Eastern Illinois (34-20) Softball Upcoming Schedule

May 16-18 at Austin, Texas NCAA Regional – Red & Charline McCombs Field  (Austin, Texas)
Friday – May 16 at Texas (46-10) at 3:30 pm … Live Stats  | Watch ESPN+
Saturday – May 17 vs. Michigan (38-19) or UCF (33-22-1) at 12 pm or 2:30 pm … Live Stats |  TV TBA
Additional Games TBA Based on Results
 
Tournament Bracket |  University of Texas Fan Guide

ON-TAP: Eastern Illinois will make its second-ever NCAA Tournament appearance as the Panthers were selected to play in the Austin, Texas Regional beginning this Friday.  EIU will face No. 6 national seed Texas in the opening round with Michigan and UCF rounding out the four team bracket.  EIU made its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2023 with the Panthers playing in the Evanston, Illinois Regional hosted by Northwestern.  EIU lost to both host Northwestern and to Miami (Ohio) and has an 0-2 all-time record in the NCAA Tournament.

QUICK HITTER NOTES: 
Eastern Illinois won both the Ohio Valley Conference regular season and tournament titles to punch their ticket to their second NCAA Division I Tournament appearance.  The regular season title was the fourth in program history having won OVC titles in 2011, 2013, 2024 and 2025.  The OVC Tournament title was the second for the Panthers joining their 2023 victory when they claimed the title as the No. 2 seed in the tournament. 
 
Eastern Illinois had four players selected to the OVC All-Tournament team following the Panthers victory over SIUE last Saturday. Karlie McKenzie was named the Tournament MVP after going 2-0 with one save and a 0.00 ERA in four tournament appearances.  She had 13 strike outs in 13.2 innings of work with just one walk issued.  She was joined on the All-Tournament team by McKenzie Oslanzi, Kendall Grover and Briana Gonzalez.
 
Eastern Illinois players landed all over the 2025 OVC Al-Conference teams this season with the Panthers sweeping the league's Player and Pitcher of the Year awards.  Kendall Grover was named the OVC Player of the Year for the second consecutive year becoming the first player in conference history to win the award in back-to-back seasons and only the second player to win the award twice in their career.  McKenzie Oslanzi was named OVC Pitcher of the Year.  Grover and Oslanzi were both repeat first team selections with Grover earning her third straight first team honor.  Both were previous OVC Freshman of the Year, Grover in 2023 and Oslanzi in 2024.  They were joined on the OVC first-team by Karlie McKenzie (P), Morgan Hance (DP) and Karson Davey (OF).  Abbey Crain (OF) was named to the All-OVC second team.  Abbi Hatton (INF) and Hance (DP) were both selected to the OVC All-Newcomer squad.
 
Abbey Crain took a 13-game hitting streak into the OVC Tournament and extended that to 15 straight games with hits in the Panthers first two tournament contests.  She had it end in the first championship game against SIUE on Saturday and was held without a hit in both Saturday contests.  A second team All-OVC selection as a starter in left field, Crain hit .322 on the season with all 59 of her hits on the season coming as singles.  She finished the OVC season fifth in runs scored (35) and sixth in hits (59).  Crain is one of three seniors on the EIU roster. 
 
Kendall Grover became the first player in OVC history to earn back-to-back OVC Player of the Year honors and only the second in conference history to have won the award twice (Jessica Twaddle, Murray State).  Grover was named to the OVC All-Tournament team as she picked up extra base hits in each of the final three games of the tournament.  She had a 12-game hitting streak snapped in the OVC Tournament opener but did reach base in all four games extending her current consecutive game streak of reaching base to 17 straight games.  Grover is hitting .411 on the year as she looks to become ninth player in school history to hit over .400 for a season.  She dots the EIU career Top 10 ending her junior campaign in several categories - Runs (122 / 6th), Hits (192 / 9th), Doubles (49 / 2nd), Home Runs (25 / 4th), RBI (107 / T7th) and Walks (70 / 6th).  Grover is one of two players on this year's team that were on the 2023 NCAA Tournament team as she went 2-for-7 in that tournament.
 
Senior Briana Gonzalez picked up hits in each of the Panthers final two games of the OVC Tournament as she was one of four players named to the All-Tournament team.  Gonzalez drove in a run in the first championship game loss to SIUE and connected for a double in the if-necessary game win.  She has a pair of four RBI games earlier this season against Houston Christian and with a grand slam at Tennessee Tech.  Gonzalez is one of two players that were part of EIU's 2023 NCAA Tournament team going 0-for-5 in the two games against Northwestern and Miami (Ohio).
 
A year after earning second team All-OVC honors as the Panthers starting centerfielder, Karson Davey earned first team All-OVC honors as a sophomore hitting .296.  Davey had hits in three of the four tournament games while reaching base in all four contests to extend her consecutive game streak of reaching base to 13 straight.  In the Panthers ten inning win over SIUE in the winner's bracket game Davey drew a walk in the 10th and came around to score the winning run on a ground out by Morgan Hance.  Davey is third on the team this year with 31 runs scored.
 
After collecting a big hit and driving in three of the Panthers four runs in the win at Big Ten member Illinois, sophomore second baseman Alisha Frederick has been held in check at the plate.   She has just one hit in the last seven games driving in two runs with a single in the OVC tournament opening game win over Southern Indiana.  She added an RBI in the first championship game loss to SIUE giving her 31 RBI for the season.  Frederick has started 49 games this season after being a junior college All-American last season playing at Parkland College for the Paulsons.
 
Freshman Abbi Hatton closed out the OVC regular season with a bang driving in a season-high six runs against Western Illinois which included a grand slam.  Hatton was one of two Panthers named to the OVC All-Newcomer team as she led the Panthers in RBI during the regular season.  She added two more RBI to that total in the OVC Tournament with a two-run home run in the winner's bracket game against SIUE giving her four home runs for the season.  Hatton has hits in five of her last seven games. 
 
Morgan Hance had hits in two of the four OVC Tournament games including the freshman driving in the game winning run in extra innings in the winner's bracket game against SIUE on Friday.  Hance saw her season average dip to .371 after hovering over .400 for most of the regular season.  She was named a first team All-OVC selection at designated player while also earning All-OVC Newcomer Team honors.  She drove in a season high four runs against Tennessee Tech with the first of two 3-hit games on the season.  Her final 3-hit game was on the final day of the regular season against Western Illinois.
 
Sophia Olman has developed into the everyday catcher for Eastern Illinois as the sophomore has made 35 starts behind the dish this season.   She hit .237 for the season but increased that average to .284 in OVC play with a pair of home runs including an extra-inning walk-off home run against Southern Indiana.  Olman has hits in four of her last six games and ended the regular season with back-to-back two RBI games at Western Illinois.  She opened the OVC Tournament with two RBI against Southern Indiana giving her three straight two RBI contests.  
 
Sophie Cerveny is one of three seniors on the Panthers roster and moved into the Panthers starting line-up in right field.  Cerveny is hitting .237 for the season but over the past three weeks is hitting .294 with ten hits and two RBI.  Cerveny played her first two seasons at Omaha and was a member of the Mavericks 2023 NCAA Tournament team.  Last season at EIU she played in 42 games hitting .247 for the season as part of the Panthers OVC regular season championship squad. 
 
Last year's OVC Freshman of the Year, McKenzie Oslanzi became this year's OVC Pitcher of the Year as the sophomore earned first team All-OVC honors for the second straight year.   She won her 20th game of the season in the OVC Tournament opener against Southern Indiana giving her back-to-back seasons with 20 or more wins (21 last year).  She became the fourth EIU player to earn OVC Pitcher of the Year as she led the OVC in wins with 20.  She has an overall ERA of 2.40 but dropped that significantly in OVC play to 1.71 with a 13-5 record and two saves in conference action.  EIU became the first school since Eastern Kentucky in 1998 to place two pitchers on the All-OVC first team. 
 
Karlie McKenzie pitched in all four games of the OVC Tournament being named the Tournament MVP following an 8-inning 1-0 victory over SIUE in the if-necessary game that send the Panthers to the NCAA Tournament.  McKenzie posted a 2-0 record with one save and a 0.00 ERA in the tournament.   McKenzie sat down 13 batters on strike outs issuing just one walk.  She enters the NCAA Tournament with an 11-3 record and 2.52 ERA with her six saves on the year ranking seventh in the NCAA this season.  That save total is tied for the EIU single season record for saves.  McKenzie was a first-team All-OVC pitcher this season posting a 6-0 record with four saves in OVC action with a 1.87 ERA.   EIU became the first school since Eastern Kentucky in 1998 to place two pitchers on the All-OVC first team. 
 
Marybeth Dyson is in her second year on the Panthers squad being used primarily this season as a defensive specialist in right field.  She has started and played in the flex position and also came in late in games during the season.  She did bat one time at the OVC Tournament picking up a hit in the first championship game against SIUE.  She also had recent hits in the win at Illinois and in the series at Western Illinois.  She is hitting .190 for the year.
 
Freshman Kira Manganello made her first plate appearance since April 19 when she was used as a pinch-hitter in the OVC Tournament if-necessary game on Saturday.  Manganello only sports a .125 batting average for the season but does have an on-base percentage of .419 as she has been hit-by-pitch 15 times this season.  That number ranks second on the EIU single season list this year and is currently 20th in the NCAA.
 
Eastern Illinois has played nine extra-inning games this season with the Panthers posting a 7-2 record in those contests.   EIU has won six straight extra-inning games with the last loss a 4-3 eight-inning setback to Washington on March 27.  EIU's two longest games this season have both been in OVC play with 10-inning wins at Tennessee Tech (W, 3-2) and vs SIUE (W 5-4).  The Panthers had two more extra innings games at the OVC Tournament needing 10-innings to beat SIUE in the winner's bracket game and then eight innings to beat SIUE in the if-necessary championship game.
 
Eastern Illinois pitching staff has posted a season ERA of 2.63 this season with that dropping to a 1.82 ERA in Ohio Valley Conference play.  This season EIU is 30-6 when holding teams to three or fewer runs with a 18-3 record in OVC games. 
 
STREAKS & LEADERS
Multiple Hit Games:  Kendall Grover (22), Abbey Crain (15),  Karson Davey (12), Briana Gonzalez (9)
Multiple RBI Games:  Abbi Hatton (11),  Kendall Grover (9),  Alisha Frederick (6),  Briana Gonzalez (6),  Abbey Crain (5)
Active Hitting Streaks:   Kendall Grover (3), Karson Davey (2), Briana Gonzalez (2) 
Active Reached Base Streak:  Kendall Grover (17), Karson Davey (13), Sophia Olman (7)

SEASON LONG NOTES
Eastern Illinois played its third Big Ten team of the season on Wednesday, April 30 and picked up a 4-3 win over Illinois.   It was the Panthers fourth all-time victory over the Fighting Illini and first since May 2, 2017.  Earlier this year EIU lost at home in extra innings to Washington and then lost on the road at Purdue. 

Senior shortstop Briana Gonzalez was named the Panthers preseason player to watch by the Ohio Valley Conference as part of its preseason information released in late January.  Gonzalez started all 57 games last season at shortstop, one of two EIU players to start every game during the season.  She hit .299 at the plate ranking fourth in the OVC in RBI with 39 and tied for third in the conference with eight home runs.  During her sophomore season (2023) she set the school for being hit by a pitch in a season with 17, that total ranked 12th in the NCAA that season.
 
Eastern Illinois was picked to finish third in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll released in late January.  The Panthers received five of the 20 first place votes in the poll and were just one total point behind Southern Indiana which was picked second.  Southeast Missouri was selected as the preseason OVC favorite.  EIU won the OVC regular season title last year, the third in program history, posting 40 wins.   The Panthers were the OVC Tournament Champion in 2023 making the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance.
 
Eastern Illinois returns OVC Player of the Year Kendall Grover as the junior third baseman ranked among the OVC leaders in most offensive categories hitting .354 with 18 doubles, ten home runs, 46 RBI, 20 stolen bases and 47 runs scored last season.  She was the OVC leader in home runs while ranking second in the league in RBI, doubles, hits and runs scored.  Grover earned NFCA Third Team All-Region honors landing in five EIU single season top ten record lists.  She was second on the team with 21-multiple hit games and ended the year with a 12-game active streak of reaching base in consecutive games.  She was recently named to the D1Softball Preseason List of the nation's top players at third base ranked 13th.
 
Kendall Grover was named the OVC Player of the Week (Feb. 24) following her performance at the ULM Warhawk Invite.  Grover hit .429 for the weekend with two home runs and four RBI.  She ranked second among players in the tournament field with seven runs scored.  Grover drew five walks and did not strikeout in 19 weekend plate appearances.  For the season Grover is hitting .435 for the season which ranks sixth in the OVC this season.  She added her second OVC Player of the Week Award after the OVC opening series against Lindenwood.  Grover hit .667 over the series with three home runs and one double finishing the weekend with a 2.333 slugging percentage.  In the series finale on Sunday, she was walked four times including two intentional walks.  Kendall Grover was named the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week for the third time this season (April 21) after powering EIU to a series sweep at Tennessee State.  Grover collected hits in all three games with a .417 average for the weekend.  She had two doubles, a triple and a home run while driving in eight runs for the weekend.  Grover ranks among the OVC leaders in just about every offensive category this season. 
 
McKenzie Oslanzi was named the OVC Pitcher of the Week (March 10) for her efforts against Lindenwood.  Oslanzi had a pair of bookend complete game shutouts in the series.  She allowed one unearned run in the second game of the series taking a loss in relief finishing the weekend with a 2-1 record and 0.00 ERA.  She led the OVC in wins while ranking in the OVC Top Ten in innings pitched, strike outs and ERA.  Oslanzi added her second OVC Pitcher of the Week honor in the final week of the regular season (May 5) posting a 3-0 record with one save factoring in all four games of the Panthers final week.  She picked up wins in all three games of the series sweep at Western Illinois and had a save in the win at Illinois posting a 0.81 ERA for the week.
 
Alisha Frederick was named the OVC Player of the Week (March 24) as the sophomore hit .438 during the Panthers five games, helping the team post a 4-1 record.  In the doubleheader win over UT Martin, Frederick hit a home run in both ends of the twin bill as she drove home six runs for the weekend.  Frederick had an on-base percentage of .500 while scoring four runs and picking up two stolen bases.
 
Karlie McKenzie was named the OVC Pitcher of the Week (March 24) as she made four appearances and factored in the decision in three of those outings.  McKenzie posted a 2-0 record in the circle with one save.  She had a 2.15 ERA for the week with 13 strike outs. The save in the final game of the series was the third of the year for McKenzie which leads the OVC and ranks 15th in the NCAA.
 
Abbi Hatton was named the OVC Player of the Week (May 5) in the final week of the regular season following a big end to the regular season.  Hatton drove in 11 runs in the series win over Western Illinois including hitting a grand slam.  She ended the regular season as the team's leader in RBI. 
 
TOURNAMENT HISTORY: Eastern Illinois will be playing in its second NCAA Tournament at the NCAA Division I level.  The Panthers went 0-2 in their first appearance in 2023 at the Evanston Regional falling to host Northwestern, 2-0, and to Miami (Ohio), 4-0, in an elimination game.   EIU has faced two of the three weekend regional opponents previously with a 2-0 record against them.   EIU beat Texas 5-1 on March 16, 2018 in the final game of the Charleston (SC) Invite.  The Panthers beat Michigan, 1-0, on March 29, 1986 at the Miami (Ohio) Classic.  EIU and UCF have never met on the softball diamond.

ON DECK:  The winner of the Austin, Texas Regional will move on to face the winner of the Clemson, South Carolina Regional. 

HEAD COACH: Eastern Illinois softball will be under the direction of Kristi Paulson and Dan Paulson.  The husband / wife duo serve as co-head coaches of the program and are in their first season leading Eastern Illinois.  The couple came to EIU following a successful stint at the Junior College level winning 205 games in five years as head coaches at Parkland College.  They guided the team to three NJCAA World Series appearances in four full seasons with their first season cancelled due to COVID 19 in 2020.  They won 50-plus games in three seasons finishing 7th (2021), 5th (2023) and 9th (2024) in the nation each of those seasons. This past year (2024) their coaching staff was named the NJCAA Coaching Staff of the Year by the NFCA going 58-6.  Both Kristi and Dan attended Eastern Illinois as undergraduate students.