OTAHKS TAKE TWO FROM EIU

And the winning beat continues for Southeast Missouri State University's softball team.

The Otahkians picked up two crucial Ohio Valley Conference victories Wednesday as they swept a doubleheader from visiting Eastern Illinois at Parker Field.

Southeast romped 10-2 in a six-inning, run-rule first game and then squeezed out a 4-2 victory in the second contest.

The Otahkians, who have won the past four OVC titles, are now 27-5-1 overall and 10-0 in league play. They have won 16 straight games.

EIU, which had also been undefeated in conference play, fell to 12-11 overall and 4-2 in the OVC.

"We kept the streak going and we're really playing well," said Southeast coach Lana Richmond. "These two games were pivotal as far as the OVC goes.

"Eastern Illinois is usually one of the better teams (in the OVC) so beating them twice is great."

After rolling in the first game, the Otahkians looked like they might be in some trouble in the nightcap when EIU rallied with two runs in the top of the fifth inning to force a 2-2 tie.

But not to worry. In the bottom of the fifth, Tami Hebert doubled and then Kim Palmer ripped a two-run home run over the center-field fence.

Palmer, after going hitless in the opener, said she was relieved to come through in the second game.

"It felt pretty good to hit it solid compared to the first game, when I didn't hit the ball well at all," said a smiling Palmer, last year's OVC Female Athlete of the Year. "These two wins are huge. They came in here undefeated and we had to make a stand at home."

Slick-fielding shortstop Jenny Oermann was Southeast's offensive standout on the day as she went 3-for-3 in the opener and 2-for-3 in the nightcap. She also scored four runs and drove in two.

Ricki DeArmon had three hits on the day as the Otahkians had nine hits in the opener and seven in the nightcap.

Debbie Schmelz had a big day on the mound. She went all six innings of the first game, allowing three hits while striking out six and walking one in raising her record to 13-3.

Then Schmelz earned a well-deserved save in the second contest by throwing two scoreless and hitless innings.

Christine Engelhardt was the winner in the second game, improving to 11-2 as she allowed six hits in five innings. Both runs she allowed were unearned.

Richmond said the key to the first-game romp was the way the Otahkians ran the bases.

"We did a lot of hit and run, slap and run and bunt and run," she said. "Our ability to execute was the key. Our runners were making the defense move and then we were hitting the ball with their defense out of position.

"When you hit the ball and get some runs, you're able to do things like that."

The Otahkians broke a 1-1 first-game tie with four in the third. They cruised the rest of the way, getting three in the fourth and later ending the contest by way of the eight-run rule with two in the sixth.

Southeast will return to action today when Evansville visits Parker Field for a 2 p.m. non-league doubleheader.