Football team will scrimmage today at Houck Stadium

~ Redhawks softball squad will honor former players during doubleheader with Morehead State.

The Southeast Missouri State football team, nearing the end of spring drills, will hold what first-year coach Tony Samuel terms a "major scrimmage" at noon today at Houck Stadium.

Samuel said he is pleased with the way the Redhawks have been receptive to the new techniques and practice habits, and how they have been willing to do what the new coaching staff has asked.

"We've worked a lot on practice habits, techniques and special teams," he said. "In this scrimmage and at our spring game we will be looking for improvement in execution. Spring drills are vital for the teaching of fundamentals, and we need to show improvement as the spring drills wind down."

The spring game, set for 1 p.m. April 8, will pit the offense vs. the defense with a unique scoring system to determine a winner.

After the spring game, Samuel said the coaching staff will "evaluate every individual and try and identify the players who can help us win some football games in the fall."

In conjunction with the spring game, the Southeast coaching staff is hosting the first annual "Spring Showcase" at the Elks Club in Cape Girardeau.

The event, at 6 p.m. on April 8, will feature food from several area restaurants and is free of charge to Southeast boosters.

"We hope for a big turnout because it should be good food, good drink and a lot of fun," Samuel said. "It will be a great chance for boosters to get to know our new coaching staff."

Softball plays at home

Southeast softball coach Lana Richmond is eagerly anticipating this weekend's OVC home series against Morehead State -- and not just because the Redhawks are off to a strong conference start.

Richmond, in her 24th season in charge of the Redhawks, is looking forward to the first Southeast Softball Alumni Weekend Celebration.

More than 50 former players, dating back to Richmond's first Southeast team in 1983, have indicated they will attend.

Also expected to be on hand are representatives from the 1986 team that won 40 games, from the 1991 Division II Final Four team, from the 1996 team that won its first 32 games, from the 1999 NCAA Division I regional team, and from the five OVC championship squads.

The former players will be recognized between games of today's 1 p.m. doubleheader. They will also gather tonight for a social and dinner at the Port Cape Yacht Club.

"The response to our Softball Alumni Weekend has been outstanding," Richmond said. "It will be great to visit with the former players."

Southeast (17-9, 5-1) and Morehead State (10-20, 1-7) will also have a 1 p.m. contest Sunday. The Redhawks are in second place in the OVC, while the Eagles are last.

The Redhawks have won four straight games, and 13 of their last 15. They lead the conference with a .291 batting average and 30 home runs.

Stephanie Huffman (.370), Michelle Summers (.358), freshman Lauren Bradley (.346), Megan McDonald (.338) and Lindsay Pickering (.315) are Southeast's top hitters. Summers leads in home runs with eight and Huffman is first in RBIs with 21.

Summers is tied for first in the OVC in homers.

Elaine Fisher (7-6, 1.71 ERA) and Huffman (9-3, 4.12) have done most of the pitching this year.

Gatorade Classic begins

Host Southeast had three place-winners as the 25th annual Gatorade Classic track and field meet got under way Friday at the Abe Stuber Complex.

Junior Heather West, a Jackson graduate, won the women's triple jump with a distance of 38 feet 1/4 inch. Murray State's Chanel Morgan was second (35-9 1/4).

Earlier this year, West captured the triple jump at the OVC indoor meet.

"Winning the conference was more exciting, but it's nice to win at home," West said.

Heather Jenkins, a Central graduate, was second in the women's hammer throw (161 feet), while Nichole Portell was fourth (145-4). SIU-Edwardsville's Callie Glover won the event (167-7).

Friday's other event, the men's hammer throw, was won by Indiana State's Jason Carruthers (188-10).

The bulk of the competition will be today, beginning at 11 a.m. The final event, the 1,600-meter relay, is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Admission is $3 for adults, $1 for 18 and under, and free for Southeast students with a valid ID.