Game 1 Boxscore (PDF) | Game 2 Boxscore (PDF)

JACKSON, Miss. – Eastern Illinois softball split day two action at the Jackson State Tournament on Saturday (Feb. 22), as the Panthers blanked Kansas, 2-0, in the first game, but were shut out by Southeastern Louisiana, 10-0, in the nightcap.

With the split, EIU now sits at 8-5 on the early-season.

Senior thrower Stephanie Maday went toe-to-toe with the Jayhawk's pitcher through five innings before the Panthers plated a pair of runs in the sixth for the margin of victory.

Sophomore Jennette Isaac led off the inning with a single to centerfield. After an out, Brooke Owens drilled a 1-2 pitch over the right centerfield fence to account for the game's only runs. The two-run bomb marked the third homer of the season for the senior.

Maday improved to 4-1 in the circle as she finished with three strikeouts and zero walks, while scattering five KU shots.

Both squads finished with five hits apiece and zero errors, as Owens went 2-for-3 at the plate, while senior Ashleigh Westover and sophomore Haylee Beck both added a single in the victory.

In the nightcap loss to Southeastern Louisiana, the visitors on the scoreboard erupted for five runs in the top of the second frame to pull ahead of the Panthers. The Lions also took advantage of a season-high six EIU miscues, as Eastern trailed the Lions in total hits, 12-to-six.

Maday fell to 4-2 on the year as she was tagged for the loss while sharing pitching duties with fellow seniors Janele Robinson and Hanna Mennenga. The trio compiled nine total strikeouts but also allowed six total runs and five walks.

Junior Bailey O'Dell led the Panther bats with two shots, with Owens, senior Reynae Hutchinson, sophomore April Markowski and Westover also delivering a hit. Cole secured a stolen base.

Panthers will finish up tourney play tomorrow afternoon with EIU set for noon rematch versus the host Tiger unit in the weekend finale.

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