Eastern Illinois University Athletics

Game 1 Box (PDF)  |  Game 2 Box (PDF)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Eastern Illinois softball opened the 2020 season today at the Samford Tournament hosted by Samford University. The Panthers collected their first win of the season in their opening game against Akron, winning 5-4. In the second game of the day, the Panthers fell to Samford 4-3.

EIU is 1-1 heading into a two-game slate tomorrow. The Panthers will play Winthrop tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. and the Samford at 5:30 p.m. They will wrap up their first tournament of the season with an 11 am rematch with Winthrop on Sunday. 

Game 1
The Panthers win their season opener 5-4 against Akron Friday afternoon. EIU took an early 4-0 lead over Akron with a grand slam from Hannah Cravens in the first inning.
 
In the bottom of the fifth Akron gets on the board with a single to advance a runner across the plate to make the score 4-1. Later in the inning Akron bats in two more runs to make the game 4-3 heading into the sixth inning.
 
In the sixth inning, Hannah Kissel has an RBI to drive Kayla Bear home to make the score 5-3. In the bottom of the sixth, freshman pitch Taylor Florea gets her first strikeout of her college career and another one right after that to end the inning.
 
In the final inning, the Panthers head into it 5-4, EIU couldn't get a run across the plate but neither could Akron. The Panthers pick up their first win of the season and give Head Coach Tara Archibald her first career win as a Panther and as a head coach.  

Game 2
The Panthers lost their first game of the season to Samford 4-3. EIU plays Samford again tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. as they look to avenge this loss.

In the first inning, the Panthers got a base hit from Bear, but couldn't capitalize. It was all Bulldogs in the bottom of the inning as they have five singles to drive in two runs for the Bulldogs.

The Panthers start the second with a leadoff walk by Hannah Cravens then Kendyl McKeough knocks one deep into the left-field over the wall for a two-run homer to tie the game 2-2. In the bottom of the second, Samford got a leadoff single but the Panther defense was dialed in as they shutout the Bulldogs the rest of the inning.

In the third, Kayla Bear gets the Panthers started with a double off the wall in center field but that's all EIU can do on the bats in the third. While the Bulldogs get a single, Megan Burton ends the inning with a double play to end the inning.

Hannah Cravens leads off the fourth inning with a lead off home run to put the Panthers up 3-2. In the bottom of the fourth Burton end the inning with a fly out catch with the Panthers on top 3-2 going into the fifth.

In the bottom of the fifth Samford hits a home run to tie the game 3-3. In the middle of fifth, the Panthers switch out pitchers as they bring in senior Jade Montgomery to close the game. At the end of the fifth inning the Panthers are down 4-3. The Panthers were not able to come back as they lose their second game 4-3.