Game 1 Box |Â
Game 2 Box |Â
Photo Gallery (
Sandy King)
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois softball hosted Murray State for their home opener today. The teams played a doubleheader at Williams Field to kickoff OVC play. The Racers shutout the Panthers 7-0 in the first game, and came from behind to win 7-4 in the final game of the day.
EIU drops to 9-21 overall and 0-2 in the OVC, while Murray improves to 12-15 overall and 2-0 in the OVC.
The Panthers will be back in action for another pair of games tomorrow with a doubleheader vs. Austin Peay starting at 12 pm.
Game 1
EIU recorded four hits in the first game of the day as they struggled to find their groove. The Racers tallied 13 hits leading to a 7-0 win.
Murray's first two runs came in the top of the third inning to go up 2-0. Jensen Strigel scored for the Racers on a double to right center from Lillie Goetz. Goetz scored the second run of the inning on a single from Lexi Jones.
The Racers added another five runs in the sixth inning highlighted by another big hit from Goetz. She hit a hard single through the right side of the field to tally her second RBI of the game. She finished 2-of-3 from the plate, while Lindsey Carroll finished with a team-best three hits.
Mia Davis,
Breya Cooper,
Kendyl McKeough, and
Mady Poulter all recorded a hit for the Panthers.
Hannah James gets the win on the mound for the Racers improving to 7-7 on the year. She also finished with seven strikeouts.
Jade Montgomery falls to 3-11 for the Panthers.
Game 2
Haley Mitchell had a big game at the plate for EIU in game two of today's action. She finished 3-of-4 with two RBI and one run scored in the Panthers 7-4 loss.
EIU jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after three innings. Davis homered in the first inning to score her and
Hannah Cravens. Mitchell followed suit in the third with a solo home run to right field.
The Racers would take a 4-3 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth. Madison Culver hit a two-run homer in the fourth to bring the Racers back into the game. Mitchell singled to right field in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game 4-4.
Leah Kesel scored the game winning run on a single by Sierra Gilmore and the Racers would add another two runs to beat the Panthers 7-4 completing the sweep on the day.
Davis finished 2-of-3 at the plate with two RBI and one run scored, while four other EIU players each tallied one hit. Culver and Gilmore each finished with two hits apiece for Murray.
McKenna Coffman falls to 2-7 on the mound. Ellison Barrett improves to 2-1, while Hannah James picks up her first save of the year.
