CHARLESTON, Ill. - The Eastern Illinois softball team split Wednesday afternoon's doubleheader with DePaul winning the first game 3-1 before dropping the late game to the Blue Devils 5-3. Both teams picked up one win and one loss as EIU now sits at 9-17 while DePaul goes to 9-20 on the season.

Both Michelle Rogers and Jessica Wireman pitched complete games for EIU with Rogers earning the victory in the first game throwing three strikeouts and only giving up one earned run as she improves to 2-4 on the mound this season. In the second game Wireman pitched all seven innings fanning four batters, but picked up the loss to fall to 7-13 on the season.

April Markowski led the way going 3-for-6 over the two games with one RBI and one run scored. Kayla Bear was the only other Panther to finish the day with multiple hits going 2-for-7 at the plate with one double and one run scored.

The Panthers raced out of the gates in the first game against DePaul as Bear opened the game with a lead-off double. Katie Watson advanced Bear to third base after reaching second herself following an error from the Blue Demon's left fielder. EIU was not able to take advantage of the runners in scoring position as the DePaul defense managed to close out the inning still tied at 0-0.

It wasn't until the third inning that the Panthers would get on the board as Mady Poulter opened the inning with a single to right field. Bear would reach base on the next at bat thanks to a fielder's choice to put two on with no outs. A sacrifice bunt from Haylee Beck advanced both the runners as Kylie Bennett eventually finished off the scoring play by driving in both Poulter and Bear on the next at bat. Bennett reached second base off of another error from DePaul, this time from the right fielder, to record the two unearned runs and put EIU up 2-0.

EIU added one more run in the bottom of the fifth as Ashlynne Paul was walked to open the inning. Paul advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Poulter only to be brought around shortly afterward as Beck singled through the left side to give the Panthers a 3-0 lead. 

The Panthers nearly earned the complete game shutout taking their 3-0 lead into the top of the seventh inning, but DePaul would not go down without a fight putting runners on second and third base with no outs. EIU managed to hold the runners at bay until DePaul's Haydn Christensen doubled to right center field to score Marsha' Pendilton from third base. Rogers and the the Panther defense were able to hold the Blue Demons to one run as they closed out the inning to earn the 3-1 win.

Markowski finished the first game going 2-for-3 at the plate.

The Blue Demons would have their revenge in the second game of the doubleheader as Dylan Christensen doubled to left field to open the game. Christensen advanced to third off of a wild pitch from Wireman in the next at bat. Wireman managed to strike out the next batter, but DPU's Morgan Maize doubled to left center to earn the RBI and put DePual ahead 1-0.

EIU struck back in the bottom of the second inning as Markowski singled to left center field and eventually stole second base. Markowski came around to score thanks to a double from Maria DeVito marking her first double and RBI in a Panther uniform. DeVito was not able to score before the inning ended, but she managed to tie the game at 1-1 headed into the third inning.

Wireman got into a jam in the top of the third inning as she walked two of the first three batters to load the bases for DePaul with no outs. After DPU's next batter flied out to left field, the Blue Demons were able to take the lead as Naomi Tellez grounded out to the shortstop but not before earning the RBI and putting DePaul up 2-1. The Blue Demon's Nicole Pihl added another run as she ripped a single through the left side to give DePaul a 3-1 lead. DePaul added one more run before the inning was over as a double steal from Pihl and Maize managed get Maize across home plate safely before the inning was over with DPU leading 4-1.   

The Panthers pulled one back in the bottom of the fourth as Watson opened the inning with a double to left center field. Watson would advance to third and eventually score thanks to infield ground outs from Kylie Bennett and Markowski to pull EIU close 4-2

Both teams added a run in the fifth inning as DePaul's Tellez hit a sacrifice fly deep to left field to score Micah Fitzgerald from third base and put DPU up 5-2.

The Panthers earned a run in the bottom of the fifth as Paul hit a single up the middle to put a runner on first with one out. EIU then brought in Taylor Monahan to pinch run for Paul. Monahan would eventually steal second base advancing to third on an errant throw from the DePaul catcher. Poulter brought Monahan around to score on the next at bat as she grounded out to first base allowing Monahan to score from third. EIU could not mount the comeback though as that would prove to be the final run scored in the game as DePaul managed to finish out the game ahead 5-3.