OVC HONORS OTAHKIANS' SCHMELZ, RICHMOND

Lana Richmond and Debbie Schmelz earned Southeast Missouri State University's top honors Saturday as the all-Ohio Valley Conference softball team was announced.

Richmond was named OVC Coach of the Year for the fourth consecutive season. She led Southeast to a 34-10-1 regular-season record and its fourth straight OVC championship.

Richmond has a 518-263-2 record in 16 seasons as the Otahkians' coach.

Schmelz was named OVC Pitcher of the Year. The junior compiled a 17-4 record and 1.18 earned-run average during the regular season. She had a 7-0 record and an 0.43 ERA in OVC play.

All told, Southeast placed four members on the all-OVC first team: Schmelz, shortstop Jenny Oermann and outfielders Kim Palmer and Chris Shetley.

Oermann batted .400 with 31 runs batted in. Palmer, last year's OVC Player of the Year, led the Otahkians with a .402 batting average, eight home runs and 37 RBIs. Shetley hit .342 and had a team-high 19 doubles.

Three Otahkians earned second-team all-OVC honors: catcher Renee Enos, infielder Michelle Frank and pitcher Christine Engelhardt.

Enos, one of only three freshman on the Southeast squad this season, batted .273. Frank hit .277 with 21 RBIs. Engelhardt had a 14-5 record with a 2.46 ERA.