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CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois softball rallied not once, but twice in the opener as senior Amber Cieplinski had a walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth to give EIU a 7-6 win in the opener over Southeast Missouri.  The Redhawks would rally to win the second game of the doubleheader winning 5-1.
 
EIU moves to 31-19 overall, 16-6 in the OVC.  SEMO is now 28-12 overall, 20-2 in the OVC.
 
EIU 7, SEMO 6 (8)
After Eastern Illinois jumped out a 2-0 lead in the opening inning, the Panthers had to rally in the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings before the win which snapped a 16-game OVC win streak by Southeast Missouri.
 
Amber Cieplinski had a walk-off single with bases loaded and two outs in the eighth as EIU scored three runs in the inning to win 7-6.
 
The Panthers trailed 4-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh and scored two runs in that frame to extend the game.  Rachel Kaufman had an RBI single and Lindy Milkowski an sacrifice fly to drive in the two Panthers runs.  Kaufman was 4-for-4 at the plate in the opener.
 
In the top of the eighth SEMO regained the lead on a two-run home run by Kynzie Wrigley as she was one of four SEMO players with two hits in the game.
 
EIU rallied again in the bottom of the eighth.  Jaylen Prichard had an RBI single to start the rally and Milkowski drew a bases loaded walk setting the table for Cieplinski's hit.  Cieplinski was 2-for-5 in the game.
 
Morgan Lewis was 2-for-4 and Prichard had three hits in the lead off spot for EIU. 
 
Alexa Rehmeier (7-5) picked up the win with 3.2 innings of relief work.
 
SEMO 5, EIU 1
Eastern Illinois was held to four hits in the second game of the doubleheader as Marisa Davis (9-2) tossed a complete game for Southeast Missouri during a 5-1 win.
 
EIU scored in the bottom of the seventh as senior Denaed Santini reached as one of three consecutive pinch hitters to go to the plate for the Panthers.  Santini came around to score on an error in the inning by Southeast Missouri.
 
EIU's other hits in the game were by Kendall Grover, Rachel Kaufman and Morgan Lewis.
 
SEMO jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second on an RBI double by Kynzie Wrigley and RBI single by Sydney Melton.
 
Wrigley, Melton and Zoe Schulte hitting in the bottom three spots in the Redhawks order had six hits and drove in four of the SEMO runs.
 
Melton had a two-run homer to left in the sixth inning. 
 
Following the game EIU honored the six members of its senior class – Maddie Swart, Tieghan Morio, Morgan Lewis, Macey McElravy, Amber Cieplinski and Denaed Santini.