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2009 OVC Tournament Bracket (PDF)

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -- The Eastern Illinois softball squad lost a tough 6-5 road game at Austin Peay on Sunday, dropping the three-game series to the Lady Govs in the regular-season Ohio Valley Conference contest for both squads.

Fortunately for EIU, SEMO took three games from Tennessee State, which gives the Panthers a sixth place regular-season league finish and berth into the upcoming OVC tournament, to be held at regular-season champion JSU this coming Thursday thru Saturday in Jacksonville, Ala.  The top six teams will compete in the double-elimination tournament for a chance to advance to the NCAA Regional.

The Panthers will open tournament action versus third seed Morehead State at 10 am.

On Saturday, the Panthers lost the first game in a ten-inning 7-6 nailbiter before rebounding for the 11-3 five-inning mercy rule rout.  With the loss on Sunday, Eastern finished the regular season at 25-27 overall and 9-14 in league play.

In the 6-5 Sunday loss, five different EIU players registered a hit in the loss, with Megan Nelson, and Melinda Jackson each connecting for a double.  Both Nelson and Jackson, as well as senior Sarah Coppert and freshman Hailee Hannah, also earned an RBI with their respective hits.

Other Panthers tabbed for a hit included junior outfielder Denee' Menzione and sophomore infielder Kiley Holtz.

After Austin Peay got on board in the bottom of the first, the Panthers tied the score in the second as Nelson's double brought home pinch-runner Maria Sorrentino.  Unfortunately the home squad would spot five more runs in their half of the second frame to take the 6-1 lead.

However, the Panthers would slow but surely get back into the game, scoring two runs in the third, and single runs in both the fourth and sixth innings.  But the softball 'gods' seemed to be against the Panthers as Eastern ended up stranding 12 total runners on base, including bases loaded situations in the first and second stanzas.

Senior Kathleen Jacoby picked up her second loss of the weekend, dropping her to 7-10 on the year. , after just one and two-thirds innings of work.  She walked four, struck out no batters and fanned two hits while allowing five earned runs.  Sophomore thrower Taylor Lawson pitched the rest of the game, striking out four and walking one, while also allowing no runs and just one hit.

... for more info, contact Bart Rettberg, Asst. SID