EASTERN ILLINOIS SWEEPS OTAHKS IN OVC OPENER

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Ohio Valley Conference newcomer Eastern Illinois wasted little time in showing Southeast Missouri women's softball team that a third straight conference crown may be tougher to come by than the previous two.

Playing its OVC opener, Southeast was swept in a doubleheader, falling 3-2 and 5-2.

The Otahkians are winless on the season at 0-5-1.

Southeast appeared it might be thinking sweep in the opener, taking a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning after scoring single runs in the sixth and seventh innings. However, Southeast starter Sara Reichert ran into problems in the final inning as Eastern Illinois scored three runs.

Reichert retired just one batter before yielding to Christine Englehardt, who surrendered the game-winning hit.

Reichert gave up nine hits, struck out five and walked three. The first five batters in the Panthers' lineup accounted for all nine hits.

Stacy Seibert notched the win for Eastern Illinois, going the distance and surrendering eight hits. She struck out seven and walked one.

Jenny Oermann and Josie Earnest each had two hits for the Otahkians.

In Game Two, Eastern Illinois broke open a scoreless game with three runs in the bottom of the third. Southeast countered with two in the fourth, but the Panthers closed the scoring with two runs in the fifth.

Eastern outhit Southeast 12-2. Otahkians starter Debbie Schmelz surrendered 11 of the hits in 5 1-3 innings. The top five batters in the Panther lineup again enjoyed a big game, collecting 11 hits.

Oermann and Kendra Williams had the lone Southeast hits off winner Mandy White.