CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois softball earned a key Ohio Valley Conference home split versus perennial league power Jacksonville State on Sunday (April 5), as the Panthers rallied for a 2-1 first game win before falling, 5-1, in the nightcap.
The second league split of the weekend moves the Panthers to 12-18 overall and an even 7-7 in league play, as the Gamecocks now sport a 24-11 and 8-3 marks, respectively.
Eastern will hit the road in a mid-week twinbill at Ball State this Tuesday (April 7), before traveling to UT Martin for a three-game OVC series next weekend.
For the day, junior outfielder
Jennette Isaac led all Panthers at the plate with a 3-for-6 mark, followed by classmate
April Markowski's 2-for-6 tally, which included an RBI. Â Both players also scampered for stolen bases.
Catcher/designated player
Hannah Cole earned the first game heroics as the senior drilled a two-run triple down the right field fence in the bottom of the sixth inning to help the Panthers earn the 2-1 come-from-behind victory over the Gamecocks.
The visiting squad enjoyed the early 1-0 advantage after an RBI single in the top of the second. Â A pitching duel ensued as Panther freshman
Michelle Rogers earned the victory to improve to 6-8 overall behind five strikeouts and four walks. Â JSU's Taylor West finished with six Ks of her own and zero walks, yet allowed two crucial runs off five hits, as she fell to 7-4 on the year with the defeat.
Isaac connected on two hits in the first game victory and joined Markowski at home for respective Panther scores.
In the nightcap, the Panthers jumped out to their own early 1-0 advantage as Markowski hit an off-speed RBI shot to third base to bring home freshman pinch-runner
Tori Johnson from third base.
Unfortunately the Gamecocks would counter with three runs in the fifth and two additional scores in their half of the sixth and seventh frames for the eventual win and split.
Freshman
Jessica Wireman earned the complete loss to move to 5-9, yet finished with four Ks and just one walk while allowing just three earned runs. Â The JSU winning thrower only had one strikeout in comparison.
Markowski and Isaac once again earned hits, with Markowski nabbing another base theft to continue to lead all Panthers in that stat category. Â
Ashlynne Paul also added a single.
In team-stats, JSU actually out-hit EIU, .304-to-.196 for the day, including holding an advantage in runs (6-to-3), hits (17-to-9), doubles (3-to-none), and RBI (5-to-3). Â Yet EIU did lead in triples (two-to-none), stolen bases (2-to-none), and strikeouts thrown (9-to-7).
JSU continues to maintain a 25-12 all-time series advantage over the Panthers, yet this season marks the second consecutive split between the two league foes.
... for more info, contact Bart Rettberg, Asst. SIDÂ
