LAFAYETTE, La. – Eastern Illinois softball earned a Saturday (Feb. 7) split to begin first day action at the Louisiana-Lafayette Classic, hitting past Incarnate Word, 6-1, after dropping a five-inning, 17-0, contest to the host and #9-ranked Ragin Cajuns.
Panthers finish up Classic play on Sunday with respective 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. rematches versus the Cardinals and Louisiana squads.
In the tourney nightcap, the Panthers earned the win over UIW behind an 11-6 advantage in total hits, with six of those shots of the extra-base variety.
Sophomore first baseman
Amber Toenyes led EIU with a 3-for-3 plate mark, including drilling a pair of two-run bombs and added a single.
Both of senior shortstop
Bailey O'Dell's hits were doubles, while classmate
Hannah Cole also joined junior transfer
Katie Watson with a double of their own. Â Watson also added a stolen base in the victory while O'Dell led the defense with six assists.
Newcomer
Jessica Wireman earned the complete game win in the circle as she struck out six Cardinals batters, allowed just two walks and an unearned run.
Down 1-0 in the top of the fourth, Toenyes connected on her first two-run homer for the ultimate game-winner before delivering another two-score shot over the fence in the next inning. Â EIU added two additional security runs in the top of the seventh for the final margin of victory over the Cardinals (1-2).
In the first game loss to the host ULL squad, the Panthers immediately found themselves down 8-0 in the first inning as the defending Women's College World Series squad eventually out-hit EIU, 10-1. Â Unfortunately, the Panthers also committed a pair of miscues as the Ragin Cajuns (3-0) added single runs in both the second and third before erupting for seven more scores in the fourth.
Cole earned the lone Panther hit in the defeat as freshman
Michelle Rogers was tabbed for the loss. Â Classmate
Tori Johnson took over pitching duties in the second, as the two newcomers combined for five strikeouts and nine walks.
... for more info, contact Bart Rettberg, Asst. SIDÂ
