OTAHKS BRASE FOR SLEW OF IMPORTANT CONTESTS

Coming off an extremely productive road trip, Southeast Missouri State University's softball team will now brace for another crucial stretch of games.

The Otahkians, who captured five of six Ohio Valley Conference road games Saturday through Monday, have a non-league road doubleheader today before returning home for two big OVC twin bills this weekend.

Weather permitting, Southeast will play national power Missouri at 4 p.m. today at Meramec Community College in St. Louis, although more rain is forecast for today in St. Louis.

Then this weekend, Southeast will host Morehead State at 2 p.m. Saturday and Eastern Kentucky at 2 p.m. Sunday. Sunday's action will mark the Otahkians' final home games of the season and the six Southeast seniors will be recognized.

Southeast is 21-14 overall and 11-1 in OVC play. Monday's doubleheader sweep of first-place Middle Tennessee vaulted the Otahkians into the league's top spot as they shoot for a fifth consecutive OVC title.

"Monday was really big," said Southeast coach Lana Richmond. "Middle was undefeated and both were come-from-behind victories. They were a real shot in the arm."

The Otahkians got off to a 3-9 start this season, which was not surprising considering they played some of the nation's top teams early.

"We got hammered early, but playing that kind of competition definitely helped us," Richmond said. "We put that schedule together to help us for the OVC. I want to play the toughest competition there is out there. That's only going to make our program stronger."

As expected, standout senior shortstop Jenny Oermann leads the Otahkians offensively with a .375 batting average and three home runs.

But Southeast has gotten strong performances from several other players, including freshmen Emmy Kisaka and Courtney Eklund.

Kisaka is second on the team with a .329 batting average while Eklund is hitting a solid .268 with 13 runs batted in, third best on the squad.

"I knew a couple of our freshmen would have to step up and they have answered the bell," said Richmond.

Renee Enos, a sophomore catcher, is having a big season with a .321 average and a team-high 28 RBIs.

"She has really hit the ball," said Richmond.

Junior-college transfer Kelsey White has come through with a .298 average while senior center fielder Anne Trieb is having her best season with a .289 average and a team-high eight doubles. Junior Tami Hebert is hitting .299.

"Anne has been in the program four years and she's hitting better than she ever has," Richmond said. "She's really stepped up."

Pitching, as usual, has been solid, led by four-year stalwarts Christine Engelhardt and Debbie Schmelz. Engelhardt is 13-5 with 1.75 earned-run average while Schmelz is 8-9 with a 2.16 ERA.

"The records don't really reflect how well they've done," said Richmond. "They have really been tough in the OVC. They have both had unbelievable four-year careers for us."