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Tournament Series Stats (PDF)

MARTIN, Tenn. -- The Eastern Illinois softball squad dropped a heartbreaking 3-2 game in nine-innings to the #6-Seed Tennessee Tech squad late Friday evening, ending the Panther season at the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.

EIU finishes the season at 24-27 and lost to the Golden Eagles for the first team all season as the Panthers swept TTU in the regular season and took two from them in 2009 as well.

Leading the Panthers was senior Megan Nelson off her 3-for-5 plate appearance. Sophomore Hailee Hanna went 2-for-3, including a two-run shot to tie the game at two-all.

Fellow senior Angie Danca had a hit as well, while her classmate Denee' Menzione also collected a hit.

Amber May finished a incredible tournament, pitching in all four of the Panther contests, going 2-2 as the All-OVC Second Team honoree finished the season at 17-16. She ended up throwing over 550 pitches over two days.

EIU found themselves down early as the Eagles, who were the designated visitors in the game, got on board in the first inning via a two-RBI double to left center.

A one-out single to center from Megan Nelson and a walk by Denee' Menzione gave the Panthers a first inning threat at third and second base, respectively, but were unable to get a runner to touch home, stranding both.

EIU ace thrower Amber May would retire two Tech batters off strikes in the top of the second, and along with Menzione's diving catch at short right field would strand another TTU runner at second.

After Melinda Jackson drew a one-out walk in the second frame, catcher Hailee Hanna delivered a two-RBI rocket shot to left field, sailing the hit high above the scoreboard to even the game at two-all as the junior tallied her fifth homer of the season.

EIU then dodged a bullet in the top of the third as the Eagles had two players get on base via a double up the middle and a hit-by-pitch, but ended up stranding the two without any damage.

After Nelson was called out at first by the ump as she nearly beat out the throw from the TTU shortstop, causing the EIU fans to argue in mass, Menzione blasted a two-bagger down the left field line upping her consecutive hitting streak to eight straight games. Unfortunately a strikeout and groundout would retire the Panther threat.

Again, the visitors would threaten as two untimely EIU miscues with two outs, including a rare dropped fly ball by the shortstop, Nelson, at shallow center. But the Panthers would dodge a bullet as Danca caught a hit to deep center field, ending Tech's half of the fourth frame.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Panthers had their own chance to take the lead as both Danca and Hanna connected singles, but ended up being stranded off some nice plays by the TTU defense.

Speaking of defense, Brown would make a nice first out play for the Panther in the fifth, running to catch a deep hit down the left field foul area near the fence. May would continue to shine, striking out the two more Tech batters to end the half inning.

The Panthers definitely had a chance to score in the fifth, as Nelson and Menzione stood at third and second with one out, but the TTU pitcher would end the threat with consecutive assists to first base, stranding the two EIU base runners.

After the Eagle's first batter earned a single up the middle, the Panthers turned up the heat as Hanna chased down a high foul close to the backstop netting followed by a combo strikeout and caught stealing play as May retired the next Tech batter following a lengthy at bat and Hannah connected with Nelson at second to nip the stolen base attempt.

In the bottom of the sixth, EIU had another nice chance to take the lead as Hanna earned a one-out walk, with Marie Sorrentino taking over as pinch runner. She would eventually move to third off a passed ball and ground out, but the TTU defense would end the Panther threat.

The Panthers would retire TTU in order in the seventh one via a groundout to May in the circle, the other as May collected her sixth strikeout of the game and a popout to Ally Seplak at second.

EIU had their chance to win it in regulation, as Nelson beat out a single to the second baseman to get on base with zero outs. Menzione would get to first off a fielders choice and then move to second via a ground out by Holtz, but the TTU defense came up big again with a groundout to the shortstop to take the game into extra innings. It's the second such game for the Panthers during the tournament, following the thrilling ten-inning win over Murray State to open tourney play on Thursday.

To open the eighth frame, Eastern would end up stranding a Golden Eagle runner at first, after she got on base with zero outs after being hit by a pitch from May. However, the Panthers would then be retired in order in their half of the inning to push the game to a ninth inning.

TTU would finally retake the lead at 3-2 off a walk-up homer to left by the Tech right fielder, Spalding, as the ball dropped over the fence just to the right of the scoreboard. The Eagles would get another runner on base off a contested one-out single to Nelson at shortstop as the Tech player just beat the throw. But the Panthers would get out of the inning down just one run with the one last chance to extend the season.

Unfortunately EIU would be retired in order, ending the career of three outstanding seniors - Danca, Menzione and Nelson, all of whom set numerous Eastern records.


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