Magic City Classic Info (Live Stat Links, etc.)
ASU Hornets | UAB Blazers (co-host) | SFA Jacks | ISU Sycamores

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- After opening the 2011 season two weeks ago, the Eastern Illinois softball squad returns to the field for this weekend's multi-squad Magic City Classic, being co-hosted by UAB and Samford in Birmingham, Ala.

The Panthers will face Alabama State and the Blazers on Saturday, followed by Sunday action versus Stephen F. Austin and Indiana State.

EIU enters with an even 2-2 record after dropping games to Northwestern State and Mardi Gras Classic host Louisiana-Monroe back on Feb. 12. However, the Panthers did rebound by blanking rival Indiana State and winning a rematch with ULM on Feb. 13 to finish in third place at the season-opening tourney.

TOURNAMENT COVERAGE ...
Panther fans can follow the Magic City Classic via both the UAB and Samford athletic websites as the two Birmingham, Alabama squads are co-hosts of the three-day event. Free Live Stats will be available, as well as a link to view video streaming of the Panthers' game at UAB for a membership charge. Click on the links above for more information.

Several other teams will also be competing this weekend, but will not be playing the Panthers. EIU will play four games yet will not be facing co-host Samford, Saint Louis, Eastern Kentucky, Lipscomb or Radford. The Panthers will eventually face fellow OVC rival EKU later this season, and will partake in next weekend's tournament in Nashville, Tenn. that is set to be hosted by Lipscomb.

THE WEATHER FORECAST FOR BIRMINGHAM (via weather.com)…
The weather prediction for this weekend in central Alabama calls for clear conditions, with highs in the mid-to-upper 70's for both Saturday and Sunday, while no precipitation has been forecast as of now.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE…
The complete schedule for the 2011 Magic City Classic is as follows (all times central): 

Friday, February 25
Noon ... Stephen F. Austin vs. Saint Louis ... at UAB's Facility
2:30 pm ... Eastern Kentucky vs. Indiana State ... at UAB's Facility
5 pm ... Lipscomb at Samford ... at UAB's Facility
7:30 pm ... Radford at UAB ... at UAB's Facility

Saturday, February 26
10 am ... Alabama State vs. EASTERN ILLINOIS ... at Samford's Bulldog Field
... Eastern Kentucky vs. Saint Louis ... at UAB's Facility
12:30 pm ... Stephen F. Austin at UAB ... at UAB's Facility
... Indiana State at Samford ... at Samford's Bulldog Field
3 pm ... EASTERN ILLINOIS at UAB ... at UAB's Facility
... Radford vs. Lipscomb ... at Samford's Bulldog Field
5:30 pm ... Stephen F. Austin vs. Eastern Kentucky ... at UAB's Facility
... Alabama State at Samford ... at Samford's Bulldog Field
8 pm ... Lipscomb vs. Indiana State ... at UAB's Facility
... Radford vs. Saint Louis ... at Samford's Bulldog Field

Sunday, February 27
9 am ... Stephen F. Austin vs. EASTERN ILLINOIS ... at Samford's Bulldog Field
... Alabama State vs. Eastern Kentucky ... at UAB's Facility
11:30 am ... EASTERN ILLINOIS vs. Indiana State ... at Samford's Bulldog Field
... Saint Louis vs. Lipscomb ... at UAB's Facility
2 pm ... Alabama State at UAB ... at UAB's Facility
... Radford at Samford... at Samford's Bulldog Field

QUICK LOOK AT EIU…
Freshman Reynae Hutchinson had a breakout opening weekend as the walk-on (and All-OVC EIU volleyball player) currently leads the team with a .625 batting average. She went 5-for-8 at the Mardi Gras Classic, sporting a .750 slug mark while registering a double, earning six total bases, and walking just once. She also earned her first career win in the circle as she helped the Panthers blank Indiana State as she registered seven strikeouts and zero walks, all while holding the Sycamores to a .130 batting mark.

Seniors Kiley Holtz and Amber May are both off to great starts as well, with Holtz second in hitting with a .364 average, behind one RBI via four hits. She's one of four Panthers with a double.

May, meanwhile, is an even 1-1 on the year as the starting EIU pitcher. She earned her first OVC 'Pitcher of the Year' honor of the season as she collected 16 total Ks, while only walking two batters. She held the opposition to a .241 batting mark and has just two earned runs on the season for a .098 ERA. The weekly league honor is the fourth of May's career.

Both junior Hailee Hanna and newcomer Ashleigh Westover have the other two doubles on the season, while junior Ashley Anderton leads the squad with two RBI singles. Fellow freshman Jelly Brannick is a perfect 2-for-2 in stolen bases as a pinch-runner.

Hutchinson and May also earned the squad's first All-Tournament team honors at the season-opening third place finish at the Mardi Gras Classic.

PRE-WEEKEND THOUGHTS FROM COACH SCHUETTE...
“It was nice to get outside and practice on the football field several times this past last week and to hit live off of our pitchers,” said Kim Schuette, now in her sixth season as skipper of the Panther program. “It's so nice to be outside when you are an outdoor sport.

“This weekend, we want to be able to relax more on offense,” she said. “We have been working on staying back and keeping our balance up at the plate. This will help us in so many ways -- to know the strike zone and maintain our fundamental swing that we work so hard on in practice.

“We are going to keep pushing,” said Schuette. “Keep pushing for what we want now and what we want to achieve later.”

THE WEEKEND COMPETITION…
Alabama State enters the weekend with a 2-5 record, while UAB is 5-6 and SFA sports a 2-10 mark. ISU is 1-3 having already lost a 2-0 battle to the Panthers two weeks ago. In fact, the two I-70 rivals are also set for a third meeting this season, as the Sycamores will come to Charleston for a single game on April 26.

The meeting with both Bama State and UAB will be the first-ever meetings in the Panthers' Division I seasons. EIU was to open the 2010 campaign at ASU's own tourney, but the season-opener was snowed out. Against SFA, meanwhile, the Panthers are just 2-5 all-time, although EIU did win the last meeting, 6-4 on neutral territory in 2007. Against Indiana State, the Panthers have dominated the previous meetings, 33-24, yet lost last year's lone meeting in Terre Haute, but with the earlier win two weeks, the Panthers have now won three and lost three during coach Kim Schuette's tenure.

HIT STREAKS…
Two weeks ago, several Panthers currently sport a few hitting streaks heading into the weekend classic. Hutchinson has hit safely in all three games that she has played in so far this year, while both Hanna and Holtz enjoy a two-game hitting streak. Meanwhile, newcomer Carly Willert takes a one-game hit streak into Saturday's games.

STILL WAITING FOR THE SEASON'S FIRST HOMER…
Following last season's record-breaking team home run mark of 30 bombs, the Panthers are still awaiting the first shot to clear the fences this season. Three current EIU players are listed in the career Top 10 list for home runs, led by senior Kiley Holtz's 14 dingers, which is ranked fourth best. Junior Hailee Hanna and senior Melinda Jackson are currently listed at No. 8 and No. 9 with eight and seven homers, respectively.

PANTHERS CONTINUE EARLY-SEASON TOURNAMENT PLAY…
Next weekend, EIU will travel to Nashville to compete against Appalachian State, Butler and the host Lipscomb squad on Saturday and Sunday, March 5-6. 

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