Boxscore (PDF)

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- For the third consecutive game, Eastern Illinois softball defeated visiting Ohio Valley Conference rival Austin Peay in dramatic walk-off fashion, as the Panthers gutted out a 2-1 (9-inn.) victory over the Lady Govs on early Saturday (April 27) afternoon at Williams Field.
 
The win gives the Panthers the series sweep of Peay, as Eastern finishes up the regular-season home portion of the slate at 37-13 overall and 17-4 in league play.  EIU has now won 13 consecutive league contests to remain all alone in first place in the OVC West Division standings.
 
The Panthers earned the win thanks to a walk-off sac fly RBI by freshman pinch-hitter Kylie Bennett that scored senior Carly Willert from third base.  Willert had previously drilled a walk-up triple down to the right field line the bottom of the ninth inning.
 
Senior pitcher Stephanie Maday earned the complete game win, moving to 17-6 on the season and 9-2 in league action.  She retired nine Lady Govs via strikes and had zero walks.
 
Like they had done in the first meeting of the weekend, Austin Peay (19-30/7-16) would actually enjoy an early-game lead via a solo homer over the center field fence in the top of the second inning.  But the Panthers would eventually tie it up in their own half of the sixth frame, as sophomore April Markowski delivered an RBI double to plate senior Reynae Hutchinson.
 
Both squads would end up stranding several base runners in the game, as EIU had eight to nine for APSU.  The total team hits were nearly even with EIU holding a 10-to-eight advantage, while APSU committed three miscues to just one error for the Panthers.
 
Junior Bailey O'Dell led all Panthers at the plate off her 2-for-3 performance, while Hutchinson and Markowski both went 2-for-4 and each secured a stolen base.  Markowski and sophomore Haylee Beck both delivered doubles.

With the win, EIU has now won 11 straight games over APSU in the all-time series history.
 
The Panthers will now prepare for an OVC showdown with instate rival SIUE, as EIU is set to travel to Edwardsville for a three-game, regular-season weekend series finale with the Cougars.  A Saturday twinbill will be followed by a Sunday single game, with first pitches scheduled for 1 p.m. each day.

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