Photo Gallery (by
Sandy King)
CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois softball clinched its third straight Ohio Valley Conference series win as the Panthers swept a Saturday doubleheader against Austin Peay at Williams Field.
EIU won 4-2 in the opener and 8-0 (5 inn.) in the second game to improve to 14-5 overall, 7-1 in the OVC. Austin Peay fell to 9-6 overall, 4-4 in the OVC. The two teams wrap up the three game series on Sunday at 11 a.m.
In the opener
Amber Cieplinski hit a two-run home run in the second inning that lifted the Panthers to an early lead.
Aniya Holt would add a sacrifice fly to plate a run in the fourth while
Hannah Cravens drove home a run in the fifth to account for EIU's scoring.
Jade Montgomery was strong in the circle for EIU allowing just one hit through the opening six innings. In the seventh, APSU finally broke through with three hits in the frame including RBI singles by Emily Harkleroad and Drew Dudley.
Montgomery would close out the inning for the complete game win improving to 6-4 on the year. Montgomery had five strikeouts and did not allow a walk.
Jordan Benefiel took the lost for APSU allowing just five hits. Bailey Shorter was 2-for-3 as the only player on either team with multiple hits in the opener.
In the second game freshman
Olivia Price worked out of an early jam for the Panthers in the circle as she would scatter three hits in a five-inning complete game shutout win. Price improved to 4-1 on the year.
EIU again used the long ball in the second inning as Cravens had a two-run shot. Holt added her second RBI of the day with an infield single to drive home the Panthers third run of the inning.
The Panthers added five more in the third chasing APSU starter Kelsey Gross (4-1).
Haley Mitchell hit her eighth home run of the season to get the rally started.
Morgan Lewis then added an RBI single as she was 2-for-2 in the game with two runs scored.
Abi Stahlhut closed out the scoring with a two-run single down the left field line.
