Photo Gallery (by Sandy King)
Eastern Illinois and Tennessee State both came up with clutch performances on Saturday as the teams split a doubleheader at Williams Field.
TSU won the opener 5-1 before EIU walked off the game two win 9-7 for the Saturday split.
EIU is now 24-12 overall, 10-4 in the OVC. TSU is 17-17 overall, 8-6 in the OVC.
TSU 5, EIU 1
Eastern Illinois scored in the bottom of the first inning but could not muster any additional offense against Tennessee State starter Caitlyn Manus as the Tigers won the opener 5-1.
Kendall Grover led off the game with a double to left and came around to score on a sacrifice fly by
Jadin Justman. After that Manus allowed just two additional base runners on hits by
McKenzie Oslanzi and
Aryn Henke.
Manus (8-6) tossed the complete game with five strike outs and no walks issued.
TSU tied the game in the third taking advantage of a passed ball and throwing error on a stolen base to score an unearned run.
The Tigers tacked on three runs in the fourth and a single run in the fifth as Onnika Spencer hit a solo home run to right field.
In the fourth TSU took the lead on a sacrifice fly by Mikayla Duke. Spencer scored the next run on a steal of home on a double steal before Peyton Fointno drove in the final run in the inning.
Spencer was the lone player with multiple hits going 2-for-3.
Oslanzi (14-3) took the loss for EIU in the circle.
EIU 9, TSU 7
Rachel Kaufman hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to walk off a win for Eastern Illinois with a home run for the second time this season in OVC play.
Kaufman hit a 2-run shot to straight away center scoring
Jadin Justman who led off the bottom of the seventh with a single to left. Kaufman's home run carried EIU to the 9-7 win.
Tennessee State trailed 7-5 heading into the top of the seventh with Nahtali Simpson reaching with one out in the inning. Onnika Spencer then delivered her second home of the day to left center to tie the game at 7-7.
EIU jumped out early to a 4-0 lead in the first inning with
Briana Gonzalez connecting for a two-run single to chase TSU's starting pitcher. Reina Castillo (4-5) entered in relief throwing 5.1 innings before taking the loss in the seventh.
TSU battled back to tie the game at 4-4 with two runs in the fourth and two in the fifth. Mikayla Duke had a two-run double in the fourth. Ryla Traylor had a two-run single to left with bases loaded in the fifth.
The Panthers responded with three runs in the bottom of the fifth and held the lead until the seventh.
Aryn Henke had an RBI in the fifth for EIU and Gonzalez drove in her third run of the game.
Justman and Kaufman both finished with three hits to lead EIU.
McKenzie Oslanzi (15-3) picked up the win in relief.
Jasmine Blackburn had three hits to lead TSU.
