Box Score
Game #1 Box:  PDF
Weekend Series Stats:  PDF

ATLANTA, Ga. -- Eastern Illinois softball opened the 2012 season on a high note with a solid 3-0 win over Midwest rival IUPUI to begin Georgia State Tournament action on Saturday.

Freshman shortstop Bailey O'Dell made the most of her first collegiate game in a Panther uniform, as she finished with a 3-for-3 day at the plate, which included a double.  She also earned a walk and was one of the three Panthers to touch home plate.

"It's nice toplay our first game and get a win," said seventh year head coach Kim Schuette.  "There are definitely things we want to do better but Stephanie Maday and Hailee Hanna (at catcher) threw a great game."

"Today was Bailey O'Dell's day," Schuette added.  "Plus Ally Seplak added a nice game as well.  At the end of the day, 1-0 is where we wanted to be."

Three runs in the top of the second frame was all the offense Eastern needed, as O'Dell got things going with a single to left field.  Sophomore left-fielder Morgan Biel and junior right-fielder Ally Seplak both added one-out singles to load the bases.

Eastern would get on the scoreboard thanks to a throwing error by the IUPUI catcher, as her failed pickoff attempt got past the third basemen and plated both O'Dell and Biel.  Seplak then scampered home off the second of three IUPUI miscues, this time courtesy of the Jags' second basemen.

Sophomore pitcher Stephanie Maday earned the complete game win in the circle with seven strikeouts.  She registered just one walk and limited IUPUI to only three hits.

Seplak finished 2-for-3 at the plate, with her own double, while Biel went  added a single to account for the six total Panther hits.

Defensively, senior catcher Hailee Hanna threw out a Jaguar baserunner trying to steal second and senior Hailey Pieper had a sacrifice bunt.

Overall, the Panthers had several more chances to score, stranding 10 baserunners to just one for the Jags (3-3).

With inclement weather expected in the Atlanta area tomorrow, the tourney schedule has been altered to just three games, with no third place or championship games slated on Sunday.

EIU is set to to face the host GSU Panther team first thing in the morning at 9 a.m., immediately followed by a 11:15 a.m. battle against Chattanooga.

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