SE OUSTED FROM NCAA TOURNEY; OTAHKS FALL 3-1 IN 11 INNINGS

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Southeast Missouri State University softball coach Lana Richmond said her team was looking to make some noise during its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division I Tournament.

The Otahkians did just that.

Southeast, after Thursday's opening loss to Kansas, won its first-ever Division I tourney game Friday night by beating East Carolina. The Otahkians then gave highly-regarded Kansas a huge scare Saturday night before dropping a 3-1 decision in 11 innings.

The Otahkians were thus eliminated from the six-team Regional II hosted by the University of Arizona. Kansas and Arizona played a late game Saturday for the right to meet Maryland in today's championship round.

Kansas improved its record to 31-29 while Southeast completed its season at 31-17.

Kansas took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning as Shelly Musser singled, stole second and scored on Christi Musser's single.

Southeast tied things in the bottom of the sixth. Renee Enos led off with a double, was sacrificed to third and scored with two outs on Kansas pitcher Sarah Workman's wild pitch.

That's the way things stood until the top of the 11th, when the Jayhawks came up with two runs. Shelly Musser led off with a single, stole second, moved to third on Christi Musser's single and then both pulled a double-delayed steal as the go-ahead run came in. Shannon Stanwix doubled in Christi Musser for the final run.

Kansas had trouble cashing in on 18 hits. Christi Musser led the way with four hits while Shelly Musser added three. Leah Tabb, Megan Urquhart and Courtney Wright all had two hits.

Southeast had eight hits, with Joanna Hicks going 3-for-3. Ricki DeArmon added two hits while Jenny Oermann, Anne Trieb and Enos had the other hits.

Kansas stranded 15 runners in the game while Southeast left 12 runners on base.

Workman (20-14) was the winning pitcher. She hurled the final 7 2/3 innings, allowing six hits and one run. Christy McPhail gave up two hits and no runs in 3 1/3 innings.

Debbie Schmelz (14-11) took the loss, giving up 11 hits and three runs in 6 2/3 innings. Christine Engelhardt gave up seven hits by no runs in 4 1/3 innings.