ULM Warhawks (tourney host)
NSU Lady Demons | ISU Sycamores

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Eastern Illinois softball officially welcomes the spring season this weekend as the Panthers will compete at the Mardi Gras Classic being hosted by the University of Louisiana-Monroe.

Besides the Panthers, the three-day tourney also includes Indiana State, Northwestern State, Southeast Missouri State and the host Louisiana-Monroe squad.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff was originally scheduled to participate but dropped out at the last minute, facilitating a change to the weekend schedule. 

So instead of opening the season against the APB Lions, the Panthers will now begin tourney play on Saturday afternoon versus Northwestern State, with first pitch set for noon. EIU will then battle the host ULM Warhawks later in the day at 4 pm. 

On Saturday, the Panthers will now take on long-time regional foe Indiana State at 11 am, before once again facing the ULM squad at 1 pm to finish up tourney play. The game against ISU will be the first of three scheduled games against the Sycamores this season as the Panthers were already slated to take on ISU at the Magic City Classic in Birmingham on Feb. 27 prior to hosting their I-70 rivals in a single-game in late April. 

Eastern is not scheduled to face fellow Ohio Valley Conference member Southeast Missouri this weekend. 

2011 MARDI GRAS CLASSIC SCHEDULE

Friday, February 11:
2 pm … Northwestern State vs. Southeast Missouri State
4 pm … Southeast Missouri State vs. Louisiana-Monroe
6 pm … Northwestern State vs. Louisiana-Monroe 

Saturday, February 12:
10 am … Indiana State vs. Southeast Missouri State
Noon … Northwestern State vs. EASTERN ILLINOIS
2 pm … Louisiana-Monroe vs. Southeast Missouri State
4 pm … Louisiana-Monroe vs. EASTERN ILLINOIS
6 pm … Indiana State vs. Northwestern State 

Sunday, February 13:
9 am … Southeast Missouri vs. Northwestern State
11 am … EASTERN ILLINOIS vs. Indiana State
1 pm … EASTERN ILLINOIS vs. Louisiana-Monroe
3 pm … Louisiana-Monroe vs. Indiana State 

Team listed first will be the designated home team (occupying third base dugout)
ULM will always occupy the third base dugout 

QUICK LOOK AT THE PANTHERS 

EIU returns 15 letter winners and six starters from last season's 24-27 squad that finished with a 12-10 Ohio Valley Conference regular-season mark to place fourth overall and also at the end-of-season tournament.

Key returners include two-time All-OVC honorees Kiley Holtz and Amber May, as the senior infielder/catcher and pitcher earned First and Second Team kudos, respectively, last spring. In 2009 Holtz was previously tabbed All-Second Team while May earned All-Newcomer honors as well.

Holtz finished with the squad's second-best batting average of .289 and led all Panthers with 33 RBIs. She collected 41 total hits, 11 of which were of the extra-base variety. She finished second in total home runs with six on the season and a team-low 10 strike outs.

May registered a 17-16 overall mark in the circle last year as the main go-to pitcher, as she struck out 172 batters off 225 innings of work to tally a 2.49 ERA. This season she will once again be backed up by sophomore pitchers Hailie Ray and Natalie Wunderlich, while freshmen newcomers Reynae Hutchinson and Stephanie Maday will also be utilized.

Melinda Jackson also returns for her senior season after playing first base. She ended the year with 22 hits including four doubles and four home runs, while collecting 18 RBIs and 17 runs of her own.

Junior Hailee Hanna once again returns to the catching spot, following a fine sophomore campaign where she tallied 21 total hits, including five solo bombs and three doubles. Holtz may also be utilized behind the plate this season, as will sophomore returner Abby Wood.

Sophomore Melise Brown, who tied the freshman stolen base mark with 17 thefts last season, will anchor the outfield defense after registering 33 hits and touching home plate 24 times. Fellow classmate Ally Seplak finished with three stolen bases while seeing action at second base last year.

Other freshmen to watch for the Panthers this season include infielders Jelly Brannick, Ashleigh Westover and Carly Willert, with outfielder Morgan Biel also battling for a spot in the starting lineup. 

THE WEEKEND COMPETITION 

The Panthers will face Northwestern State for the first time since 1992, as the two squads are tied at 1-1 in previous meetings, although EIU won the last neutral site matchup. The Lady Demons ended the 2010 campaign at an even 27-27 overall, placing tenth in the Southland Conference with a 13-17 record.
 
The host Louisiana-Monroe squad went 24-26 last season, placing seventh in the Sun Belt Conference behind a 9-14 finish. The Warhawks, who return 14 letter winners and seven starters, actually lead the Panthers in the all-time series history, 3-2, with all but one game played on neutral territory. Eastern also lost the lone game played at ULM's home field back in 2006, as the Warhawks earned a tough 1-0 eight-inning victory. 

Last season Indiana State finished 20-31 overall, placing eighth in the Missouri Valley Conference via a 5-20 mark. The Sycamores, who return 14 letter winners and six starters, did outlast the Panthers in the lone 2010 meeting, as ISU scratched past the visiting EIU squad for a 5-4 victory. Overall the Panthers own a 32-24 all-time Division I series lead over the Sycamores, with the host squad winning the last 10 matchups. The last neutral contest between EIU and ISU came about back in 2003 with Eastern blanking the Sycamores, 5-0.

UP NEXT FOR THE PANTHERS 

Following this weekend's season openers, the Panthers will head to Birmingham, Ala. to participate in the multi-team Magic City Classic, being co-hosted by both UAB and Samford.

Eastern is set to face Alabama State and UAB on Saturday, Feb. 26, followed by a battle against Stephen F. Austin and a rematch with Indiana State on Sunday (Feb. 27). 

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