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

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Eastern Illinois softball opened Ohio Valley Conference action with a road split at preseason favorite Jacksonville State on Saturday (March 22), as the Panthers won the first game, 3-2, but dropped the nightcap, 6-5, despite a late comeback effort.

With the split, the Panthers move to 19-8 overall and begin early conference action at 1-1. The host Gamecocks now own an overall 18-7 mark and 4-1 league tally.

For the series, senior Carly Willert led the way with a 4-for-6 plate performance, including an RBI double in the nightcap that pulled the Panthers to within a run of the Gamecocks. She also tied junior Bailey O'Dell with a sac bunt and four assists, respectively, while junior Hannah Cole led all players with two RBI.

In the first game, JSU took an early 1-0 lead in the second off an RBI double, but the Panthers countered with two runs in the fourth frame. Aggressive baserunning by Jennette Isaac led to a score as the sophomore stole third base before scampering home thanks to a JSU throwing error.

Cole then followed with her third home run of the season as she blasted a solo shot over the left field fence to give the Panthers the 2-1 lead.

The host squad would knot the score in the sixth via an RBI shot up the middle, but Eastern would again use the long ball to secure the hard-fought victory as sophomore April Markowski blasted a one-out shot over the head of the JSU centerfielder, securing her third homer of the year.

Senior Hanna Mennenga earned the complete game win in the circle to now own an 11-2 mark. She finished with two strikeouts and four walks, while stranding 11 Gamecock baserunners.

Five different Panthers earned a hit in the victory as EIU barely trailed JSU in total hits (five-to-eight), while EIU held the advantage over the Gamecocks in errors (zero-to-one) and stranded baserunners (three-to-11).

In the late afternoon second game, Eastern enjoyed the early 1-0 off of Cole's RBI hit to centerfield helped to plate Willert from second base in the opening frame.

Unfortunately JSU would counter with a solo homer in their half of the first inning before tacking on four runs off a second inning grand slam to lead 5-1.

Both squads add respective fourth inning runs as the Panther hot hitting continued with a solo bomb by senior Reynae Hutchinson to left field.

Down 6-2 heading into the final frame, the Panthers would give the host squad a scare as EIU plated three runs to pull to within 6-5 on the scoreboard. An untimely miscue by JSU would allow O'Dell to advance to third base with zero outs, as she eventually came home off of newcomer Ashlynne Paul's double down the right field line.

Following a flyout, Isaac drilled a shot up the middle to score pinch-runner Kaylie Pruett, as Willert delivered her RBI double to plate Isaac for the final scoring margin in the tough one-run loss.

Senior Stephanie Maday was tagged for the loss as she pitched just over an inning, throwing a trio of strikeouts and two walks, but allowing five earned runs. Newcomer Hannah Rachor earned her first appearance in the circle the rest of the way, as she surrendered one run off one hit as she held the top-hitting squad in the OVC to a low .143 plate mark.

Panthers would actually out-hit the hosts (eight-to-seven) in the loss as both squads would strand five base runners
Eastern continues road swing with a noon twin bill at Tennessee Tech tomorrow afternoon.

EIU continues the weekend league road swing tomorrow afternoon, as the Panthers are set to face the Golden Eagles of Tennessee Tech in a noon twin bill.

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