CHARLESTON, Ill. –
Hannah Cravens came up big in both games of Eastern Illinois Wednesday night doubleheader helping lift the Panthers to two wins over Purdue Fort Wayne at Williams Field.
Cravens hit a game tying 3-run home run late in the opener as EIU rallied to win 13-8.
In the night cap she had a walk-off, two-run double in the bottom of the seventh to lift EIU to a 3-2 win.
Cravens had six RBI on the day as EIU improved to 21-17 overall. Purdue Fort Wayne fell to 4-26 on the season with the losses.
EIU 13, PURDUE FORT WAYNE 8
Eastern Illinois rallied to score 11 runs in the final three innings as the Panthers came back to beat Purdue Fort Wane 13-8 in the opener.
After both Eastern Illinois and Purdue Fort Wayne took advantage of errors in the opening inning to score runs, Purdue Fort Wayne posted five runs in the second inning to jump out to a 6-2 lead. Emma McMillian started the Mastodons rally with a two-run single. Sonia Solis would drive in the final three runs of the inning with a bases clearing double as she drove in four runs for the game.
The Mastodons lead would grow to 7-2 in the fourth on a solo homer by Alise Hale. Hale was 2-for-3 with three runs scored as the lone Purdue Fort Wayne player with multiple hits.
EIU chipped away at the lead with a solo home run by
Megan Burton in the bottom of the fourth.
In the fifth EIU would knot the score at 7-7 with Cravens tying the score with a three-run blast to left, her 13th of the season.
The Panthers would blow the game open in the bottom of the sixth scoring six runs.
Lindy Milkowski had a three-run home run while
Jaylen Prichard added a two-run single to left. Cravens would drive in the final run of the inning for EIU for her fourth RBI in the contest.
Purdue Fort Wayne added a home run by Epiphany Hang in the seventh for the final run.
Alexa Rehmeier was the fourth EIU pitcher used in the game going 1.2 innings for the win to improve to 9-4. Gracie Brinkerhoff took the loss for the Mastodons falling to 2-7.
Milkowski and
Kendall Fields both had three hits to lead EIU as the Panthers pounded out 15 hits.
EIU 3, PURDUE FORT WAYNE 2
Hannah Cravens had a walk-off, two-run double with one out that scored
Marama Makea and
Jaylen Prichard as EIU swept the midweek doubleheader with a 3-2 win.
Makea drew a walk one-out walk to get the Panthers rally started. She would move to third on a single through the right side by Prichard. Prichard would steal second setting the table for Cravens who delivered her 15th double of the season to left field to hand EIU the win.
After EIU took a 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI single by
Lindy Milkowski, Purdue Fort Wayne starter Shaina Eyre was sharp until the seventh allowing just five total hits in the game as she fell to 1-10 with the loss.
The Mastodons tied the game in the third with a sacrifice fly by Sonia Solis. They would then take the 2-1 lead in the sixth with a two-out home run by Taryn Jenkins, her first of the season.
EIU starter
Rachel Kaufman pitched 5.2 strong innings with eight strikeouts but left in the sixth.
Alexa Rehmeier closed out the final 1.1 innings picking up her second win of the day improving to 10-4 on the season.
Milkowski was the lone player on either team with multiple hits going 2-for-3 for EIU. Prichard, Cravens and
Maddie Swart picked up the other three Panthers hits.
Purdue Fort Wayne had four players all with one hit including Jenkins home run.
