Rebel Spring Games Info

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Eastern Illinois softball will head to sunny Florida as the Panthers are set to play eight games over four days at the multi-team Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla.

EIU is scheduled to play Lehigh twice, while also playing single games against Creighton, Robert Morris (Penn.), Fairleigh Dickinson, Saint Peter's, Army, and North Dakota.  All eight games to be played at the five-field Osceolo County Softball Complex.

Official live stats will only be available for select games, while 'unofficial' stats may be available for the entire four-day trip (see schedule below).

2013 REBEL GAMES SCHEDULE

SUN., MARCH 10
   Noon ... Lehigh (3-1-1) vs. EIU (H)
   4 p.m. ... EIU (V) vs. Creighton (10-6)  |  Official Live Stats

MON., MARCH 11
   Noon ... EIU (V) vs. Lehigh (3-1-1)
   2 p.m. ... Robert Morris (5-5) vs. EIU (H)  |  Official Live Stats

TUES., MARCH 12
   2 p.m. ... Fairleigh Dickinson (3-3) vs. EIU (H)  |  Official Live Stats
   4 p.m. ... EIU (V) vs. Saint Peter's (2-10)  |  Official Live Stats

WED., MARCH 13
   Noon ...  Army (3-6) vs. EIU (H)
   2 p.m. ... EIU (V) vs. North Dakota (2-10)

... Link to unofficial live stats (when available) at tourney ... enter customer ID x4bwu33ybw

LAST TIME OUT AT REBEL GAMES
EIU last competed at the Florida Rebel Games back in 2011, as the Panthers finished with a perfect 8-0 mark en route to a 17-game winning streak and eventual regular-season OVC Championship.

PANTHER NOTES
• Through four full weeks of action, the Panthers currently to sport the OVC's top team ERA at 3.12, as of last Monday.

• Sophomore infielder Bailey O'Dell ripped a pair of homers in last week's first game loss at Georgia State, to lead all Panthers.

• Senior outfielder Melise Brown's three triples on the season not only paces all Panthers but also leads the league… she also has team-high tallies in total bases (13) and stolen bases (3-for-4)… plus she has reached safely in all eight games thus far this season.

• Junior Carly Willert leads all players with 11 hits and six RBI, followed closely by sophomore Hannah Cole with ten hits, while tying Brooke Owens and Bailey O'Dell with five RBIs.

• Cole owns the best bat with a .370 batting average, while her 13 total bases also ties Owens, Brown, and O'Dell.

• Junior Hanna Mennenga currently sports a 1.46 ERA, behind 33.2-innings of work and 50 total strikeouts while enjoying a current 3-1 mark in the circle.  She's also holding the opposition to a low .190 batting average.

PANTHERS DROP A PAIR OF ONE-RUN HEARTBREAKERS AT GSU
Eastern Illinois softball dropped a pair of one-run nailbiters at Georgia State last Thursday afternoon, as the Panthers lost a tough 6-5 ten-inning marathon prior to falling 4-3 in the nightcap.

The twinbill loss moves EIU to 4-6 on the early spring season.

Junior infielder Carly Willert led all Panthers with a 5-for-8 day at the plate which included a double and pair of RBIs, while touching home once and earning six total bases.

EIU used the long ball in both contests, as sophomore infielder Bailey O'Dell drilled a couple of walk-up solo homers in the first contest, while junior Brooke Owens nailed a three-run shot over the fence in the nightcap.

Owens and O'Dell accounted for six total RBIs via four and two, respectively, as O'Dell scored three times to lead all Panthers.  Sophomore Hannah Cole notched a 3-for-6 plate performance.

Pitching-wise, Stephanie Maday and Janele Robinson were tagged with the respective first and second game losses, as Maday relieved starter Hanna Mennenga in the opening 10-inning contest.

SCHUETTE IN HER EIGHTH SEASON AT EIU
Head coach Kim Schuette enters his eighth season as skipper of the Panther softball.  The 2011 OVC 'Coach of the Year' owns a 200-183-1 all-time EIU mark (2006-present), while sporting a 224-211-1 all-time head coaching record which includes a season at DII Quincy in 2005.

PANTHERS PICKED TO FINISH SECOND IN OVC WEST DIVISION
The 2013 edition of EIU softball has been projected to finish second in the West Division of the Ohio Valley Conference, as voted on by the league head coaches and SIDs and announced by OVC office this past January.

The Panthers earned six first-place votes and 111 total points in the preseason ballot to sit just behind defending OVC champ UT Martin.  Out of the 12 total teams, EIU has been selected as the third best squad this coming season.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Next weekend, the Panthers will open the Ohio Valley Conference portion of the 2013 schedule with a three-game road swing at fellow west division rival Austin Peay.  A Saturday (March 16) doubleheader will be followed by a Sunday (March 17) single game in Clarksville, Tenn.  First pitches on both days is set for 1 p.m.

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