AUBURN, Ala. – Eastern Illinois softball dropped a pair of Saturday (Feb. 14) contests in second day action of the Auburn Tiger Invitational, falling to Georgia State in walk-off fashion, 7-6, before losing to the #17-ranked host squad in five innings, 9-1.
The two losses move the Panthers to 3-5 on the early-season as EIU finishes up tourney action tomorrow morning at 9:45 a.m. against Ball State.
The Panthers enjoyed an early 6-0 advantage over the GSU Panther unit as senior
Hannah Cole delivered an RBI single up the middle to plate classmate
Bailey O'Dell in the first inning. O'Dell added with a solo bomb and sophomore
Hannah Rachor added an RBI shot to score Cole in the fourth.
Then in the fifth frame, O'Dell added her own RBI single through the right side to bring home freshman
Tori Johnson, who also earned a stolen base in the contest, while sophomore
Amber Toenyes nabbed a hit-by-pitch RBI to score junior
Jennette Isaac.
The Panthers of GSU would counter with six scores of their own in the bottom of the fifth, however, thanks to three consecutive home runs, then in the bottom of the seventh, the designated home GSU squad earned the comeback win with an RBI shot up the middle to earn the walk-off victory.
Freshman
Jessica Wireman was tagged for the loss for EIU as she shared time in the circle with classmate
Michelle Rogers. The pair combined for three Ks and three walks.
Team-wise, both Panther units tallied seven hits and an error.
In the nightcap loss to Auburn, the Tigers used a six-run first inning, off three two-run homers, to pull ahead for the five-inning victory. However, the Panthers did earn a late score in the bottom of the fifth as Issac drilled an RBI double to left field to plate junior
Katie Watson.
Junior
Haylee Beck led EIU with a 2-for-2 plate performance , as Cole, Watson and junior
April Markowski also added respective shots.
Rachor was tabbed for the loss in the circle as she joined Rogers for five strikeouts, which outpaced the SEC power's pitching staff.
... for more info, contact Bart Rettberg, Asst. SIDÂ
