Pre-Game Notes (PDF) | Rebel Spring Game Info

Akron Zips | Columbia Lions | Fairleigh Dickinson Knights | Hartford Hawks |
Houston Baptist Huskies | Manhattan Jaspers | Rider Broncs | Siena Saints

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- After splitting two games at last weekend's Lipscomb Lady Bison Classic, the Eastern Illinois softball squad will take a 5-5 overall record to warm and sunny Kissimmee, Florida this coming week, playing eight games over four days at the Rebel Spring Games.

A majority of the opponents this week hail from the Northern or Northeastern part of the country. In fact, the Panthers have only played three of the eight teams in previously -- Akron, Columbia and Fairleigh Dickinson -- while the game versus the other five opponents -- Hartford, Houston Baptist, Manhattan, Rider, and Siena -- will be first-ever meetings between the two softball squads. 

WEATHER FORECAST FOR KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA ...
According to weather.com, the weather will be very nice down in Kissimmee this weekend with no rain currently in the forecast and sunny or partly sunny skies predicted each day. Highs in the low 80s is expected, while evening lows may reach the 50s. 

REBEL GAMES INFO & SCHEDULE ...
The Panthers will be playing at two different facilities while in Kissimmee, with a six of the games being held at the Osceola County Softball Complex, while the other two contests will take place at the nearby Fortune Road Athletic Complex. Directions to both facilities can be found via the Rebel Spring Games official website at RebelSpring Games.com. Unfortunately, live stats will not be available during the week, but the website does have an area where final scores are supposed to be posted. 

The Rebel Spring Games features over 150 Division I, II, III and NAIA softball squads with a variety of playing dates and opponents available in each division. A maximum 10 game schedule is allowed at the event that is held during most of the month of March. Thus far, 34 NCAA Division I squads will be competing, including a couple of squads that the Panthers will play during the 2011 season -- Butler, Eastern Kentucky and Indiana State. 

EIU's complete schedule is as follows (all times central), with the designated home team in each game listed last: 

Sunday, March 13, 2011
8 am ... EASTERN ILLINOIS vs. Columbia ... OCSC Field 1
10 am ... Fairleigh Dickinson vs. EASTERN ILLINOIS ... OCSC Field 3 

Monday, March 14, 2011
2 pm ... EASTERN ILLINOIS vs. Siena ... FRAC Field 2
4 pm ... Hartford vs. EASTERN ILLINOIS ... FRAC Field 2 

Tuesday, March 15, 2011
8 am ... Houston Baptist vs. EASTERN ILLINOIS ... OCSC Field 2
Noon ... EASTERN ILLINOIS vs. Manhattan ... OCSC Field 2 

Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Noon ... EASTERN ILLINOIS vs. Akron ... OCSC Field 1
4 pm ... Rider vs. EASTERN ILLINOIS ... OCSC Field 3

OCSC - games played at Osceola County Softball Complex
FRAC - games played at Fortune Road Athletic Complex 

QUICK LOOK AT EIU LEADERS ...
Freshman Reynae Hutchinson continues to lead the Panther squad in the hitting game, with a .500 batting average (11-of-22). That includes ripping two doubles, while the local Mattoon native has 13 total bases off a .591 slug %, having struck out just twice while tallying four RBI and four runs as well. She also owns a .593 on-base percentage. Senior Melinda Jackson leads the squad with seven RBI after collecting four last Sunday as she nailed consecutive two-run bombs in the Panthers' 6-0 win over Butler. Along with Jackson, newcomer Morgan Biel also has two homers under her belt this season, while both Biel and Ashleigh Westover sport four RBI as well. 

In base running, the Panthers are a combined 12-for-18 in base thefts, led by sophomore Melise Brown, who tied the EIU school mark for freshman stolen bases last season, with 4-for-6 thefts. Freshman Jelly Brannick is 3-for-3 and Charleston product Kaylie Pruett is 2-for-3 in stolen bases.
 
Freshman pitcher Stephanie Maday currently leads the Panther bullpen with a 3-1 mark in four starts and two complete games this season. She continues to sport a league-leading zero ERA having allowed just three unearned runs, while striking out 23 and walking seven. Also, the right-hander has held her opposing batters to a low .159 mark at the plate, which is also the best in the OVC, and has yet to throw a wild pitch or tag a batter with a throw. Maday retired 12 batters in the Panthers' 6-0 win over Butler last weekend, which helped her earn her first career OVC 'Pitcher of the Week' honor. The 12 Ks is the most by a Panther pitcher since 2002. 

EIU LEADS TEAM STATS ...
Ten games into the season and EIU already leads the opposition in a large number of statistical categories -- batting average (.267 to .202), runs (32 to 17), hits (66 to 49), doubles (nine to eight), RBI (31 to 14), and total bases (90 to 68). Plus the Panthers lead in slug % (.364 to .281), walks (23 to 13), strikeouts (49 to 70), sacrifice bunts (ten to three), and stolen bases (12 to six). 

MADAY THE REIGNING OVC 'PITCHER OF THE WEEK' HONOREE ...
Fresh off a 12-strikeout performance in EIU's 6-0 win over Butler on March 6, newcomer Stephanie Maday earned her first career adidas® Ohio Valley Conference 'Pitcher of the Week' honor, as announced by the league office this afternoon (March 7). The Elk Grove Village native tallied her first career shutout victory over the Bulldogs on Sunday as EIU went 1-1 overall at the Lipscomb Lady Bison Classic, as the Panthers also dropped a tough 3-0 contest to Appalachian State in the tourney finale held in Nashville, Tennessee. 

Besides retiring 12 Butler batters off strikes, Maday also held the Horizon League squad to a .138 batting mark via just four hits, while also maintaining her league-best season ERA of zero. In addition, the Panther defense backed up the right-handed thrower by not allowing a Butler base runner to get any further than second base the entire game, while also stranding six total Bulldogs in the shutout. Not only were Maday's 12 'Ks' the best single-game performance by a Panther pitcher since former thrower Kristen Becker (2000-03) struck out 13 Cleveland State batters in early 2002, but she also owns the highest such mark by a pitcher during Kim Schuette's six year tenure as head coach. 

With Sunday's victory, her win record in the circle improves to 3-1 overall, with 23 total strikeouts and seven walks to her credit. She has also not thrown any wild pitches, nor grazed a batter this season as of yet, all while holding the opposition to a combined .159 average, which also ranks as the best opponent batting average by a pitcher in the OVC. Maday, who was previously named to the Magic City Classic All-Tournament Team just over a week ago, joins senior pitcher Amber May in receiving the weekly honor. In fact, the Panthers are 2-of-4 thus far this season in capturing the coveted weekly OVC pitching honor. 

THREE PANTHERS LISTED IN ACTIVE CAREER HOME RUNS ...
Two consecutive bombs by senior Melinda Jackson versus Butler last weekend helped her move up the career home run list. She now owns the 8th best all-time home run total with nine. Fellow senior Kiley Holtz meanwhile, has 14 career home runs, which currently ranks No. 4 in the EIU record books. Included in that tally was the lone grand slam by a Panther last season. While junior Hailee Hanna is also ranked in the EIU Top 10 with eight bombs. 

QUICK LOOK AT THE UPCOMING SCHEDULE ...
Following the games in Florida this week, the Panthers will officially open the Ohio Valley Conference slate, traveling to Murray State for a three-game weekend series, starting with a Saturday doubleheader and followed by a Sunday single game. The Racers fielded the school's firstever softball squad last season as the Panthers went 1-2 in the regular-season home finale meetings, but got their revenge by downing Murray State in the first game of the OVC Tournament.

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