Skip To Main Content

Eastern Illinois University Athletics

Skip Ad
Bennett_2015
2
Eastern Illinois EIU 4-12
3
Winner Kansas KU 8-8
Eastern Illinois EIU
4-12
2
Final
3
Kansas KU
8-8
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Eastern Illinois EIU 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 6 0
Kansas KU 1 0 2 0 0 0 X 3 6 0

W: Wesley (2-0) L: Wireman, Jessica (3-11)

8
Winner Southern Illinois SIU 8-5
6
Eastern Illinois EIU 4-13
Winner
Southern Illinois SIU
8-5
8
Final
6
Eastern Illinois EIU
4-13
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Southern Illinois SIU 0 0 3 0 0 4 1 8 8 0
Eastern Illinois EIU 0 2 0 1 0 3 0 6 8 3

W: Brian Jones (6-2) L: Rogers, Michelle (1-2)

Game Recap: Softball |

Softball Falls In Day One Of Coach B Classic

Kylie Bennett had a monster opening day of Coach B Classic, but EIU cannot hang on losing to both Kansas and Southern Illinois.

Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Eastern Illinois softball could not hold on to early leads in the first day of the Southern Illinois Coach B Classic falling to Kansas 3-2 before dropping a tough 8-6 decision to the host Salukis. With the losses EIU falls to 4-13 on the season.

Kylie Bennett was the bright spot for EIU in the opening day of the tournament Saturday [Mar. 5]. The senior was 4-of-6 throughout the two games with five RBIs and three home runs. Bennett hit two home runs against Southern Illinois marking the first time a Panther has had a multi-home run game since Hannah Cole hit two home runs against Southeast Missouri in last season's OVC Championship tournament.

Both Jessica Wireman and Michelle Rogers recorded the losses on the mound for EIU. Wireman finished the day with five strikeouts over 7.1 innings pitched.

The Panthers raced out of the gates early to take the lead in the top of the first against Kansas. Kayla Bear hit a lead-off single to left field to open the game. After Bear stole second Bennett stepped into the batter's box hitting cleanup and sent her first home run of the day over the center field wall to give EIU an early 2-0 lead. 

KU's Shannon McGinley doubled to center field in the bottom of the first to help the Jayhawks pull one back. Erin McGinley brought her sister around to score hitting the RBI single to left field to make it 2-1 heading into the second inning.

The Jayhawks took the lead in the bottom of the third inning as KU's Chaley Brickey opened the inning with a lead-off double. Wireman got into a little bit of trouble walking four of the next five batters to load the bases and bring around two runs to give Kansas a 3-2 lead. 

Kansas was able to hold off the Panthers and earn the 3-2 victory. Wireman finished the game with four strikeouts in six innings of work on the mound. Bear led EIU with two hits batting from the top of the lineup.

Bennett continued her stellar first day in the Coach B Classic by opening the scoring in EIU's second game of the day against Southern Illinois. The senior first baseman hit one into the bleachers to open the bottom of the second inning and give the Panthers the 1-0 lead. 

Amber Toenyes followed up the home run with a single before Taylor Monahan came in to pinch run. Monahan eventually stole third base after advancing to second thanks to a sacrifice bunt from April Markowski. Mady Poulter earned the RBI after grounding out to the second baseman allowing Monahan to score and put the Panthers up 2-0.

The Salukis took advantage of EIU errors in the top of the third inning to take the lead scoring three unearned runs. 

SIU's Hanna Stam reached on an error to open the inning eventually advancing to third base only to cross home plate due to a throwing error from Andrea Roberts. Caylee Cook added two more runs for Southern Illinois hitting a double to left field and advancing to third base off of another throwing error. The runners on first and second base scored on the error to put SIU ahead 3-2. 

Bennett hit her second lead-off solo home run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie it up 3-3, but the Salukis would answer back in the top of the sixth inning with a home run of their own. Merri Anne Patterson put SIU ahead with a two-run home run to give the Salukis a 5-3 lead. 

Southern Illinois added one more run before Wireman came in to replace Rogers on the mound. SIU's Eyrika Brandenburg singled to right field to bring one run home, nearly scoring a second if not for Markowski throwing out the runner coming around to score. Brandenburg advanced to second on the throw eventually scoring on the next at bat as Kelsey Gonzales singled off of Wireman. The Panthers finally got out of the top of the inning trailing SIU 7-3.

The sixth inning scoring continued in the bottom of the inning as Jennifer Ames opened with a single. Bennett earned her third RBI of the game bringing Ames home from second with a single. After Jennette Isaac entered the game pinch running for Bennett, Toenyes hit a double in the next at bat to put runners on second and third base. 

Mady Poulter had a direct influence on EIU's next two runs hitting a single to score Isaac from third base. Poulter then was caught in a rundown trying to steal second base, but created enough of a distraction for Maria DeVito, who was pinch running for Toenyes, to score and pull the Panthers within one 7-6. 

EIU could not complete the comeback though as Cook homered in the top of the seventh inning to give the Salukis a two-run cushion and earn the final score of 8-6. Poulter finished the game 1-of-3 with two RBIs.

The Panthers continue play in the Coach B Classic Saturday [Mar. 6] with games against Butler at 10:30 am followed by another game against Kansas at 12:30 pm. 
 
Print Friendly Version
Skip Ad
Sidearm Sports, opens a new window