OTAHKIANS PREPARED TO DEFEND OWN TURF; SOUTHEAST HOSTING OVC SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

Ohio Valley Conference softball teams have been chasing Southeast Missouri State University's Otahkians for the past several years.

For two days beginning today, that chase will be held in Cape Girardeau.

Southeast, which has won four straight regular-season league championships and three of the past four league tournament titles, will serve as host for the 1998 OVC Tournament.

The eight-team double-elimination event, of which the winner advances to next week's NCAA play-in series, will be played at both Parker Field on the Southeast campus and at the Shawnee Softball Complex.

"We're really excited to be hosting the tournament," said Southeast coach Lana Richmond. "We feel good about our chances playing at home, but we know it won't be easy."

Southeast rolled to another OVC regular-season title with a 16-2 record. The top-seeded Otahkians are 34-10-1 overall.

Second-seeded Eastern Kentucky went 15-5 in OVC play and is 35-17 overall. The Lady Colonels and Otahkians had their doubleheader rained out this season so they have not yet faced each other.

Third-seeded Tennessee-Martin went 11-6 in league play and is 22-18-1 overall.

The fourth seed, Middle Tennessee, went 12-8 in the OVC and 26-26 overall.

Rounding out the field are No. 5 Tennessee Tech (9-7, 19-15), No. 6 Eastern Illinois (9-8, 22-19), No. 7 Morehead State (7-11, 11-31) and No. 8 Austin Peay (2-13, 20-27).

Friday's rain forced late tournament schedule changes. Eight games were to be played today, but instead first-day action will feature only six games: four first-round contests, and two loser's bracket games. All but one of those games will be at Parker Field.

"I feel good about our team," said Richmond. "We were elated to win the (regular-season) OVC title again, but I don't believe we have peaked yet."

Tennessee-Martin and Eastern Illinois handed the Otahkians their two conference losses this year, although Southeast went 2-1 against the Skyhawks and 3-1 against the Lady Panthers.

Southeast's first-round opponent, eighth-seeded Austin Peay, gave the Otahkians two tough games during the season, losing 6-5 and 2-1. Southeast's other two wins over the Lady Govs were by identical 9-1 scores.

"Anything can happen in tournament play," Richmond said. "There are some other tough teams in the OVC and even some of the lower teams are dangerous. We're going to have to play well."

The winner of the OVC Tournament will host the NCAA play-in series next week. For the past two seasons, the Otahkians have been on the road for the play-in, losing at Troy State in 1996 and at DePaul last year.

"Our ultimate goal is to go to the NCAA Tournament," said Richmond. "We can do that by not having to leave Cape Girardeau, which is nice. But winning the OVC Tournament is going to be a big challenge."

OVC Softball Tournament

(Double-elimination)

Today's Games

(at Parker Field)

9 a.m. -- Middle Tennessee vs. Tennessee Tech

10:30 a.m. -- Tennessee-Martin vs. Eastern Illinois

Noon -- Eastern Kentucky vs. Morehead State

2 p.m. -- SE Missouri vs. Austin Peay

4 p.m. -- Loser's bracket game

(at Shawnee Field)

2 p.m. -- Loser's bracket game

Sunday's Games

(at Parker Field)

9 a.m. -- Winner's bracket semifinal

11 a.m. -- Loser's bracket game

1 p.m. -- Winner's bracket final

3 p.m. -- Loser's bracket final

4:30 p.m. -- Championship

6 p.m. -- Championship (if necessary)

(at Shawnee Field)

9 a.m. -- Winner's bracket semifinal

11 a.m. -- Loser's bracket game

1 p.m. -- Loser's bracket semifinal

6 p.m. -- Third-place game