Photo Gallery (by
Sandy King)
Eastern Illinois softball season came to an end on Saturday afternoon with a 2-1 loss to Princeton in the elimination game of the Stillwater, Oklahoma NCAA Regional.
The Panthers were unable to string together timely hits in the game despite finishing with eight hits compared to five for the Tigers. EIU ends the season with a 36-23 season making the program's second straight NCAA Tournament and third appearance in the last four years.
Both teams scored with solo home runs with Princeton taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second on a solo shot by Sonia Zhang.
Abbi Hatton had a solo home run in the sixth for EIU, cutting Princeton's 2-0 lead at the time in half.
Princeton scored what proved to be the deciding run in the third with an RBI single up the middle with two outs by Gracieia Dominguez against EIU starter
Karlie McKenzie (13-11).
The Panthers threatened in the fifth with runners on second and third with one out after a single by
Chloe Wamboldt and double by
Lizzie Stiverson. Wamboldt was also at second base with two outs in the seventh as she was one of two Panthers with two hits in the game.
Alisha Frederick also had two hits for EIU.
Brielle Wright (5-8) collected the win for Princeton in relief with Dominguez getting two of the five Princeton hits. The Tigers improved to 34-14.
