Box Score
Three-Game Series Stats (PDF)
CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Sophomore
Stephanie Maday pitched a two-hit shutout as Eastern Illinois softball blanked visiting Southeast Missouri, 1-0, to earn the Ohio Valley Conference series sweep of the arch-rivals on Wednesday afternoon.
The Panthers have now won eight consecutive OVC games to improve sto 23-17 overall and solidify the squad's third league place standing at 13-6. SEMO falls to 19-25 and 10-13, respectively.
Maday had a nice day in the circle as she earned her fourth shutout of the season behind eight strikeouts as she limited the Redhawk to just two hits while improving to 13-9 on the season. Meanwhile, SEMO's top pitcher, Alora Marble was limited to just one K as she was tagged for the loss.
A single run in the first inning would be all the offense the Panthers would need as freshman
Bailey O'Dell nailed her team-high 16th double before scampering home off a ground-out RBI off the bat of sophomore
Carly Willert. Currently ranked No. 3 in the nation for doubles, O'Dell will continue to also lead the OVC in that stat category as she also ranks second in overall hitting.
Sophomores
Reynae Hutchinson and
Ashleigh Westover also registered a single in the game, with Hutchinson drilling the SEMO pitcher while Westover's bloop shot dropped out of the reach of the Redhawk infield.
Junior
Melise Brown and sophomore
Kaylie Pruett were credited with sacrifice bunts to help set the table for the Panthers.
Team-wise, both squads ended up stranding five baserunners, as Maday's eighth strike helped seal the victory as SEMO threatened late in the seventh with two runners on base.
Back on April 4, EIU picked up two road wins at SEMO for the season sweep, which ironically is when the recent eight-game league win streak began.
Following a 4 p.m. single-game road contest at instate foe Southern Illinois on Thursday, the Panthers will return home for another crucial weekend league series versus Eastern Kentucky. A 1 p.m. doubleheader is set for Saturday (April 21), with a noon single-game on tap for Sunday (April 22).
… for more info, contact Bart Rettberg, Asst. SID
