MARTIN, Tenn. – Despite enjoying a lead through seven innings, No. 2-Seed Eastern Illinois dropped a heartbreaking 3-1 game to No. 6-Tennessee Tech in the first quarterfinal game of the Ohio Valley Conference Championship on Thursday afternoon.

The loss moves the Panthers to 28-25 on the year as EIU must now battle back from the losers bracket the rest of the tournament.

Junior Melise Brown, who earned Second Team All-OVC kudos last evening, and sophomore Carly Willert led the EIU offense with 2-for-3 days at plate, with Brown nailing her third homer of the season to give Eastern the early lead through most of the contest.

Sophomore Stephanie Maday, who also earned First Team All-OVC honors at the awards banquet last evening, pitched the complete game loss to fall to 17-14 overall with four strikeouts and two walks.

Team-wise, TTU (25-30) out-hit EIU six-to-four and had one error to three for the Panthers.  Tech did strand one more base runner than Eastern, seven-to-six.

In the opening frame and with two-out, Willert nailed a shot down the left-field line, clipping the third base in the process, to earn the first hit of the day for either squad.  Unfortunately she would wind up being stranded at first.

In the TTU half of the fourth, the Golden Eagles threatened as they earned their first hit via a shot to the left centerfield gap, eventually moving to second via a hit-and-run unassisted ground-out to first.  Tech added another base runner off a Panther miscue, but Maday rose to the occasion by retiring the next pair of TTU batters via strikes.

EIU got things going in bottom of the fourth as Melise Brown drilled a solo shot over the left field fence to give the Panthers the 1-0 lead.  That was followed by Willert's second hit of the day, this time a shot up-the-middle while she advanced to second via a Golden Eagle outfield fielding error.

Ashley Anderton then earned a one-out walk to be replaced by pinch-runner Hayley Pieper.  The Panthers would next load the bases via a two-out walk by Morgan Biel to set the table for Abby Wood.  Unfortunately Wood was unable to beat out the ground-out throw from third base to keep the Panther inning going.  Yet EIU enjoyed the early mid-game 1-0 lead following that frame.

Unfortunately, Eastern would find themselves in trouble in the top of the fifth as TTU had a one out bases-loaded situation off a pair of fielder's choices, a walk, and Panther miscue.  But Tech's Kendall Hooper, who earlier nailed a solo homer to help TTU down No. 3-JSU earlier in the day, hit into a 5-2-3 double play to end the threat, as the
Panther defense of Westover, Wood and Hutchinson came through.

In the top of the sixth, TTU would earn a hit to second base, but EIU got a nice break as that runner would be called out at first after leaving early on a stolen base attempt.  Panthers would get out of the inning after another Maday strikeout and a flyout.

Tech would make a game of it in the top of the seventh earning a one-out bases loaded situation once again, thanks to consecutive off-speed singles and beating out a pair of throws to first base.  That would lead to a two-RBI shot to left center to give TTU their first lead of the game at 2-1.  Tech would extend their lead off a ground-out RBI before EIU would get out of the inning down 3-1.

With two-out in the bottom of the seventh, Ally Seplak would take base off four consecutive balls as the Panthers moved to the top of the order.  But following a full-count, Bailey O'Dell would ground out to end the Panthers' come-from-behind plans.

Tech was led by six different players with a hit, while Brooke Basten led with a two-RBI shot.  Pitcher Holly Thomas earned the win in the circle despite not throwing out a single strikeout and walked a trio of Panthers

EIU now falls to the losers bracket where they will meet the winner of #3-Jacksonville State/#5-Eastern Kentucky who will play the 10 a.m. first game of Friday action, immediately followed by the Panthers facing the winner at 12:30 p.m.

Day One OVC Championship Recap:
#6-Tennessee Tech 2, #3-Jacksonville State 1
#4-Murray State 3, #5-Eastern Kentucky 1
#6-Tennessee Tech 3, #2-Eastern Illinois 1
#1-UT Martin 7, #4-Murray State 1

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