Three-Game Series Stats (PDF) | Photo Gallery (Bart Rettberg)
Pre-Game Senior Recognition Script (PDF) | OVC Tourney Bracket (PDF)

CHARLESTON, Ill. – A nice late-season push by the Eastern Illinois softball squad has helped the Panthers secure a No. 2 Seed at the upcoming Ohio Valley Conference tournament as EIU earned a 1-0 Sunday victory over visiting Austin Peay to finish the regular-season at 28-24 overall and 18-10 in league play. 

Senior Ashley Anderton made the most of her final game of her career at Williams Field as the designated player went 2-for-3 at the plate.  She drilled a double and added an RBI-single in the third inning to help lead her Panther squad to the series sweep.

Sophomores Ashleigh Westover and Carly Willert added a hit of their with Willert scampering home off Anderton's shot to right field for the lone score.

Fellow sophomore Stephanie Maday finished a stellar weekend in the circle, earning the complete game win behind six strikeouts while fanning three APSU hits.  She earned her sixth shutout of the season to now tie for eighth in both the EIU single-season and career record books.

She finishes the regular-season with 205 total Ks to secure a third place rank in the single-season records.  She's also ranks sixth in innings pitched and eighth in victories with 17 for the single-season.

Maday ends the weekend with a pair of victories and her third career save.

Prior to the start of the game, the Panthers honored six seniors for their contribution to the EIU softball program -- Ashley Anderton, Amanda Bilina, Hailee Hanna, Hayley Pieper, Jen Saucier, and Maria Sorrentino.  All but Saucier, who is out with a career-ending injury, earned a start in their final home game Williams Field.

EIU also recognized current student assistant coach Melinda Jackson who finishes her career as a fifth-year senior after an injury also ended her playing career last spring.

Team-wise, neither squad hit particularly well with EIU holding a .182 and .125 advantage as the Lady Govs had three singles as they stranded four runners.  The Panthers would strand five total base runners.

With the loss, Austin Peay ends their 2012 campaign at 19-31 overall and 10-20 in league play.

Panthers will now prepare for their fifth consecutive appearance at the end-of-season league championship, with regular-season champ UT Martin set to host the three-day affair, with action to begin on Thursday and run through Saturday.  The winner of the double-elimination event will receive the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Regional.

The field has been set with UTM and EIU, as the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, respectively, each earning first-round byes.  JSU is the third seed, marking the first time in seven years that the Gamecocks have not been either No. 1 or No. 2 seeds in the post-season tourney.  MUR, EKU and TTU round out the field at No. 4 through No. 6, respectively.

Eastern will play the winner of the JSU/TTU game at 3 p.m. on Thursday.

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