Boxscore (PDF)  |  Photo Gallery (Matt Reynolds, JSU)  |  2014 OVC Tournament Central

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. -- A late-game comeback by Eastern Illinois softball falls short as the No. 3-seed Panthers dropped a 4-2 winner's bracket contest to #2-SIU Edwardsville in Thursday afternoon Ohio Valley Conference Tournament action.

The loss drops EIU to 38-17 overall while the Cougars earn their fourth consecutive win over the Panthers this season and move to 29-21 on the year and advance to tomorrow's semifinal game.

Junior Bailey O'Dell paced all Panthers with a perfect 3-for-3 day at the plate, which included a pair of singles and her fourth home run of the season.

Classmate Hannah Cole added her own solo blast, while sophomore Jennette Isaac accounted for the other EIU hit, as SIUE led Eastern in hitting, eight shots to five.  The Panthers also committed a trio of errors in the loss.

As the designated home squad, SIUE got on the board first in the bottom of the first, scoring a pair via an RBI shot through left side and an untimely EIU error. 

Eastern would threaten in the top half of the second with O'Dell connecting for a hit after sophomore April Markowski earned a walk.  Both would advance to scoring position off a passed ball by the SIUE catcher, but would end up being stranded.

However, the Cougars would add a solo bomb over the left field fence to extend their advantage to 3-0 in the bottom of the second frame.

After a pair of scoreless innings, O'Dell blasted her fifth homer of the season with a walk-up shot over the right field fence to pull EIU to within 3-1 of the instate rivals in the fifth inning.

But the Cougars countered with their own walk-up solo homer to move ahead, 4-1, in the fifth.

Panthers had a chance for a potential late-game comeback in the top of the seventh, but an untimely base running miscue would lead to a flyout double-play for SIUE and the eventual loss.

Senior Stephanie Maday earned her 27th season start in the circle, but would be relieved by classmate Hanna Mennenga in the second frame.  Mennenga did retire three Cougars via strikes.

Panthers will now drop to the loser's bracket where they will face #5-Eastern Kentucky in a 12:30 p.m. matchup.

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