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

MURRAY, Ky. – After having Saturday's action washed out, Eastern Illinois softball turned in a complete team effort to sweep Ohio Valley Conference rival Murray State on Sunday (March 30), 7-1 and 3-0.

With the pair of wins, EIU improves to 23-9 overall and 4-2 in early-season league action as the fellow OVC West Division rival Racers drop to 15-16 and 4-4.

The third game of the league series is set for tomorrow (March 31) afternoon at noon at Racer Field, as heavy rain in the Murray, Ky., area pushed back the entire three-game conference slate a day.

Senior pitcher Hanna Mennenga earned MVP honors as she picked up two complete game victories to up her season record to 14-2 overall and a perfect 3-0 in OVC play.  She retired ten total batters via strikes, allowed just one run and two walks, while holding the Racers to a low .180 bat mark. 

Junior Bailey O'Dell paced all Panther hitters with a 4-for-6 day at the plate, which included a solo homerun in the nightcap.  She also tied senior Morgan Biel with a stolen base in the sweep.

Senior Brooke Owens followed with a 4-for-7 hitting performance, with three of her hits coming via the extra-base variety.  She led all Panthers with three RBI off a pair of doubles and a triple.

In the first game, EIU erupted for four runs as O'Dell and sophomore Jennette Isaac connected on one-out base hits.  A Racer error on a hit by senior Carly Willert would load the bases as Owens' two-RBI double down the left field line brought home both O'Dell and Isaac.

Fellow senior Reynae Hutchinson earned a sac fly RBI to score Willert, as junior Hannah Cole added her own RBI shot to allow Owens to touch home.

Murray State would add a solo home run in the fifth before EIU added three additional scores in the seventh to put the game out of reach.  Both Willert and Owens ripped back-to-back RBI triples before Hutchinson added her second sac fly RBI for the final margin of victory.

Mennenga secured four strikeouts in the first game win, with zero walks, while allowing just four hits.

In the nightcap, Mennenga earned her sixth shutout of the season as she allowed five hits yet also nabbed six Ks, as eight Racers found themselves stranded over the course of the game.

EIU plated single runs in the second, fifth and seventh frames for the victory.  Cole scampered home off a wild pitch in the second, Isaac drilled an RBI single down the left field line to bring home senior Ashleigh Westover in the fifth, and O'Dell delivered a two-out homer in the final inning.

Following tomorrow's action, EIU will prepare to host a pair of weekend doubleheaders against OVC East Division competition, with Eastern Kentucky and Morehead State set to visit Williams Field this coming Saturday and Sunday, respectively.  Each twinbill is scheduled for 1 p.m. starts.

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