EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – SIUE held off a big rally by Eastern Illinois softball in the opening game of a Tuesday Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader and used that momentum in the second game as SIUE beat EIU in both games.
SIUE won the opener 12-11 before a 7-3 win in the second game.
EIU fell to 17-16 overall, 4-4 in the OVC. The Panthers will host Murray State in a three-game OVC series this weekend at Williams Field. SIUE improved to 10-19, 2-6 in the OVC.
SIUE 12, EIU 11
In the opener Eastern Illinois overcame a 9-0 deficit after the opening inning to eventually take an 11-9 lead in the fifth inning. The Cougars would rally and scored two in the seventh to pick up the 12-11 win.
The Cougars put up nine runs in the opening inning as they had RBI doubles by Bailley Concatto, Lauryn Ysalva and Piper Montgomery early in the inning. Aerin Talley would add a two-run single as the Cougars sent 13 batters to the plate in the first. Four of the nine runs would be unearned as EIU had three errors in the game including two in the opening inning.
The Panthers put a dent in the SIUE lead in the top of the second scoring six runs as eleven batters came to the plate.
Megan Burton had a two-run single followed by a two-run double by
Jaylen Prichard to jump start the EIU offense.
Hannah Cravens drove in a run with an RBI double followed by an RBI single by
Lindy Milkowski.
Riley Dittmar's three-run home run in the fourth tied the game at 9-9 as Dittmar was 3-for-4 at the plate for EIU.
The Panthers took the lead with two runs in the fifth.
Marama Makea had a one-out triple and scored on a ground by Prichard. Cravens would drive in the last run for EIU. Prichard, Cravens, Burton and Milkowski all had two hits for EIU with Prichard driving in three runs.
EIU was unable to hold the lead in the final two innings as SIUE scoring once in the sixth and twice in the seventh. Grace Lueke had a sacrifice fly in the sixth to bring SIUE to within one run. In the seventh the Cougars loaded the bases with Jenna Herron hitting a two-run single to center to win the game.
Olivia Price fell to 4-4 with the loss pitching six innings in relief.
Sydney Baalman improved to 3-5 picking up the win in relief. Lexi King and Talley each had two hits to lead SIUE.
SIUE 7, EIU 3
SIUE seemed to carry over the momentum from its game one win as the Cougars built an early 4-0 lead before posting a 7-3 win over Eastern Illinois.
SIUE scored four runs in the opening inning taking advantage of an EIU error. Amber Storer had the big hit of the inning with a two-run home run. Three of the four SIUE runs in the inning were unearned as EIU committed two errors in the inning.
The Cougars added single runs in the second, third and fourth innings to take a 7-0 lead. Grace Lueke had an RBI single in the second. Aerin Talley added an RBI single in third. Lauryn Yslava closed out the Cougars scoring with an RBI double in the fourth.
EIU was able to break through in the seventh inning.
Kendall Fields drove in the first run for the Panthers with a pinch hit RBI double.
Megan Burton would add an RBI single while
Carson Cole advanced on a throw to score the final Panthers run.
Lexi King was effective in the circle for SIUE allowing six hits with a complete game win to improve to 3-2. Burton was the lone EIU player with multiple hits against King going 2-for-4.
Tieghan Morio fell to 4-4 on the season with the loss.
Rachel Kaufman would pitch 3.2 innings of relief allowing one unearned run.
King, Bailley Concatto, Ysalva and Storer all had two hits for SIUE in the second game.
