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Game #21 Box:  PDF
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Two-Game Series Stats (PDF) | Photo Gallery (Sandy King)

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Eastern Illinois softball hosted instate Ohio Valley Conference rival SIU Edwardsville on Wednesday, with the Panthers and Cougars earning a mid-week split, as SIUE captured a nine-inning 4-0 first game victory before Eastern clawed back to earn the 4-1 nightcap win.

The home-opening split moves the Panthers to an even 11-11 overall and 3-4 in league play, while SIUE now sits at 11-17 and 3-5, respectively.

Sophomore second baseman Carly Willert led all Panthers on the day with a combined 2-for-4 plate performance, while also being hit by a pitch twice.  Freshman shortstop Bailey O'Dell went 3-for-7 with a pair of doubles and two RBI shots, while junior catcher accounted for another Panther RBI and touched home plate twice.

In a first-game pitching duel, sophomore Stephanie Maday pitched a nice game, registering six strikeouts and just one walk as the visitors used a four-run ninth inning to earn the first game victory.  The loss moves her to 7-6 on the season as she allowed just one earned run and scattered five hits.

Sophomore transfer Hanna Mennenga earned her first home victory in the circle with a complete game nightcap win as she came strikeouts two shy of her EIU career mark as she retired six SIUE batters via strikes.  Like Maday, she allowed just one walk and fanned three Cougar hits.

In the opening game, the Panthers actually out-hit the visitors, six-to-five but also stranded nine base runners as the scoreless game went the distance.  In the ninth frame, SIUE used consecutive softly hit fielder's to pitcher and timely hitting to plate four runs off two hits and took advantage of a couple of EIU miscues to earn the victory.  The SIUE win actually snapped a four-game losing streak to the Panthers in the all-time series.

In the nightcap victory, the Panthers finally got on the board with two runs in the bottom of the second.  After a hit-by-pitch on sophomore Ashleigh Westover, after classmate Kaylie Pruett came into pinch run, she would eventually move to third base thanks to an SIUE passed ball and sac bunt by EIU newcomer Hannah Cole.

That's when Wood stepped up and nailed a double over the SIUE center fielder's head to give EIU the lead.  With two out, O'Dell drilled her own double to plate Wood as Eastern enjoyed a 2-0 advantage.

SIUE would counter with their own run in the top of the fourth, but the home squad would counter-punch with two additional scores in their half of the frame.

Wood singled down the left-field line following a walk by Cole giving EIU two on with zero outs.  Senior Maria Sorrentino's sac bunt moved the runners and set the table for O'Dell.  She would reach first off a throwing error by SIUE, would plated both Cole and Wood and gave Eastern the 4-1 lead.

For the day, EIU led SIUE in several stat categories, including batting (.226 to .138), hits (12-to-eight), doubles (four-to-one), walks (two-to-one), and strikeouts (eight-to-12).  Both squads recorded three errors in the twinbill, while EIU stranded 15 total runners to nine for the Cougars.  In addition, sophomore Reynae Hutchinson nabbed the lone stolen base on the day.

The Panthers will actually travel to SIUE a week from Thursday for the rubber game of the three-game league series.

But first up, EIU will host MVC foe Missouri State tomorrow (March 22) in a 4 p.m. doubleheader.  The game was originally scheduled as a single-game but both squads have decided to extend the series to a twinbill, weather permitting, as inclement conditions are possible on Thursday.

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