OXFORD, Ala. – A team effort for Eastern Illinois softball as the Panthers opened the 2023 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament with a 2-1 win over Southern Indiana.
EIU, the No. 2 seed in this year's field, improved to 32-19 overall as
Olivia Price (14-4) pitched a complete game in the circle for the win.Â
Price, this year's OVC Pitcher of the Year, was helped by her defense as she had just one strike out while scattering seven USI hits.
EIU provided Price all the offense she would need in the third inning as
Jaylen Prichard led off the inning with a single and moved to third on a double by
Kendall Grover.Â
Lindy Milkowski drove in the first run with an RBI single.  The second run would come as Grover was able to score when pinch-runner
Tieghan Morio was caught in a run-down attempting to steal second.
The two runs stood up for Price as USI threatened with one run in the sixth. Hailey Gotshall had a one out walk with pinch-runner Olivia Howard coming around to score on an RBI double by Rachel Martinez.
Josie Newman (16-11) suffered the loss in the circle for USI allowing just five hits. Â
EIU will play the winner of the Southeast Missouri / UT Martin game at 3 pm on Friday.
