SOUTHEAST GOES 1-1 IN SOFTBALL TOURNEY

Southeast Missouri went 1-1 Saturday in its season-opening 2000 Southeast Missouri Softball Classic.

After defeating Northern Iowa 4-1 in its opener, the Otahkians fell 3-2 to Southwest Missouri.

Southwest Missouri, Creighton and Iowa State all finished the first day with 2-0 records. Southeast and Bradley were both 1-1 and Western Kentucky, Northern Iowa and IUPUI were 0-2.

Against Northern Iowa, Southeast's Renee Mueller fired a two-hitter. She struck out six and walked two.

Southeast banged out eight hits with Kelsey White leading the way with a 3-for-4 performance. Brooke Nett added a pair of hits.

Northern Iowa scored a run in the second and carried a 1-0 lead into the top of the fourth. Southeast then scored single runs in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings.

Melinda McClintock, the first of two Northern Iowa pitchers, took the loss.

Southeast found itself in a 3-0 hole against Southwest and was unable to overtake the Lady Bears. Jenny Doehring pitched the first three innings for the Otahkians and was tagged with the loss. She allowed four hits, struck out three and allowed a pair of runs in the third inning.

Southwest (4-9) added a fourth-inning run off Jennifer Dippel, who pitched the final three innings.

Southeast chased winning pitcher Jessica Davis in a two-run fifth, but saw Tauni Kennemer come on to close the door.

The Otahkians had eight hits in the game. Tawnya Grout led Southwest's six-hit attack with two hits.

Tournament action continues today.

Results from Saturday's games:

Southeast Missouri 4, Northern Iowa 1

Creighton 7, Western Kentucky 4

Iowa State 1, Bradley 0

Southwest Missouri 3, Southeast Missouri 2

Creighton 6, IUPUI 0

Iowa State 4, Nothern Iowa 1

Southwest Missouri 5, Western Kentucky 2

Bradley 4, IUPUI 1