Saturday Results | Complete Bracket Results
NORMAL, Ill. – Amber May pitched a no-hitter against Illinois State in the morning game and Eastern Illinois softball defeated SIU Carbondale in extra innings later in the day to win the silver bracket of the State Farm Illinois Collegiate Softball Championship Sunday.
Sarah Coppert homered twice in the Illinois State game, which EIU won 4-0. Coppert also scored the game-winning run in the 4-3 victory against SIU, coasting home from third on a sacrifice fly to deep center off the bat of
Jen Saucier in the ninth inning.
May also pitched the final 4 2/3 innings against SIU, keeping the Salukis off the scoreboard. The Normal native struck out 10 in her no-hit shutout against ISU.
Saturday, the Panthers rallied back from a 4-0 deficit to defeat Heartland College, 7-4, in nine innings. However, a 3-0 loss to Northwestern relegated EIU to the silver bracket Sunday. Northwestern went on to lose to DePaul in the final of the gold bracket.
“It was an extremely well-pitched game against ISU,” EIU head coach Kim Schuette said. “But I was pleased with our all-around play. I thought we put together really good team efforts against Heartland and SIU. The Northwestern game was a case of them getting one big hit. But I felt like we had more opportunities to score. It was just a good weekend for Eastern softball.”
Kathleen Jacoby keyed the Heartland win, pitching four innings of one-hit relief and delivering a two-run double in the ninth inning.
Kiley Holtz opened the scoring in the game-deciding frame with a home run.
The Panthers found themselves in an early hole against Heartland after May gave up a first inning grand slam to her former team.
Schuette said shortstop
Megan Nelson and catcher
Hailee Hanna made the key defensive plays behind May's no-hit performance in the circle. Nelson snared a sinking line drive behind second base and Hanna made a diving catch on a foul pop up.
Coppert hit a solo homer and two-run shot against Illinois State. Angela Danca doubled home a run and scored on the second of Coppert's two blasts.
The middle of the EIU order also delivered in a big way in the wins against Heartland and SIU. Coppert,
Denee' Menzione, Holtz and Saucier strung together four straight hits in the sixth inning versus Heartland, cutting the deficit in half. An inning later, all four players reached safely again as EIU sent the game into extra innings. Menzione scored the game-tying run on a wild pitch.
Eastern trailed SIU 3-0 until the fifth inning when Hanna and Maria Sorrentino ignited a rally with consecutive singles. Coppert and Menzione both delivered two-out, run-scoring hits. Menzione's two-run single plated the game-tying run.
The Panthers continue their fall schedule Saturday when they host a four-team tournament at Williams Field. Heartland, Robert Morris (of Chicago) and Lake Land are slated to participate.
2008 STATE FARM ILLINOIS COLLEGIATE SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP DAY TWO RESULTS
Gold Bracket
Northwestern 7, Illinois-Chicago 0
DePaul 7, Illinois 6
Consolation: Illinois 7, Illinois-Chicago 3 (11)
Championship: DePaul 12, Northwestern 3 (6)
Silver Bracket
Eastern Illinois 4, Illinois State 0
SIU-Carbondale 12, Bradley 3
Consolation: Illinois State 2, Bradley 1
Championship: Eastern Illinois 4, SIU-Carbondale (9)
Bronze Bracket
Northern Illinois 6, Heartland CC 5
Western Illinois 2, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville 1
Consolation: Southern Illinois-Edwardsville 1, Heartland CC 0
Championship: Northern Illinois 3, Western Illinois 0
