Michael Clark, Eastern Kentucky University – Director of Athletic Public Relations
RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University softball team was picked to finish second in the East Division in the 2014 Ohio Valley Conference softball race as voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
EKU, which captured the 2013 OVC East Division title, was edged out as the division’s preseason favorite by Jacksonville State. The Gamecocks picked up 120 total points, just two more than the Colonels. Both teams received 12 first-place votes.
SIUE was tabbed the preseason favorite in the West Division.
Eastern returns six position starters as well as both starting pitchers from the 2013 team that recorded 36 wins, the most by a Colonel squad since 2004. Three returnees earned All-OVC honors last year – sophomore outfielder Sarah Fobbs, junior pitcher Leanna Pittsenbarger and junior catcher Katie Tackett.
Seven different OVC teams have won a regular-season championship with Tennessee Tech and Southeast Missouri leading the way with five titles each. The regular season champion has gone on to win the league tournament title 13 times since the inception of the championship in 1994. Last year, Eastern Illinois won its second OVC regular season title while Jacksonville State earned its fourth league tournament crown.
The 2014 OVC Softball Championship will feature the top eight teams. The three-day event will take place on May 7-10 on the campus of the top seed.
Eastern Kentucky begins the spring season on Feb. 7 against Samford in the Mercer Invitational. The Colonels’ home opener is slated for Tuesday, March 4 with a doubleheader against East Tennessee State.
2014 OVC SOFTBALL PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
(as voted on by the league’s head softball coaches and sports information directors)
EAST
1. Jacksonville State (12 first-place votes) – 120
2. Eastern Kentucky (12 first-place votes) – 118
3. Tennessee Tech – 86
4. Morehead State – 79
5. Belmont – 54
6. Tennessee State – 35
WEST
1. SIUE (19 first-place votes) – 129
2. Eastern Illinois (Two first-place votes) – 97
3. UT Martin (One first-place votes) – 93
4. Murray State (Two first-place votes) – 82
5. Austin Peay – 49
6. Southeast Missouri – 37
(*Schools were not allowed to rank their own team. 6 points awarded for a first-place vote, five for second, etc.)
