Softball Hopes to Soar Above Golden Eagles This Weekend :: Otahkians host Tennessee Tech for crucial three-game conference series.

April 12, 2002

Tennessee Tech Game Notes and Statistics in PDF Format
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Southeast (7-19, 4-7 OVC)
vs. Tennessee Tech (23-18, 6-2 OVC)
April 13, 2002, 1:00 p.m. (DH)
April 14, 2002, 1:00 p.m.
Cape Girardeau, Mo. - Southeast Softball Complex (600)
All-Time Series: Southeast leads 26-15.

About Southeast: After a heartbreaking seventh inning loss to Eastern Illinois in game one of a doubleheader on Tuesday, Southeast Missouri went on to lose game two by a margin of 6-0 and are currently on a three-game losing streak. The Otahkians will look to change their fortunes against a powerful Tennessee Tech squad this weekend.

Last season, Tech won two of three games against SEMO in Cookesville, although all three games were close. This season the Golden Eagles , the preseason favorite in the league, find themselves in second place in the OVC entering the stretch run of the regular season.

Southeast has had the hot bat of senior outfielder Courtney Eklund come alive lately. After being in a slump, Eklund is 7-15 (.467) in her last five games including three doubles. Her hot bat combined with that of Brooke Nett (.353 in her last five games including a homerun) will be important when battling Tech this weekend.

Tech is led by the one-two offensive punch of LeeAnne Mongar and Stephanie Dallmann. Mongar is hitting .357 this season with a team-high seven homeruns. Dallmann, who ranked fourth in the nation in batting averaged in 2001 with a .451 average, is a little down this season at .295 but was 41 toal hits, two triples and three homeruns. She had a 19-game hitting streak which ended Thursday versus Lipscomb. On the mound, Lori Bayless, a two-time OVC Pitcher of the Week this season, is 12-8 with a 1.26 E.R.A in 122 1/3 innings.

Tech enters this weekend's series having won 11 of their last 14 games. Last year, the Golden Eagles took two of three games from Southeast in Cookeville.

This series marks the last home games for Southeast until April 24, when river-rival Southern Illinois comes to down for a 3:00 p.m. doubleheader.

About the Opposition: Tennessee Tech (23-18, 6-2 OVC)

Tennessee Tech capped a successful 2001 campaign by winning its second ever OVC Regular Season and Tournament championships while posting a 44-20 overall record. This season, with much of its contributors back, the Golden Eagles were once again picked to win it all.

Last time out on Thursday, Tech split a non-conference doubleheader with Lipscomb, winning game on 5-1 before losing the nightcap 1-0 in eight innings. The extra innning game marked the eighth extra frames game they have competed in this season.

Last season, Tech took two of three games from Southeast in Cookeville, which turned out to be important because the Golden Eagles bested the Otahkians by one game in the conference race. Southeast has won six of the last nine in the series, dating back to the 1999 season.

Tech Statistical Leaders

Batting:	LeeAnne Mongar (.357)
Hits:	        Mongar (46)
Runs:	        Marianne Novac (21)
2B:		Monar (10)
3B:		Stephanie Dallman (2)
HR:		Mongar (7)
RBI:		Mongar (27)
SB:		Samantha Lovelady (11)
E.R.A.:	        Lori Bayless (1.26)
IP:		Bayless (122.1)
Wins:	        Bayless (12)
K's:		Bayless (99)

Coaching Comparisons

Southeast - Lana Richmond
At SEMO (20 yrs.) - 616-347-2


Tennessee Tech - Tory Acheson
At Tech (4 yrs.) - 129-778
Overall (9 yrs.) - 429-173

Southeast Notes

Avoid the Fifth: Southeast has been outscored 25-9 in the fifth inning this season. The Otahkians only hold a scoring advantage over their opponents in one inning, the sixth (10-6).

Injury Upate: Both Brooke Nett and Dawn Piantino were injured in the EIU game on Tuesday. Nett did not play the field in game two but did hit and is probable for this weekend's series. Piantino was injured in game one when not one, but two EIU baserunners ran into her at shortstop, injuring her shoulder. Piantino will be a game-time decision this weekend after being re-evaluated.

Pinch Hitting Success: When needing a lift off the bench, Southeast has had success with pinch hitters. In total, those hitters are a combined 14-40 (.350) off the bench. Christine Knobbe leads the way with three hits as a pinch hitter, including two triples. The total of two triples leads the team this season.

Almost There: Four Otahkians currently hitting over .300 but do not have enough at-bats to qualify for the team or league lead. Stacy DeClue (.667), Kelly Birk (.400), Michelle Lunsford (.400) and Katie Cerneka (.318) are all hitting above or at that mark.

Not So Friendly Confines: Southeast currently has a 4-10 record at home, with seven games remaining to be played. The Otahkians have never had a losing record at the Southeast Softball Complex in its three prior seasons. They have also never had a losing record when they played their games in the center of campus at their other field.

Other Dubious Streaks: Southeast Coach Lana Richmond has never had a losing record in her 19 prior seasons at Southeast. A 25-25 record from 2001 is the worst record she has posted in her career. In the 22 years of softball at Southeast, the Otahkians have only had one losing season, a 21-28 mark in 1982.

OVC Leaders: Individually, two Otahkians lead the league in an statistical category. Senior Dawn Piantino leads the OVC in walks per game (.46) while Courtney Eklund leads the league in doubles (.35).

OVC Leaders Part II: Although Southeast leads in only one OVC category, Piantino ranks in the Top 10 in an amazing nine categories.

In the Field: As a team, Southeast has a .964 team fielding percentage up from the .951 percentage the team had last season. Three Otahkians, 1B Amy Thompson, C Jennifer Cobin, and P Rachel Van Fleet, all have perfect 1.000 fielding percentages.

Bring on the Righties: Southeast started the season 1-13 (.077) versus lefties. Since then the Otahks have improved their mark to 22-72 (.306), a higher percentage than they are hitting against righties.

Hitting Streaks: OF Courtney Eklund has the longest current hitting steak, at four games. Brooke Nett owns the longest streak at any point of the season, seven games.

Multiple Hits: Dawn Piantino and Brooke Nett currently lead Southeast with seven multiple-hit games this season. Altogether, 13 of the 17 regular Otahk batters have had multi-hit games this year.

Consistent Starters: Only one Otahkian 1B Reagan Hamlin has started every game this season at the same position. Last season, Hamlin was the only team member to start in all 50 games. She did so at 1B, 3B or at pitcher.

The Otahkians are . . .

4-7 When they score first. 1-8 When scoring in the first inning. 7-1 When leading after six innings. 0-13 When trailing after six innings. 7-1 When outhitting their opponents. 4-6 When committing fewer errors than opponent. 3-5 When hitting at least one home run. 2-5 When turning at least one double play. 4-1 When stealing more bases than opponent. 4-7 When they steal at least one base. 4-2 When they strike out less than opponent. 3-10 When they draw at least two base on balls. 1-6 When leaving fewer than five runners on base. 1-7 In one-run games. 0-3 In two-run games. 3-7 In five + run games. 0-4 In shutout games. 0-1 In extra inning games. 7-15 In games starting before 5:00 p.m. 0-4 In games starting after 5:00 p.m. 4-14 When playing in a doubleheader game. 2-0 On Monday. 1-5 On Tuesday. 0-2 On Wednesday. 0-2 On Thursday. 1-5 On Friday. 3-3 On Saturday. 0-2 On Sunday.

OVC Standings

	                OVC				Overall
	                W	L	T	Pct.	W	L	T	Pct.
Eastern Kentucky     	9	1	0	.900	23	8	0	.742
Tennessee Tech	        6	2	0	.750	23	18	0	.561
Tennessee-Martin	7	3	0	.700	18	22	0	.450
Morehead State	        5	5	1	.455	9	21	1	.306
Eastern Illinois	4	6	0	.400	12	15	0	.444
Southeast Missouri 	4	7	0	.364	7	19	0	.269
Austin Peay	        2	6	1	.278	13	26	1	.338
Tennessee State	        2	9	0	.182	8	23	0	.258