’s first game.

South Central Shootout

Friday’s Games

LadyStorm 9

Emporia State 2

The Storm broke on top with three runs in the third, highlighted by Bernal’s three run blast far over the left-field fence.

The Hornets (6-3) picked up a run in the top of the fourth on three walks and a wild pitch.

Johnson neutered that run with a solo shot to lead off the bottom of the fourth.

ESU’s Linda Ketter homered with one out in the fifth to make it a 4-2 game.

SE broke it open with four runs in the fifth on four hits, including a leadoff single by Sanchez, a fielder’s choice for the first out and consecutive home runs by Bernal, Bailey Mathes and Johnson.

It was back-to-back homers for Bernal and Johnson and pushed Johnson to a team-high seven roundtrippers. Bernal now has four on the year. It was number two for Mathes.

The school-record sixth homer came when Sanchez drilled a 1-ball pitch over the fence in right-center to make it 9-2.

Johnson struck out the side in the first and seventh innings en route to her 15 whiffs on the game.

Sanchez sparked the Storm with four for four, Bernal and Johnson were two for three each. Mathes and Amanda Tanner were one for three apiece.

Ketter was one for four to collect ESU’s lone hit.

Megan Dennis was the losing pitcher for ESU to make her record 3-2.

LadyStorm 8

St. Edward’s 4

The Hilltoppers (5-10) struck first with two runs on a 2-out single by Stacy Giles in the first inning.

SE’s Jennifer Morales knotted the game with a 2-run screamer down the left-field line in the bottom of the first. The hit drove in Goins and Bernal after each had singled with one out.

St. Ed’s led briefly on a double and single for one run in the top of the second.

Sanchez righted the ship in the bottom half with a 2-run rip after Laney Anderson had walked to start the inning.

Lisa Paul’s solo home run in the sixth tied the game at 4-4 and the Storm exploded for four runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Anderson zipped a one-out double and Sanchez was intentionally walked with two away. Goins delivered a key triple to the gap in left-center.

Bernal drove in Goins with a shot to left and Johnson legged out an infield hit to second base to plate the final run of the game.

McAdoo gave up four runs on six hits, walked one, struck out eight and improved to 5-2.

Lana Jo Hairston took the loss and fell to 1-5.

Bernal paced SE with three for four, Goins and Johnson were two for three each. Mathes was two for four and Anderson one for two.

Sanchez and Morales were one for three each.

Lexi Stephens led the Rattlers with two for three and one run batted in.