OTAHKS CLAIM OVC TOURNEY

It took three games and a change of venue, but Southeast Missouri State University's offense finally resurfaced.

The Otahkians won the Ohio Valley Conference softball tournament Monday night with a 13-4 win over Eastern Illinois at Shawnee Park.

The mercy-rule-shortened victory came after a 3-2 win in eight innings and a 2-1 loss in Southeast's first chance to win the double-elimination tournament earlier Monday. Both games were against Eastern Illinois and were played at Parker Field.

In its wins Saturday and Sunday, Southeast scored eight runs in both games and had 14 and 12 hits, respectively.

That offense finally erupted again Monday night.

Southeast pounded out 13 hits. The Otahkians were led by Chris Shetley, who went 4-for-4 with two home runs, two doubles, a school-record seven RBIs as well as three runs scored.

"Today I just came out and nailed the ball," said Shetley, a senior right fielder from Kirkwood. "I thought I had to provide something to help out."

Center fielder Kim Palmer went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer and scored three runs, and tournament MVP Jenny Oermann, who went 12-for-19 (.631) in the tournament and played excellent defense, was 2-for-4 and scored two runs.

"One person gets (the tournament MVP award), but there's not a single person on this team that doesn't deserve it," said Oermann. "It was just one of those tournaments. Everything fell and it just felt good ."

Oermann, Palmer, Shetley and pitchers Debbie Schmelz and Christine Engelhardt, who got the win in the championship game, were each named to the all-tournament team.

"We made our statement there in the last game," said Southeast coach Lana Richmond. "It was just a tremendous performance. We answered the call."

Southeast (38-11-1) will play host to a best-of-three NCAA play-in Thursday at Parker Field against nationally ranked DePaul. A doubleheader is scheduled for Thursday; a game will be played Friday if needed.

Southeast jumped on Eastern Illinois in the top of the first in the title game. After Oermann and Palmer singled, Shetley launched a 3-2 pitch over the left-center field wall.

The lead stretched to 5-0 in the third -- again because of Shetley. With two out Shetley doubled over right fielder Vicki Rinando to score both Ricki DeArmon and Tami Hebert.

But Eastern Illinois rallied and got two in the third and two more in the fourth, cutting the gap to 5-4.

Southeast then struck again with a six-run sixth. After Palmer blasted the three-run homer, her 10th of the year, with one out, Shetley doubled.

Michelle Frank reached on a fielder's choice before Erin Frazier plated Shetley and Frank with a double. Josie Earnest then doubled in Frazier, putting Southeast ahead 11-4.

In the sixth, Shetley completed her dream night with a two-run homer to left, her seventh this season.

Engelhardt (14-5) allowed five hits in her 3 2/3 innings. Schmelz delivered a wild pitch that allowed Rinando to score on her first offering upon entering in the fourth. But from there the OVC's pitcher of the year scattered two hits while blanking the Panthers for 2 2/3 innings.

In the first game Monday, Oermann came home on a Frank groundout and eluded catcher Amy Kukman with a wide slide to win the game in the bottom of the eighth.

In the second game, Eastern Illinois pitcher Sara DaLaere's homer in the top of the seventh, the Panthers' first homer of the season in 45 games, won the game.

Eastern Illinois played four consecutive games Monday and DaLaere, who was named to the all-tournament team, pitched 19 1/3 innings Monday.

"It was a long day," said Eastern Illinois coach Lloydene Searle. "I can't be more proud of the team and the effort they put in today."