Eastern Illinois opened Ohio Valley Conference play with a weekend sweep of Morehead State as the Panthers took the final two games of the weekend series on Monday in Morehead, Ky. EIU won the opener 10-2 before an 8-4 victory in the final game. EIU improved to 8-16 on the season, 3-0 in the OVC. Morehead State fell to 1-16 overall, 0-3 in the OVC.
EIU 10, MSU 2 (6)
Eastern Illinois pushed across the final nine runs of the game including four runs in the sixth to take the first game of Monday's doubleheader, 10-2.
Noemye Letendre's two-run home run in the bottom of the second gave Morehead State an early 2-1 lead over the Panthers. EIU would allow just two more hits the remainder of the game as the Panthers offense took off.
EIU regained the lead in the third with three runs started by an RBI double by
Chloe Wamboldt and two-run home run by
Lexie Griffin.
The Panthers methodically added a single run in the fourth and fifth on RBI by
Sophia Olman and
Maddux Marshall.
In the sixth, EIU began its scoring with an RBI single by Wambodlt who went 3-for-4 in the game. Griffin added her fourth RBI of the game before
Lizzie Stiverson closed the scoring with an RBI single to left center. Stiverson joined Olman,
Abbi Hatton and
Mo Hance with two hits each.
Morehead State put two runners on in the sixth with singles by Kylie Mann and Letendre before EIU erased the threat with a double play.
Bryanna French picked up the win with two innings of hitless relief.
Rylie Burney (0-5) took the loss for the Eagles. Letendre picked up two of the Eagles four hits in the game.
EIU 8, MSU 4
In the final game of the weekend series the Panthers used the long ball to their advantage hitting three home runs in the 8-4 win over the Eagles.
Chloe Wamboldt started the Panthers long ball parade with a three-run shot in the third that put EIU up 3-1 at the time. Wamboldt was 3-for-4 at the plate in the game.
The Eagles went back in front in their half of the inning with a three-run homer of their own, this one off the bat of Sydney Farmer giving Morehead State a 4-3 advantage.
A solo shot by
Marybeth Dyson tied the game in the fourth before
Abbi Hatton's solo home run gave the Panthers the lead in the sixth.
Sophia Olman followed Hatton with an RBI double before the Panthers tacked on two insurance runs in the seventh.
Lizzie Stiverson drove home one run with EIU collecting the other on a double steal attempt.
Rylan Gick (3-3) picked up the win with 2.1 innings of one hit relief.
Bryanna French closed the final two innings for the save. Dyson had two hits for EIU.
Allicen Harris (0-6) pitched into the sixth for Morehead State. The Eagles had six hits in the game, all singles except for Farmer's home run.
