2002 OVC Softball Tournament Bracketin PDF Format
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April 28, 2002

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - The Southeast Missouri State Otahkian softball team will open Ohio Valley Conference Tournament action next Friday afternoon against the Austin Peay Lady Govs at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time (9:00 a.m. Central) in Richmond, Ky.

An Eastern Kentucky doubleheader sweep of Tennessee State on Sunday afternoon not only clinched the Colonels the OVC Regular Season Title but the right to host the OVC Tournament. This will be the second time EKU has hosted the tournament, also doing so in 1995.

Southeast (13-25, 9-12 OVC) will enter the tournament as the #5 seed and play #4 seed Austin Peay (19-32-1, 8-10-1) in the opening round. The Otahkians took two of three from the Lady Govs in the season series. Southeast actually had one more conference victory than APSU, but the Lady Govs claimed the number four spot by having a better overall winning percentage, as they played in two less games and had a tie in their record.

If Southeast is victorious, they would battle number one seed Eastern Kentucky at 12:00 p.m. on Friday. A loss would send them to a 4:00 p.m. game in the consolation bracket on Friday.

This will be the ninth OVC Softball Tournament. Southeast has claimed five titles at the event, winning in 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999. Tennessee Tech, the 2001 Tournament Champions, has the second most number of titles, two.

The #5 seed is the lowest ever for Southeast. The team had been a #3 seed twice previously, the lowest until this season.

The other first round matchup will pit #6 Eastern Illinois against #3 Tennessee-Martin. #1 seed Eastern Kentucky and #2 seed and defending champion Tennessee Tech received byes. For complete bracket, see PDF file at the top of this page.