CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois softball fell 8-6 today in the final game of the weekend series against Austin Peay. The Panthers held the lead until the top of the sixth inning. The Governors managed four hits, eight runs, while the Panthers accounted for two errors. That lead managed to be enough, as the Panthers fell in seven innings at Williams Field.Â
The Panthers fall to 14-6 on the season, 7-2 in the OVC. Austin Peay's record moves 10-5, 5-4 in the OVC. The Panthers will travel to Cookeville, Tenn. to take on the Golden Eagles on Saturday, Mar. 27, at 1 p.m. for the opening game of the day's doubleheader.
QUICK HITS
- Katie Nicholson went 2-3 at the plate today, drew a walk, and scored a run for the Panthers.
- Morgan Lewis went 2-4 at the plate and recorded two RBI.Â
- Abi Stahlhut went 1-2 at the plate, drew a walk, and recorded an RBI.
- Amber Cieplinski went 1-3 at the plate, drew a rock, and recorded a run.
- Jade Montgomery started the game, pitch five innings, allowed five hits, four runs, three earned runs, and struck out three.
- Hannah Cravens and Olivia Price both appeared in relief for EIU in game three.Â
GAME THREE
The Panthers scored the first runs of the game in the second innings from a Cravens single and a pair of doubles from Cieplinski and Stahlhut to score two for EIU.
Nicholson managed to score the next run for EIU after reaching first on a single and advancing to second on a throwing error by the Governors. Mitchell followed with a double to put EIU up 3-0 in the third inning.
Eastern Illinois scored again in the fifth inning, starting with a
Mia Davis single. Davis was pinch-run for by
McKinlee Miller, who promptly stole second base.
Megan Burton drew a walk in the next at-bat, and both scorers entered running position after a wild pitch. Cravens drew a walk to load the bases for Lewis. Lewis came through with a single into left field, bringing home two to put EIU up 5-0.
The Governors found their stride in the sixth inning, as the Panthers allowed eight runs through three pitching changes. Austin Peay took the lead 8-5, heading into the bottom of the sixth inning.
Eastern Illinois managed to put one more run in the sixth inning, but fell in the end 8-6 in the final game of the series.
