OTAHKIANS REMAIN DEADLOCKED FOR OVC LEAD ENTERING FINAL DAY

Southeast Missouri State University's softball team moved closer to its sixth Ohio Valley Conference regular-season championship in the past seven years by sweeping a doubleheader from visiting Morehead State Saturday afternoon.

But the Otahkians, who prevailed 4-2 and 9-3, will need an upset loss by Tennessee Tech today in order to host next weekend's OVC Tournament.

Southeast (23-22 overall, 15-4 OVC) and Tennessee Tech (16-4 OVC) remained in a virtual dead heat for the regular-season title and, barring upsets, it's likely the squads will end up as co-champions. In that event, Tech will host the conference tourney by virtue of winning the season series from Southeast two games to one.

Tech, which swept Tennessee-Martin Saturday, plays its final OVC game today at Tennessee-Martin. Southeast hosts Morehead State at 1 p.m. today in its final regular-season home game and then closes out league play Tuesday at Austin Peay.

The Otahkians had to rally from two-run deficits in both games Saturday.

In the opener, Southeast trailed 2-0 after two innings. Down 2-1 entering the sixth, the Otahkians rallied for three runs -- the big blow was Emmy Kisaka's two-run double -- to prevail.

The second game saw the Otahkians trail 2-0 after three innings, but they tied it with two in the fourth, went ahead for good with two in the fifth and broke things open with a five-run sixth.

Jenny Doehring (15-8) was the winning pitcher in the opener, hurling a complete-game five-hitter. She struck out four and walked four.

Courtney Eklund and Reagan Hamlin both had two of Southeast's eight hits. Dana Fohl drove in both Morehead (13-18, 6-13) runs.

In the nightcap, Kristen King (7-13) hurled a complete-game three-hitter, with seven strikeouts and three walks.

Renee Enos had three of the Otahkians' seven hits, giving her four on the day. Kisaka added two more RBIs.