OTAHKIANS DROP FINALE AS OVC RACE TIGHTENS

RICHMOND, Ky. -- Southeast Missouri State University's softball team dropped the third game of its weekend series at Eastern Kentucky 2-1 as the Ohio Valley Conference race tightened up considerably heading into the last two weeks of the season.

The Otahkians (19-20 overall, 12-4 OVC) had taken the first two games on Saturday to gain a one game lead in the league race. But Sunday's win by EKU (34-14, 12-4) vaulted the Colonels back into a first-place tie.

Southeast scored first, taking a 1-0 first-inning lead when Courtney Eklund singled home Jenny Doehring.

EKU came right back in the bottom of the inning as Bethany Herrington hit a two-run home run that scored Diana Barreras and put the Colonels on top 2-1.

That's all the runs Kristina Mahon would need. Mahon entered the week 19th nationally with a 0.75 earned-run average. She finished with a four-hitter to improve to 7-3 on the season.

Kristen King (5-12) was the hard-luck loser, allowing only four hits, two after the first inning. But the Otahkians could not make up for Herrington's homer.

Reagan Hamlin had two of the Otahkians' four hits, including a double. Renee Enos, who pushed her season batting average above the .400 mark by going 5-for-6 during Saturday's doubleheader, joined Eklund in getting Southeast's other hits.

The Otahkians will be back in action Tuesday when the University of Missouri visits the Southeast Softball Complex for a 3 p.m. doubleheader.

Southeast's next OVC competition will be Wednesday when the Otahkians visit Tennessee-Martin for a 3 p.m. twin bill.