Game Notes
Panther Slap Hits
The Panthers head to Oxford, Ala. this weekend to play in the 2017 Leon Smith Classic hosted by Southeast Missouri. The Classic features 11 different teams including five from the Ohio Valley Conference.
EIU enters tournament play with a 10-8 record after going 2-2 at the Purple/Gold Challenge. Junior
Jessica Wireman picked up both wins on the mound going 2-1 over the weekend. Wireman threw 18 strikeouts over 14.1 innings.
Freshman
Haley Mitchell saw her 14-game hitting streak come to an end in EIU's first game of the tournament. The game against Lipscomb marked the only time this season Mitchell has failed to earn at least one hit.
Mady Poulter recorded her first career home run at the Purple/Gold Challenge leading to a new career high with four RBIs against Stony Brook.
The Weekend Batting Order
Saturday, Mar. 11 • Alabama A&M
10:30 am • Oxford, Ala.
Live Stats:
gosoutheast.com
TV/Radio: N/A
Last Meeting: 3/13/12 (W, 8-0 [5 inn.])
Saturday, Mar. 11 • Loyola-Chicago
1 pm • Oxford, Ala.
Live Stats: N/A
TV/Radio: N/A
Last Meeting: 1996 (L, 3-11)
Sunday, Mar. 12 • Valparaiso
10:30 am • Oxford, Ala.
Live Stats:
gosoutheast.com
TV/Radio: N/A
Last Meeting: 3/4/17 (W, 12-5)
Sunday, Mar. 12 • Samford
1 pm • Oxford, Ala.
Live Stats:
samfordsports.com
TV/Radio: N/A
Last Meeting: 3/4/12 (W, 5-4 [8 inn.])
Last Time Out
EIU closed out the Purple/Gold Challenge with a 2-2 record to go to 10-8 on the season. The Panthers were shut out in both games by the hosts Lipscomb, but scored in double-digits in the other two games against Stony Brook and Valparaiso. The Panthers combined for 22 runs in day two of the tournament.
Three Panthers went yard over the weekend while freshman
Ashley Bartlett recorded her first hit at EIU against Stony Brook.
Panther Rankings
Freshman
Haley Mitchell leads the OVC with 22 RBIs so far this season averaging 1.29 RBIs per game. She is one of two Panthers with double-digit RBIs and the only one with 20 or more.
After recording only two hits over the weekend
Mia Davis dropped to fifth in the OVC with a .442 batting average.
The Panthers still hold two of three top three spots in the OVC for hits.
Kayla Bear is second with 26 hits on the year followed by Mitchell with 24. Davis is tied for fifth with 23.
Despite picking up a loss in her only recorded result for the weekend,
Michelle Rogers is third in the OVC with a 6-3 record on the mound.
Jessica Wireman threw 18 strikeouts at the Purple/Gold Challenge pushing her to fifth in the OVC with 47 strikeouts this season.
Scouting The Field
Although tournament play begins on Thursday, the Panthers wont play until Saturday when they take on Alabama A&M. The Bulldogs are 4-11 on the year with a doubleheader Wednesday before starting tournament play.
Loyola-Chicago enters tournament play after dropping their first game of the season at No. 11 Alabama. Saturday's game marks the first time these two teams have squared off since 1996.
EIU will take on Valparaiso for the second weekend in a row Sunday. The Panthers defeated the Crusaders in Nashville 12-5 after scoring 12 unanswered runs to come back and win.
The Panthers have a winning series record against every team they face except for Samford. Sunday's game will mark the tiebreaker game as both teams are deadlocked at 10 wins each.
Looking Ahead
Following EIU's four tournament games this weekend the Panthers will play in their first mid-week games of the season taking on Kennesaw State Tuesday (Mar. 14) in a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.
