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CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Eastern Illinois softball is set to host Ohio Valley Conference foe Austin Peay in the squad's home league series finale this weekend (May 5-6), with a Saturday doubleheader slated for a 1 p.m. start, followed by a noon single-game on Sunday.

The Panthers enter the weekend at 25-24 and 15-10 in league play to currently sit in fourth place in the OVC standings.  However, with a weekend sweep of the Lady Govs EIU could finish as high as second place prior to the end-of-season OVC championship next week at regular-season champion UT Martin.

Prior to Sunday's finale, the Panthers are set to recognize one of the program's largest senior classes -- Ashley Anderton, Amanda Bilina, Hailee Hanna, Hayley Pieper, Jen Saucier, and Maria Sorrentino.

LOOK AT THE CHARLESTON WEEKEND WEATHER
According to www.weather.com, isolated thunderstorms are expected to be in the mix throughout the entire weekend, with highs projected to reach the upper 80s but with low wind speeds otherwise.

QUICK SET ON THE PANTHERS
At 25-24 overall, Eastern enters the final weekend of the regular-season having won three of their last ten contests.  The Panthers dropped two of three at regular-season league champ UT Martin to currently sit in fourth place in the OVC standings.

Freshman shortstop Bailey O'Dell continues to maintain a team-best .361 bat mark behind 61 hits.  She owns 21 extra-base shots, including 17 doubles, a triple and three home runs.  Her 17 doubles ranks as the third best single-season Panther tally, while ranking as the ninth-best mark in the NCAA, and naturally also leading the league.

O'Dell's 23 RBIs are followed closely by junior Melise Brown and sophomore Reynae Hutchinson with 22 and 20, respectively. 

Sophomore Carly Willert is also hitting over .300 with a .308 clip behind 45 hits, 11 doubles of her own and a triple.  She has an additional 17 RBI and is 4-for-5 in stolen bases.

Brown has eight extra-base shots, including a team-high three triples, while also owning a Panther-best 17-for-21 stolen base mark.  She has moved to No. 6 in the EIU career base theft tally.

Sophomore Reynae Hutchinson leads all Panthers with five homeruns on the season, which includes nailing the walk-off game-winner versus EKU a week or so ago.

Returning All-OVC honoree Stephanie Maday leads the EIU pitching corp with an 15-13 record off 28 starts and 16 complete games.  With just over 200 innings of work, the sophomore has struck out 187 batters, which ranks No. 4 in the EIU single-season records.  She's also walked 92, held the opposition to a .228 batting average, and owns a team-low 2.03 ERA, which continues to lead the entire OVC.

Sophomore transfer Hanna Mennenga follows with 10-8 record in the circle behind 88 Ks, 49 walks, 114-innings worked, and a 2.99 ERA.

SCOUTING THE LADY GOVS
Austin Peay (19-28, 10-17 OVC) will enter the weekend series playing some of its season's best softball, having won seven of its last 10 games, including a first-ever three-game sweep of perennial OVC power Jacksonville State last weekend. However, at ninth place in the league standings, the Lady Govs will not qualify for the post-season OVC tournament.

Offensively, the Lady Govs are led by sophomore first baseman/pitcher Lauren deCastro, who is hitting .386, with team bests in runs scored (29), RBI (29), slugging percentage (.641), on-base percentage (.447), doubles (10), home runs (9) and walks (14).

Another underclassman, freshman shortstop Paige Neely is the only other Lady Govs hitting more than .300 after 47 games this season and enters the series with a .368 batting average, 19 RBI and 15 runs scored.

In the circle, junior Morgan Brewer leads the Lady Govs pitching staff with an 10-13 win-loss mark this season, including going 3-0 last week to earn adidas ® OVC Pitcher of the Week honors. She enters the weekend with a 3.24 ERA to go with 103 strikeouts in 153.1 innings of work.

Leading the team in ERA (2.55) is deCastro, who sports a 6-6 record with 64 strikeouts in 93.1 inning of work.

Panthers enjoy a sizeable 36-12 all-time lead over APSU in the series history.  EIU took two of three on the road last season en route the squad's regular-season league title and own a 16-2 all-time advantage over the Lady Govs when the two squads play at Eastern's own Williams Field.

QUICK REVIEW OF THE OVC STANDINGS
UTM (35-17/22-4) earned the regular-season title last weekend and will host the upcoming six-team OVC championship next week.  Murray State 29-15/17-10) ties preseason favorite Jacksonville State (23-25/17-10) in second place as the Gamecocks were swept on the road at Austin Peay last weekend.

The Panthers (25-24/15-10) follow in fourth place, with Eastern Kentucky (26-26/15-11) just a half-game behind EIU in fifth as Tennessee Tech (22-28/14-11) rounds out the top six.

EASTERN IN THE OVC TOP TEN
As announced on Monday by the league office, Stephanie Maday continues to sport a league-best ERA of 2.03, while also leading the OVC in both strikeouts (187) and shuts (4).  She also ranks in the OVC Top 10 for wins, innings pitched, appearances, saves, games started, complete games and opponent batting average.

Besides leading the league in doubles Bailey O'Dell is also in the Top 10 for hits, and total bases, while Melise Brown sports Top 10 marks for triples and stolen bases.

As a team, the Panther pitching staff currently secure the top ERA in the league at 2.46, while dropping slightly to No. 3 in OVC-only contests (2.29).

PANTHERS RANKED IN EIU RECORD BOOKS
Heading toward the end of the season, several Panthers have continued to move up in their respective EIU record book entries.

Bailey O'Dell has already added her name to the EIU Top Ten for single-season hits (9th), doubles (T3rd), and total bases (T6th).

Melise Brown is now included in the EIU career Top Ten for runs (T8th) and moved up in the stolen base marks (6th).

Also included in both EIU single-season and career pitching numbers is Stephanie Maday.  She's ranked in single-season numbers for saves (T8th), strikeouts (4th), innings pitched (10th), games started (T9th), and appearances (9th).  While in career marks she's listed for winning % (5th), ERA (10th), strikeouts (5th), and shutouts (10th).

PANTHERS SET FOR MASSIVE SENIOR WEEKEND
Prior to the home finale versus APSU on Sunday, EIU will honor one of the largest senior classes in program history as the Panthers recognize Ashley Anderton, Amanda Bilina, Hailee Hanna, Hayley Pieper, Jen Saucier, and Maria Sorrentino.

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