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FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Eastern Illinois softball manufactured the runs it needed on Wednesday afternoon as the Panthers extended their current winning streak to six games with a midweek doubleheader sweep at Purdue Fort Wayne.
 
EIU won the opener 2-1 and then took the second game 11-1 in six innings as the Panthers improved to 26-15 on the season.
 
EIU 2, PUR-FW 1
Eastern Illinois scored two runs in the second inning and had that total stand up behind a strong pitching performance by Olivia Price as they won the opener 2-1.
 
The Panthers scored in the second with Aniya Holt opening the inning with a single up the middle.   She advanced to second as Briana Gonzalez was hit by a pitch a school record 15th time.  Amber Cieplinski then had the big hit of the inning with an RBI single down the right field line.   Holt would score and Gonzalez advanced to third on the single.   Two batters later, Cieplinski would get caught in a run-down with Gonzalez racing home for the Panthers second run before the EIU catcher was tagged out.
 
EIU was limited to just four hits in the game with Jaylen Prichard's double in the seventh the only extra base hit for the Panthers in the contest.  Gonzalez would reach base on a hit-by-pitch one additional time as she currently ranks in the top ten in the NCAA in that category with 16.
 
Price was masterful in the circle for EIU scattering six Purdue Fort Wayne hits while allowing one unearned run in the fifth.  She struck out three improving to 11-3 on the season.
 
Sonia Solis had two hits to lead the Mastodons at the plate.  Alanah Jones (7-10) took the loss in a complete game effort.
 
EIU 11, PUR-FW 1 (6)
In the second game EIU again manufactured some early runs to take the lead before a big sixth inning carried the Panthers to an 11-1 win in six innings.
 
EIU built a 3-0 lead in the fourth taking advantage of a walk, wild pitch and error to score two of the three runs unearned.  Rachel Kaufman and Kendall Grover each had singles in the inning with Morgan Lewis delivering an RBI double.
 
The Panthers added three more in fifth with Lindy Milkowski delivering an RBI single and a sacrifice fly by Briana Gonzalez. 
 
Milkowski helped break open the game in the sixth with her 14th home run of the season, a three-run shot.  Aniya Holt capped EIU's scoring with a solo home run.
 
Grover led EIU's offense with three hits followed by Milkowski and Holt with two each.
 
Kaufman (7-4) tossed five scoreless innings for the win.  Alexa Rehmeier pitched the six in relief.   Gracie Brinkerhoff (6-6) had the loss for the Mastodons.
 
Taryn Jenkins had two hits for Purdue Fort Wayne including a solo homer in the sixth.