OTAHKS REACH SEMIS OF OVC TOURNAMENT

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- For the first time since 1994, Southeast Missouri State University's softball team is not the No. 1 seed for the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.

But the third-seeded Otahkians played like anything but underdogs Thursday as the six-team event got under way here.

The Otahkians picked up a pair of victories, first slipping past sixth-seeded Morehead State 4-3 and then rallying for a 3-2, eight-inning win over second-seeded Eastern Illinois in the winner's bracket semifinals.

Southeast, which improved to 30-22 by winning for the 18th time in its last 22 games, will take on top-seeded and host Middle Tennessee at noon today in the winner's bracket final. The finals are set for 5 p.m. today.

MTSU (37-19) and Southeast are the only two undefeated squads left in the tournament. The Lady Raiders advanced by slipping past fourth-seeded Tennessee Tech 1-0 Thursday.

"We had two very good games and it was exciting to win both of them," said Southeast coach Lana Richmond.

Freshman Jenny Doehring and senior Kelsey White were two of the heroes for the Otahkians Thursday.

Doehring pitched 11 innings, earning a save with three shutout innings against Morehead State and then gaining the win by hurling all eight innings against Eastern Illinois.

White went 5-for-7 in the two contests and had a dramatic game-tying infield single against Eastern Illinois.

"Those two players had fantastic days," Richmond said.

Jennifer Dippel pitched the first four innings to get the win against Morehead State. White and Courtney Eklund both had home runs.

Against Eastern Illinois, a Renee Enos homer in the sixth pulled Southeast to within 2-1. Then in the seventh, White's infield single with two outs scored Michelle Frank and forced extra innings.

Southeast won it in the eighth as Doehring doubled and scored on Eklund's two-out single.

* The all-OVC teams were announced Thursday during the tournament and two Southeast players -- catcher Enos and utility player Doehring -- made the first team.

Enos, a junior, is batting a team-high .323 with three homers and 25 RBIs.

Doehring is Southeast's second-leading hitter at .305, while on the mound she is 9-5 with a team-best 1.60 earned-run average.

Two other Otahkians made honorable-mention all-OVC, Dippel and second baseman Emmy Kisaka. Dippel did not allow an earned run during OVC play while Kisaka is hitting .280.