OTAHKIANS FALL INTO TIE FOR FOR FIRST PLACE IN OVC

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Southeast Missouri State University's softball team split a pair of 1-0 games here Wednesday as the Otahkians' fell back into a first-place Ohio Valley Conference tie.

Eastern Illinois scored a run in the seventh inning to capture the opener. Then Southeast pushed across a run in the eighth inning of the nightcap to salvage a split.

The Otahkians, who have won the past four OVC regular-season championships, are now 26-15 overall and 16-2 in OVC play. Middle Tennessee is also 16-2 in the league.

EIU is 13-25 overall and 7-9 in the OVC.

The opener was decided when EIU's Leah Jones led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk and was replaced on the bases by pinch-runner Nicole Ktistou, who advanced to second on an errant pickoff throw. Adrienne Noll then singled to drive in Ktistou and end the contest.

Debbie Schmelz was the tough-luck loser as she allowed six hits and the unearned run. Schmelz struck out one and walked two.

EIU pitcher Sara DeLaere gave up just four hits. She fanned one and walked three.

It was the Otahkians' turn to win late in the nightcap. In the top of the eighth, Joanna Hicks walked with one out and was sacrificed to second by Dawn Piantino. Kelsey White then doubled to left-center as Hicks scored.

The Lady Panthers threatened in the bottom of the eighth as two runners reached with two outs but EIU failed to score.

Schmelz got the win in relief as she worked the final 1 2/3 innings, including getting out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the seventh to force extra innings. Schmelz, who allowed two hits and no walks while fanning one, improved to 12-10.

Christine Engelhardt started and allowed eight hits in 6 1/3 innings. She fanned three and walked four.

Amanda Perjenski was EIU's hard-luck loser as she allowed just four hits in all eight innings. Perjenski fanned six and walked one.

White had three of Southeast's four hits in the nightcap. No other Otahkian had more than one hit on the day.