McKenzie Oslanzi tossed a gem and Eastern Illinois picked up a 2-0 win over Southern Indiana to open a big weekend series in Evansville.
Oslanzi improved to 17-3 on the season allowing just four hits in the game, only allowing one Screaming Eagles player to reach second base during the game. That runner reached in the bottom of the seventh with EIU up 2-0.Â
Sammie Kihega led off the seventh for USI with a walk. After a strike out and fly out, pinch hitter Olivia Money singled to left before Oslanzi forced the final out on a line out to first baseman
Rachel Kaufman.
Oslanzi's counterpart in the circle for USI, Josie Newman, was solid as well allowing seven Panther hits and one earned run. Newman fell to 14-6 with the loss.
EIU broke through in the fourth with
Karson Davey and
Jadin Justman connecting for back-to-back singles to open the inning. Davey would come around to score the first run on a two-out error by USI.
The Panthers added an insurance run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by
Kendall Grover that scored
Briana Gonzalez. EIU had loaded the bases in the inning with three straight singles by Gonzalez,
Marama Makea and
Sophie Cerveny.
Makea was the lone player for either team with multiple hits going 2-for-3 for EIU.Â
EIU improved to 26-12, 12-4 in the OVC. USI fell to 16-15 overall, 6-5 in the OVC.
