Alabama A&M Info | Savannah State Info | Middle Tennessee State Info | Belmont Info

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- After opening league play last weekend, the Eastern Illinois softball will play six games over three days in mid-week non-conference action in Alabama and Tennessee as the Panthers are set to will battle Alabama A&M, Savannah State, Middle Tennessee State, and Belmont.

Eastern enters the week at 5-9 overall and 0-3 in Ohio Valley Conference after being swept in league play at preseason favorite Jacksonville State last weekend.

PANTHER MID-WEEK SCHEDULE

Tuesday, March 13
Noon ... Savannah State vs. Eastern Illinois
2 p.m. ... Eastern Illinois at Alabama A&M

Wednesday, March 14
1 p.m. ... Eastern Illinois at Middle Tennessee State (DH)

Thursday, March 15
4 p.m. ... Eastern at Belmont (DH)

LOOK AT THE MID-WEEK WEATHER
According to www.weather.com, the forecast for the Huntsville, Ala. area for Tuesday should include afternoon sunny skies and a high of 77-degrees, while a slight 20% chance of rain and a slight wind possible.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday in Murfreesboro, Tenn. versus MTSU, temps in the low 80s are projected yet there is also a 20% chance of wet weather.

At Belmont in Nashville on Thursday, thunderstorms may be in the mix with a 30% chance of rain and a high of 75-degrees.

QUICK LOOK AT THE PANTHERS
At 5-9 overall, EIU is currently riding a three-game losing streak after being swept at preseason favorite JSU last weekend to open OVC action at 0-3.

Freshman shortstop Bailey O'Dell continues to lead the Eastern offense off a .372 batting mark behind 16 hits,  including three doubles and a pair of home runs.  She has six RBI and 25 total bases to register a .581 slug %.  She's only been retired off strikes just five times and has four bases on balls.  Her 27 assists also leads her squad.

Sophomore and junior Morgan Biel and Abby Wood follow with their respective .262 and .241 hitting marks, as Wood ties O'Dell with three doubles.  Biel also leads the squad with a 3-for-5 mark in stolen bases.

Returning All-OVC pitcher Stephanie Maday leads with an even 4-4 record off eight starts and four complete games.  With 48 innings of work, the sophomore has struck out 45 batters, walked 33, held the opposition to a .254 batting average, and owns a 3.06 ERA.

SCOUTING THE MID-WEEK OPPOSITION
Savannah State, from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, sports a 9-10 early season record, including winning five of their last six games prior to this playing this week.  India Morgan owns a .392 batting mark, off 20 hits, including six extra-base shots, in addition to a nice 6-for-6 stolen base tally.  Amber Hallman's 15 RBI numbers is tops for her squad, while Chelsea Parrish follows 12 of her own.  Madison Hedderly is their go-to pitcher with a 7-5 record and 12 complete games.  Her 80 innings of work include 84 Ks, 15 walks, 22 earned runs and a 2.47 ERA.

Tuesday's game between the Panthers and Lady Tigers will mark the first meetings between the two squads on the softball diamond.

Southwestern Athletic member Alabama A&M currently owns an 3-8 mark and have lost their last six contests.  Raven Grubbs and Meljah McCollum are both hitting .400 on the year with Grubbs owning a .429 mark.  Brianna Zeigler has a team-high 10 hits, including a pair of doubles and a triple, while also a perfect 2-for-2 in stolen bases.  Anisa Britt is 2-4 in the circle with a 5.30 ERA off 35.2 innings of work where she has thrown 23 strikeouts, but also allowed 21 earned runs.

The Panthers lead 'Bama A&M in the previous meetings via a 3-1 advantage, including winning consecutive mercy-rule games back in 2007.

Middle Tennessee State, from the Sunbelt Conference, will host EIU in their home opener behind a 6-9 overall record.  Kayla Toney and Kaycee Popham own .477 and .413 batting averages, respective, with Popham owning 14 RBI and leading her squad with 4 homers and Toney owning the best base-running numbers with 5-of-6 base thefts.  A full contingent of pitchers is led by Shelby Stinnett's 2-1 record behind 97 strikeouts and a 2.37 ERA.

Eastern enjoys a sizeable 9-3 record in the all-time series with the Blue Raiders, as MTSU was a former member of the OVC for four years.  In fact, the Panthers have actually won the last four meetings but have not faced the Tennessee squad since 2000.

Belmont, who finish up their final season as a member of the Atlantic Sun league before joining the OVC this fall, are just 4-16 on the year.  The Bruins are led by Ashley Byers and Kirbie Ferrell with .348 and .324 hitting, respectively.  Byers has 10 RBI and also leads with two homers, while Ferrell ties Amanda Criscione with six stolen bases thus far this season.  Mia Vierra and Becca Gift have split the wins in the circle behind 24 and 20 respective strikeouts.  Unfortunately the duo also own 6.22 and 8.66 ERA numbers and have respectively allowed the opposition to hit .329 and .399 against them.

LIke versus Savannah State, Belmont and Eastern have previously never faced each other in softball action.

KIM SCHUETTE CLOSING IN ON COACHING MILESTONE
With three wins this coming week, EIU coach Kim Schuette will notch her 200th career victory as she currently owns an eight-year NCAA head coaching tally of 197-188-1.

Now in her seventh season as skipper of the Panther softball program, Schuette sports a 173-160-1 all-time Division I coaching record.

UP NEXT FOR THE PANTHERS
Following this busy mid-week play, the Panthers will continue road action next weekend, traveling to Morehead, Ky. to face the Eagles of Morehead State in another three-game series.

EIU will then finally open the home portion of the 2012 campaign the following week, entertaining SIU Edwardsville in a pair of games on Wed., March 21 at 4 p.m., and then immediately hosting Midwest foe Missouri State in a single game on Thu., March 22.

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