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

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- A pair of three-run home runs off the bat of senior Reynae Hutchinson highlighted Eastern Illinois softball's two wins at Ohio Valley Conference East Division foe Belmont on Friday (April 18) afternoon, as the Panthers topped the Bruins, 11-2 (5-inn.) and 3-1.
 
The Friday sweep moves the Panthers to 32-11 overall and 12-4 in OVC action as Eastern has now won nine straight games to remain among the elite in the league standings.
 
EIU drilled four total shots over the fence in the first game rout, as Hutchinson set a new personal RBI tally with six runs batted in thanks to her two homers, as she finished with a perfect 3-for-3 plate performance in game one.
 
It also marked the second time in her career that Hutchinson has nailed a pair of homers in a game, with her first such performance coming about at home in EIU's win over Tennessee State.  She now has 19 all-time homers in a Panther uniform.
 
Fellow senior Ashleigh Westover also nabbed her first career homer in the opening game, as junior Bailey O'Dell connected on her own two-run bomb as well.
 
Seniors Carly Willert and Brooke Owens also added an RBI double and single, respectively, in the opening matchup.
 
Senior Hanna Mennenga earned her 17th win of the season in the circle, retiring four Belmont batters via strikes, while allowing zero walks, just three hits and stranding three baserunners.
 
Eastern scored four runs in the opening frame, then exploded for five scores in the second inning and added another pair of runs in the third for the mercy-rule win.
 
In the nightcap, EIU scored early yet again, as Hutchinson reached on a Belmont miscue which allowed Owens to scamper home.  Sophomore Haylee Beck then drilled an RBI double to centerfield to plate junior Bailey O'Dell in the second inning.
 
Yet the home squad would threaten by pulling to within one run of the Panthers in third off an RBI single, but Hutchinson would reach base thanks to another Belmont error which helped Willert to score and up the EIU lead to 3-1.
 
Senior Stephanie Maday earned the second game start, before newcomer Hannah Rachor came in relief as the Bruins threatened in consecutive innings late in the game as the pitching duo stranded a pair of Bruin runners in scoring position in both the fifth and sixth frames, respectively.
 
Maday nabbed her 14th win of the year, while Rachor secured her second career save, as the two helped to strand 11 Belmont base runners.
 
For the day, Eastern held the advantage over Belmont in hitting (.352-to-.244), runs (14-to-three), hits (19-to-11), homers (four-to-zero), RBI (13-to-three), slug % (.611-to-.311), stolen bases (two-to-none), errors (one-to-three), and ERA (1.75-to-6.42).  The host squad did finish with one more double than EIU (three-to-two), and strikeouts thrown (eight-to-five).

Junior Hannah Cole and Owens both scampered for stolen bases in the sweep as well, as Cole connected with freshman Amber Toenyes at first for a rare pick-off in the first game victory.

While in individual hitting, Hutchinson, O'Dell and Willert all earned a .500 clip at the plate, as Hutchinson naturally led all players with nine total bases of fher seven total RBI and 1.500 slug % mark.

With the two wins, EIU now sports a perfect 4-0 series lead over Belmont (12-27/6-12) in the all-time matchups.
 
Panthers return to road league action in Nashville on Saturday, with a 1 p.m. twinbill at Tennessee State.  Then Eastern returns home for a Tuesday evening non-conference doubleheader versus I-70 rival Butler, with first pitch set for 3 p.m. at Williams Field.

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