OTAHKIANS SETTLE FOR SPLIT IN OVC FINALE

With their third Ohio Valley Conference championship sewn up entering Saturday's home doubleheader against Eastern Illinois, the Southeast Missouri State University Otahkian softball team finished out its league schedule with a split.

Southeast won the first game 3-2 in eight innings, getting a two-out, bases-loaded pinch hit from Michelle Frank to end the game. In the second game, the Otahkians were blanked 2-0.

The split ended the Otahkians' league-best Ohio Valley Conference record at 20-5. Overall, Southeast stands 27-18-1 with two more doubleheaders slated this week against Southwest Missouri State Tuesday at Manchester Park in St. Louis and St. Louis University at home Wednesday.

Frank, just a freshman, said she was "scared to death" when she entered the game with the bases loaded in the eighth inning.

"You just have to be confident when you go up there in that situation, but it was scary," Frank said. "My bat was shaking, and when I got behind in the count it was even scarier."

But Frank ripped a pitch between the shortstop and third baseman to score Tami Hebert from third with the game-ending run.

Christine Engelhardt pitched into extra innings for the complete game victory. Engelhardt, who had a no-hitter going into the sixth, allowed just two hits to Eastern to improve her record to 8-3.

Eastern strung its only two hits together in the sixth inning with Southeast leading 2-0. With two outs and two runners on, Eastern batter Emily Starkey hit what looked to be a routine play right at Southeast shortstop Jenny Oermann.

But Oermann, with a base runner passing right in front of her, threw wildly to first allowing both runners to score and tie the game 2-2.

"You won't see our shortstop make a lot of critical errors like that," Southeast coach Lana Richmond said. "It was just one of things, but Michelle came through with a clutch hit and Christine still pitched an excellent game."

In the second game, Southeast was shut out by Eastern pitcher Stacy Siebert. Siebert allowed seven hits but the Otahkians were unable to plate any runs.

Southeast did put the tying runs on base in the bottom of the seventh, but with leadoff batter Chris Shetley at the plate, Leanne Gryncewicz was picked off first base by Eastern's catcher to end the game.

Richmond was upset with the way the game ended but said the Otahkians' inability to wait for offspeed pitches hurt them all game.

"The deciding point of the game was we were unable to hit an offspeed pitch," said Richmond. "We could not mentally adjust to an offspeed pitch and we ended up with a lot of pop ups."

Frank -- who started the second game -- remained hot, going 2-for-3 in the nightcap. Frank said success in the first game helped her relax at the plate in the second.

"It gave me a lot of confidence going into the second game," said Frank. "I've been in a big slump, but once you get the big hit that wins the game it changes everything."

Anne Wilson, who did not start in the first game, also had two hits for the Otahkians.

Debbie Schmelz started for Southeast and took the loss. Schmelz (10-8) pitched 5-1/3 innings and allowed both Eastern runs in the first and third innings.