Game One | Game Two
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Eastern Illinois softball opened up day one of the Gardner-Webb Tournament as they beat Northern Kentucky 8-3 and fell to host Gardner-Webb 6-1.
The Panthers are 5-4 on the season heading into the next two games of the tournament. At 12 p.m., they face off against Mount St. Mary's and then at 4 p.m., they play Gardner-Webb for the second time.
Game 1
In the first game, Jade Montgomery took control on the mound as she went all seven innings with only three runs scored against her. Montgomery struck out three batters, walked one, and gave up five hits.
At the plate, the Panthers struck first as Kendyl McKeough had a sacrifice fly to score Kayla Bear. In the second inning, NKU fired back as they scored three runs to take the lead 3-1.
The Panthers took back control as the three runs NKU score were the only runs they would score. In the third inning, McKeough had another sacrifice fly as Hannah Cravens scored for the Panthers.
In the fourth inning McKeough hit a double to score Bear and Taylor Jones to make the score 4-3. In the fifth inning, the Panthers ran away with it as Cravens hit a grand slam to score Bear, McKinlee Miller, and Megan Burton.
The Panthers ended the game with only one error and ten hits. McKeough and Cravens led the team in RBI's each with four as the Panthers win 8-3.
Game 2
In the second game, the Panthers fell to host Gardner-Webb 6-1. Taylor Florea started for the Panthers as she collected one strikeout and had five runs scored against her. Cravens came in to relieve her but but one run scored against her and pitched one strikeout.
In the first inning Gardner-Webb scored first with two runs against Florea. In the second inning, McKeough scored the only run for the Panthers of the game. Gardner-Webb scored three in the fourth and one in the sixth to win 6-1
