OTAHKS WIN 1ST NCAA TOURNEY GAME

TUCSON, Ariz. -- It took an RBI ground ball in the bottom of the seventh for the Southeast Missouri State Otahkians to pick up their first-ever win in the NCAA Tournament.

Joanna Hicks hit a hard grounder into the hole that the shortstop had to backhand. The throw came home, but it was wide and a tag could not be applied as Southeast slipped past East Carolina 2-1 in NCAA Region 2 action Friday.

It was not only the first NCAA win for Southeast, but the first for any Ohio Valley Conference school.

"It feels great," said Southeast coach Lana Richmond. "We were coming in to make some noise and we're kind of getting louder. It was a great win for the program and the conference and for the seniors on the Southeast team."

With one out in the seventh, Emma Kisaka singled up the middle. Michelle Frank doubled to leftcenter to move pinch-runner Alisha Liley to third, setting up Hick's game-winning RBI.

East Carolina took a 1-0 lead in the third when left fielder Amekea McDougald led off the inning with a homer -- her fourth of the year -- to rightcenter.

Southeast (31-16) tied the game when Ricki DeArmon led off the fourth with a single, stole second, advanced to third on a single by Jenny Oermann, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Renee Enos.

East Carolina (50-20) threatened in the fifth. The Pirates had runners at second and third with no one out, but Southeast relief pitcher Debbie Schmelz induced a groundout and fanned two to end the inning.

"That was the definite key in the ball game," Richmond said. "When (Schmelz) came in it turned the game around. She came in and just did an outstanding job."

Schmelz picked up the win after pitching a nearly flawless three innings. She allowed just one hit and struck out four.

Starter Christine Engelhardt pitched the first four innings and allowed one run on three hits and four walks. She struck out two.

Southeast managed seven hits total, two by DeArmon and two by second baseman Michelle Frank.

Southeast will play today at 7 p.m. against the loser of the Maryland-Kansas game.