SOUTHWEST MISSOURI SWEEPS PAIR OF GAMES FROM OTAHKS

ST. LOUIS -- The Southeast Missouri State University Otahkian softball team got swept away by the Southwest Missouri Lady Bears Tuesday in Manchester Park.

The Otahkians lost the first game 8-4, then dropped an extra-inning heart-breaker 1-0 in the nightcap. The non-conference losses dropped the Otahks' record to 27-20-1. The Otahkians will conclude their regular-season schedule today with a 3 p.m. doubleheader at Parker Field against St. Louis University.

Southeast sophomore Christine Engelhardt and the Lady Bears' Beth Cagwin locked up in a pitching duel in the nightcap. Engelhardt took a no-hitter into the eighth inning, but after a walk, sacrifice and groundout, the Lady Bears' first hit scored the only run of the game. Engelhardt ended with a two-hitter, striking out three and walking two.

Cagwin allowed only four base runners in her eight innings of two-hit ball. The Southwest hurler was overpowering, striking out 14 batters and allowing only one walk for the win.

Kim palmer and Erin Frazier were the only two Otahkians to get hits off Cagwin.

In the first game, Southwest scored five runs on five hits in the first inning off of Southeast starter Sara Reichert and never looked back.