MOREHEAD, Ky. – Eastern Illinois used big innings in both games of Sunday's doubleheader as the Panthers completed a weekend sweep over Morehead State winning 13-8 and 8-0. EIU improved to 10-4 on the year, 3-0 in the OVC. Morehead State fell to 4-6, 0-3 in the OVC.
Game 1
Eastern Illinois softball scored five runs in the top of the seventh inning to win game two of the weekend series at Morehead State, 13-8, as the Panthers clinched the Ohio Valley Conference opening weekend series.
Trailing by one run heading into the sixth inning, Eastern Illinois turned to the long ball as
Megan Burton and
Mia Davis both connected for home runs to give the Panthers a 8-6 lead. Morehead State would tie the game at 8-8 in the bottom of the frame scoring one run on an error on a stolen base attempt while Peyton Slater drove in the tying run.
The Panthers offense responded in the top of the seventh with five runs.
Hannah Cravens opened the inning with a walk. Following a single by
Katie Nicholson, EIU loaded the bases on an error on a sacrifice bunt attempt.
Abi Stahlhut had the first big hit of the inning with a single up the middle.
Aniya Holt's sacrifice fly would push the Panthers lead to two before back-to-back RBI singles by
Morgan Lewis and Burton. Cravens would draw a walk for the second time in the inning with bases loaded to account for the final RBI of the inning.
EIU opened the game with a 5-1 lead through the first three innings which included a two-run home run by
Haley Mitchell in the third. Morehead State rallied to take the lead with five runs in the fifth. Peyton Jordan had a two-run double while Taylor Rhea drove home two more runs with a single.
Sydney Cammon improved to 3-0 on the season with a win in relief for EIU. Lewis was 3-for-5 while Burton, Davis and Nicholson all had two hits for EIU.
Carolyn Alincic was tagged with the loss in relief for MSU falling to 1-2. Trinity Spear had three hits to lead the Eagles in the opening game.
Game 2
In the second game it took a few innings for the Panthers offense to get going before they scored three in the fourth, and five in the fifth to win 8-0 and sweep the weekend series.
In the fourth, EIU took advantage of a Morehead State error as Stahlhut drove home the first run with a sacrifice fly scoring Cravens from third. Holt would follow with another sacrifice fly and Burton reached on an error allowing
Anna Lipinski to score the third run of the inning.
Mitchell led off the fifth with a solo home run, her second blast of the day. Two more batters reached the plate chasing MSU starter Alincic (1-3) from the game.
Amber Cieplinski continued the big inning with an RBI single while Burton's 2-run single capped EIU's offense in the fifth. Cieplinksi, Nicholson and Lewis all had two hits in the night cap for EIU.
Olivia Price (2-1) scattered two hits over five shutout innings for the win.
Slater and Lennon Spicer each had hits for Morehead State.
