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ROSEMONT, Ill. – St. Thomas (Minn.) scored eight runs in the top of the second inning and held off Eastern Illinois to pick up a 12-9 win over the Panthers on the second day of the Rosemont Dome Tournament.
 
EIU fell to 0-2 on the season after the Panthers climbed to within one run in both the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings but could not complete the comeback.
 
The Tommies big inning was sparked by three doubles by Coryn Jacobson, Sarah Hudson and Cassidy Carby batting in the three through five spots in the order.  Jacobson's double was a two-run shot.
 
EIU answered with three runs in the bottom of the second with Riley Dittmar, Morgan Lewis and Megan Burton all driving in runs.
 
After both teams scored in the third inning, EIU cut the lead to 9-8 in the bottom of the fourth.  Lindy Milkowski opened the inning with a two-run homer.  Kendall Fields had a sacrifice fly and Maddie Swart drove home a run with a ground out to bring EIU within one.
 
Brooke Ellestad gave St. Thomas a little cushion in the fifth as she led off with a solo home run.  Ellestad was 4-for-5 on the day with three RBI.
 
Milkowski drove home her third run of the day for EIU in the bottom of the fifth bringing the Panthers to within 10-9.  The tying run would be stranded on third as Isabelle True forced a fly out to center.  True worked three innings to collect the save.  Lauren Berridge (1-0) picked up the win in relief.
 
Tieghan Morio (0-1) was the losing pitcher for EIU as the Panthers used five pitchers in the game. 
 
St. Thomas tacked on two insurance runs in the seventh for the final score.  Hudson joined Ellestad as St. Thomas players with multiple hits going 2-for-4. 
 
Dittmar, Lewis and Burton all finished with two hits for EIU.