Tweet #LOYALandTRUE

VICKSBURG, Miss. - Eastern Illinois scored three runs in the fourth and two in the fifth on Saturday afternoon as the Panthers moved to .500 on the season with a 5-1 win over Jackson State in the River City Classic II Tournament.
 
Jackson State scored its lone run of the game with a lead off home run by Laurent Stewart in the first.   Stewart would collect two of the JSU hits in the game as Rachel Kaufman has a strong start in the circle throwing 5.1 innings with four strikeouts.  Kaitlyn Riefsteck closed out the final 1.2 innings allowing one hit.
 
The Panthers would break through and provide Kaufman with all the offense she would need in the top of the fourth.  Hannah Cravens led off with a single and Lindy Milkowski followed with a double.  Riley Dittmar delivered with a two-run double giving her four RBI on the day after a two RBI effort in the win earlier over Alcorn State.  Dittmar would eventually come around to score an unearned run putting EIU up 3-1 in the game.
 
Megan Burton added two insurance runs in the fifth hitting her second home run of the season with Morgan Lewis scoring on the play. 
 
Cravens was the lone Panther with multiple hits in the game going 2-for-4. 
 
Macie Kuppenbender took the loss for JSU falling to 2-3 on the season. 
 
EIU wraps up tournament action on Sunday facing Alabama A&M and Jackson State.