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Tournament Series Stats (PDF)

MARTIN, Tenn. -- The Eastern Illinois softball squad took the #1-Seed and host UT Martin to the limit on Thursday night in the nightcap of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament, but the home squad would use the long ball to scratch past the Panthers, 3-2, late in the game. Eastern falls to 23-26 on the year with the tough loss.

Five different Panthers -- Melise Brown, Megan Nelson#, Denee' Menzione, Kiley Holtz, and Jen Saucier each connected on a hit with both Nelson and Menzione earning an RBI, plating Brown and Saucier.

After throwing a complete game earlier in the day, junior ace Amber May would return to action and pick up the tough loss in the circle, dropping her to 16-15 on the year. She would finish with one strikeout and two walks.

After being retired in order to open up play, EIU got off to a great start defensively in the bottom of the inning. The home squad threatened early as UTM's Megan Williams, who was tabbed as the OVC Player of the Year, got to third base via a double and sac bunt. However, senior outfielder Denee' Menzione caught a high hit foul ball down the right field line and proceeded to gun the throw to catcher Hailee Hanna to tag Williams at the plate, stunning the partisan home crowd.

In the second inning, UTM's pitcher Paij Lintz, the OVC Pitcher of the Year, once again held the Panthers in check as EIU were retired in order off three straight put-outs.

The Skyhawks, buoyed by the large crowd, would threaten once again, as two runners moved to first and second with zero outs. But once again, the Panther defense brought their A-Game, retiring the next three UTM batters, with second baseman Jen Saucier earning two putouts on her own to strand the two runners.

With two outs in the third, Jen Saucier continued where she left off in the first game of the tournament in which she helped EIU take the win over Murray State with a walk-off single. This time she hit a blooper over the head of the second baseman for the first EIU hit of the game. Melise Brown would follow that with a bunt that would turn into a fielding error by UTM, giving the Panthers runners at first and second with two out.

Megan Nelson would then connect on another bloop hit, dropping into right center once again, plating Saucier from second to give the Panthers the early lead. The EIU bats then continu to fly as Denee' Menzione ripped a shot up the middle scoring Brown, which quickly silenced the home crowd as EIU led 2-0.

However, the home squad would get out of the inning and finally get on the scoreboard via their half of the third frame, off a walk-up solo homerun in the bottom of the third, but May would earn her first strikeout and then retire the next two UTM batters to hold the Skyhawks to just one run.

A one-out double by the host team would allow UTM to threaten once again in the fourth inning, but they were unable to capitalize, as the Panthers would strand one runner following lengthy at-bats.

After UTM's thrower Paij struck out two EIU batters, Brown used her speed to beat out a bunt just in front of the home plate. Unfortunately EIU couldn't take advantage as one of several line-drives by the Panthers would find the glove by the UTM infield.

For the fifth straight inning, the Skyhawks would threaten yet again in the fifth, earning two runners via an EIU throwing error and fielders choice with one out. But EIU's Nelson would throw to Holtz at third for a fielder's choice second out. A hard rip by the next UTM batter to left field would get the UTM crowd excited but to no avail as EIU's Brown would easily catch the deep line drive to strand the sixth Skyhawk base runner of the game.

In their own half of the sixth, Holtz would rope a one-out single up the middle and Maria Sorrentino would come in to run for the junior and promptly steal second. But UTM's ace thrower would get the Panthers to strike out to strand the fourth EIU runner.

After threatening a number of times, UTM would finally take advantage of being at home as they plated a runner off a single and then connected on a one-out two-run homer by the Skyhawk designated player. That would give Martin their first lead of the game and they would hold on to pick up the come-from-behind win, 3-2.

EIU will now attempt to battle back from the losers bracket on Friday, as they will face #3-Seed Morehead State at 1:30 pm, with the loser going home.