OTAHKIANS NAB BIG SOFTBALL WINS

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- Southeast Missouri State University's softball team took a major step Monday toward a fifth consecutive Ohio Valley Conference championship.

The Otahkians handed previously undefeated Middle Tennessee State a doubleheader defeat as Southeast took over first place in the OVC.

Southeast prevailed 2-1 (in nine innings) and 4-1 to improve to 21-14 overall and 11-1 in league play. MTSU fell to 29-17 overall, 10-2 in the OVC.

Christine Engelhardt was the winning pitcher in both games as she raised her record to 13-5.

After Debbie Schmelz worked seven strong innings in the opener -- she allowed four hits and an unearned run -- Engelhardt hurled the final two innings, allowing one hit.

Southeast pushed across the winning run in the ninth inning of the opener as Jenny Oermann singled and later scored when Tami Hebert reached on an error.

Oermann had two of the Otahkians' five hits in the opener.

Engelhardt then pitched all seven innings of the nightcap, allowed four hits.

The Otahkians had nine hits in this game, two by both Anne Trieb and Michelle Frank, who drove in a pair of runs.

Southeast trailed 1-0 until the sixth, when the Otahkians scored all four of their runs. Frank had the big blow, a two-run double. Trieb also had a double in the frame, a leadoff blow that got the inning started.

Trieb, who had a hit in the opener, paced the Otahkians on the day with three hits.

The Otahkians, who won five of six games on the road over the past three days, will return home to face Austin Peay in a 4 p.m. OVC doubleheader Wednesday.

Southeast will also have four OVC home games this weekend, facing Morehead State Saturday and Eastern Kentucky Sunday.