Eastern Illinois (21-18, 13-1 OVC) Softball Upcoming Schedule
 
April 11-12 at Southeast Missouri (12-22, 8-6 OVC) … at Cape Girardeau, Mo. (Southeast Softball Complex)
Saturday – April 11 at 1 pm … Live Stats  |  ESPN+
Saturday – April 11 at 3:30 pm … Live Stats  |  ESPN+
Sunday – April 12 at 12 pm … Live Stats  |  ESPN+


ON-TAP: Eastern Illinois had its 12 game OVC win streak snapped in the opening game last Friday against UT Martin in extra innings before bouncing back for a run-rule win over the Skyhawks in the second game.  The final game of the weekend series was rained out as EIU is 21-18 overall, 13-1 in the OVC.   The Panthers visit Southeast Missouri with the Redhawks having lost a midweek game at Saint Louis.  SEMO is now 12-22, 8-6 OVC.

QUICK HITTER NOTES: 
Lizzie Stiverson had two hits and drove in two runs in each of the Friday games against UT Martin as the senior infielder has moved her season batting average up to .322 on the season with 19 RBI.  Since the start of OVC play she has been swinging the hottest bat on the team hitting .438 in OVC play which ranks sixth among players in the OVC in conference only contests.  Stiverson had three doubles, two home runs and 12 RBI in OVC play.
 
Marybeth Dyson picked up two hits in each of the Panthers Friday games with UT Martin and has extended her current hitting streak to five games while increasing her season batting average to .312.  She is now tied for third on the team with nine multi-hit games.  In addition to her solid play at the plate, Dyson was outstanding in the outfield against the Skyhawks turning two double plays in the series.  The senior has now helped turn three of the Panthers 16 team double plays this year.
 
Alisha Frederick continues to find ways to reach base picking up hits in both of the OVC games against UT Martin after drawing a walk in the midweek game at Indiana State.  Frederick currently leads the OVC with a 15-game streak of reaching base.  The streak is currently four games ahead of Sela Pickford (Morehead State) and Anna Sanders (Lindenwood) at 11.  Madisen Noll of Lindenwood had the longest streak in the OVC this season of 25 recently end.  Frederick leads the team in walks drawn with 22 which ranks third in the OVC.  On the season she is hitting .304 with an on-base percentage of .422.
 
Sophomore Abbi Hatton drove in a pair of runs in Friday's run rule victory over UT Martin as the first baseman leads the Panthers with seven multi-RBI games this season.  Hatton has three of those multi-RBI games in OVC play as she is currently tied for the team lead with 24 RBI.  Hatton has reached base in six consecutive games, the second longest active streak on the Panthers team.
 
Karlie McKenzie picked up her second straight complete game OVC win in Friday's 9-1 run rule victory over UT Martin.  The win improved McKenzie to 5-8 on the season as she had a complete game shutout in her previous OVC start against Western Illinois.  The senior also added a save in the series sweep of the Leathernecks.  McKenzie is now 3-0 with a save in OVC play with a 3.05 ERA.
 
Bryanna French was the Panthers hard luck loser in the series opener with UT Martin as she took her first OVC loss of the season falling to 5-1 with a one save.  French gave up an unearned run in the ninth inning in the loss as she has not allowed an earned run in her last four appearances.  In OVC play French leads the Panthers staff with a 2.68 ERA.
 
Friday's extra inning game against UT Martin was just the second extra inning contest this season for EIU as the Panthers are now 1-1 in those games.  EIU beat Lindenwood in 14 innings earlier this season before the nine inning loss on Friday to UT Martin.  The Panthers have also played their share of run-rule games this season going 4-7 in run-rule games.   EIU is 4-0 in run rule contests in OVC action including a 9-1 win over UT Martin in last Friday's second game.
 
Eastern Illinois has thrived both offensively and in the pitching circle in OVC play through the opening half of the conference schedule.  As a team EIU is hitting .350 in OVC play with 112 runs scored (8 runs per game average).   In the circle the Panthers have also been stellar with 3.43 ERA and opponents hitting just .248 as a team against Panthers pitching.
 
Catcher Sophia Olman hit her third home run of the OVC portion of the schedule last Friday as the junior has now driven in a league best 21 runs in conference games.   Olman has 24 total RBI for the season but since OVC play begin she is hitting .359 with five doubles, a triple and three home runs with a slugging percentage of .759 in conference play. 
 
STREAKS & LEADERS
Multiple Hit Games: Lizzie Stiverson (13), Chloe Wamboldt (12),  Alisha Frederick (9),  Marybeth Dyson (9)
Multiple RBI Games: Abbi Hatton (7), Lexie Griffin (6),  Lizzie Stiverson (6)
Active Hitting Streaks: Marybeth Dyson (5), Mo Hance (3)
Active Reached Base Streak:  Alisha Frederick (15), Abbi Hatton (6), Marybeth Dyson (5)
 
SERIES HISTORY: Eastern Illinois will face Southeast Missouri this weekend for OVC action with the Redhawks holding a 52-44 all-time lead in the series.  The two teams split two-game series last season and in 2023 with the final game each year being rained out.  The Panthers won two out of three in 2024 at Southeast Missouri.   SEMO did beat EIU twice in the 2024 OVC Tournament including beating the Panthers for the OVC Tournament title.

ON DECK:  Eastern Illinois will travel to Saint Louis on Wednesday for a midweek game before hosting Tennessee Tech on April 18-19 at Williams Field.

HEAD COACHES: Eastern Illinois softball is 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 second season leading Eastern Illinois.  In their opening season at EIU they guided the Panthers to 34 wins including the OVC regular season and OVC Tournament titles.  EIU played in the NCAA Regional in Austin, Texas.  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 (2.759023) and 9th (2024) in the nation each of those seasons. In 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.
 
SEASON LONG NOTES:
Eastern Illinois was picked to finish third in the Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Poll after winning back-to-back OVC regular season titles in 2024 & 2025 while winning the OVC Tournament crown last season.   The Panthers received three first place votes in the preseason poll which was led by Southeast Missouri as the preseason favorite and SIUE in second. 
 
Karlie McKenzie was ranked No. 79 on the D1Softball.com preseason rankings for Mid-Major Players.  The senior pitcher made 38 appearances with 17 starts in the circle going 11-3 with a 2.79 ERA and an OVC leading six saves.  The six saves tied the EIU single season record and ranked seventh in the NCAA for the year.  In OVC action she was 6-0 with four saves and a 1.87 ERA.   In the OVC Tournament McKenzie was 2-0 with one save and tossed a complete game eight-inning shutout in the OVC Tournament championship game to earn OVC Tournament MVP honors. 
 
EIU returns a pair of first team All-OVC players from last season's roster in Karlie McKenzie and Mo Hance.  McKenzie was the OVC Tournament MVP as a pitcher and a first team All-OVC selection going 11-3 with a 2.79 ERA and six saves.  Hance hit .360 last year with three doubles and 16 RBI to earn first team at the designated player spot.
 
Abbi Hatton and Bryanna French were both named as OVC players to watch for the upcoming season.  Hatton was an All-OVC Newcomer team selection last year hitting .285 with seven doubles, four home runs and a team-best 38 RBI.  French made 19 appearances in the circle with a 3-4 record and 3.95 ERA including one save in OVC play.
 
Catcher Sophia Olman was named the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week following the Panthers spring break week trip which included a non-conference win at Lipscomb and series sweep at SIUE.  Olman earned the honor on March 23 after driving in 10 runs for the week while hitting .565 for the week with two doubles and a home run.  She posted a slugging percentage of 1.000 for the week adding four walks and a hit-by-pitch.