MISSOURI RALLIES IN OPENER, SWEEPS OTAHKS

A shorthanded Southeast Missouri State University softball team came up short twice against the University of Missouri Tuesday.

The Tigers rallied for a 4-3 victory in the opener and then rolled to a 5-1 victory in the nightcap as they swept a non-conference doubleheader at the Southeast Softball Complex.

MU, which has struggled to a 4-9 record in Big 12 Conference play, improved to 27-24 overall as the Tigers broke a two-game losing streak to the Otahkians (MU leads the overall series between the teams 16-5).

Southeast, which is tied for first place in the Ohio Valley Conference, fell to 19-22 overall.

The Otahkians played without two of their top performers as Jenny Doehring and Kemi Rampi were both sick. Doehring is Southeast's second-leading hitter and No. 1 pitcher while Rampi is the squad's third-leading hitter.

But Southeast coach Lana Richmond, who hopes to have both players back for today's key OVC game at Tennessee-Martin, refused to use the absences as an excuse.

"It gives an opportunity for someone else to get playing time and maybe come through for us," said Richmond. "Dawn Piantino, who we usually hit for, had a great day at the plate. And Shelley Conroy did well."

Piantino had three of the Otahkians' eight hits on the day and she also delivered two of Southeast's three runs batted in. The little-used Conroy added two hits.

But overall, the Otahkians could muster little offense against MU pitchers Stephanie Falk and Ingrid Werner.

Falk (21-17) allowed six hits and no earned runs in the opener, striking out seven and walking one.

Werner (6-7) hurled a two-hitter in the nightcap, with four strikeouts and four walks.

Southeast's pitchers were also pretty decent, but the Otahkians' defense struggled with nine errors.

Kristen King (5-13) scattered 10 hits but allowed just one earned run in the opener. Reagan Hamlin (1-1) gave up 11 hits and four earned runs in the second game.

"Our pitchers didn't throw bad," Richmond said.

The Otahkians actually very nearly won the first game, using three unearned runs in the fifth to go ahead 3-2, a lead they carried into the seventh and final regulation inning.

But MU rallied with two unearned runs. Melanie Fisher drove in the tying run with a single and Erin Erickson broke the deadlock with a single.

MU's speedy leadoff batter Karen Williams had five hits on the day while Fisher had four to go along with three RBIs.

"They were two good wins," said MU coach Jay Miller. "The pitchers got support and we got good pitching."

* Southeast senior catcher Renee Enos was named the OVC Player of the Week Monday as she batted .571 last week.

Enos is batting .510 in conference play and she entered Tuesday's action hitting .413 overall.

* It was incorrectly reported earlier this week that Southeast and Eastern Kentucky are in a two-way tie for first place in the OVC, with Tennessee Tech one game back.

Actually, all three squads are deadlocked for first at 12-4. Southeast and Tennessee Tech both have five league games remaining while Eastern Kentucky has four left.