SEMO SOFTBALL HEADS WEST FOR CAPITAL CLASSIC

Southeast Missouri State University's softball team will spend spring break in California competing in one of the nation's toughest tournaments.

The Otahkians will join 15 other squads in the Capital Classic in Sacramento.

"We are excited about going to one of the top tournaments in the country, which features a lot of ranked teams," said Southeast coach Lana Richmond. "I still feel we are a veteran club and this will help us because we will be playing against top-notch competition."

Southeast has struggled some in the early going, winning just one of its first four games.

"We want to upgrade our play because we are not playing well under pressure right now," said Richmond. "The types of teams we will be playing (in California) will make us stronger for conference play."

The Otahkians, who were scheduled to leave for California early this morning, will have two games in Sacramento prior to the tournament, facing Indiana State Monday and Cal State-Sacramento Tuesday.

Tourney play begins Thursday. The Otahkians are guaranteed of having five games of pool play and as many as four or more games in the double-elimination championship round, depending on how far they advance.

Southeast will open tourney pool play Thursday against Nebraska. The Otahkians will then face San Jose State and Oregon Friday, with more pool play set for Saturday and the championship round set for Saturday and Sunday.

Through the first four games of the season, standout shortstop Jenny Oermann is Southeast's only player batting better than .300. Oermann, who hit .410 last year, is off to a .385 start.