Boxscore 3:
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HTM
EIU/UTM Series Stats:
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CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Eastern Illinois softball swept UTM Martin with a tenth inning 2-1 victory on Sunday afternoon as sophomore
Kiley Holtz's plated
Megan Nelson off a walk-off single.
The win improved the Panthers to 17-10 overall and 4-2 in Ohio Valley Conference action. It marked the first time early in the conference season that EIU has swept an OVC opponent. It also became the squad's sixth straight win, just one shy of a previous seven-game streak to start the season.
"It is really hard to beat a team three times, especially a tough team like UT Martin," said EIU head coach Kim Schuette. "The game could have gone either way and obviously I'm happy we came out on the winning end today. But UTM is a tough squad. Thankfully there is an international tiebreaker, otherwise we'd still probably be playing -- two tough teams going at it."
Holtz finished with a 3-for-5 day at the plate, earning both Panther RBIs in the win. She also singled to score senior
Sarah Coppert in the fourth inning.
UTM scored first, off two doubles in the third inning, but EIU responded in the next frame, taking advantage of one of the three Skyhawk errors on the day as
Denee' Menzione reached first, advancing Coppert to second. That's when Holtz singled down the right field line, allowing Coppert to scamper home to even the score.
Unfortunately, neither team was able to score another run as the game moved to the 10th inning, implementing the international tiebreaker of placing a runner on second base. UTM had an opportunity to take lead in the top of the 10, as their lead runner advanced to third with only one out, but sophomore ace
Amber May got the Panthers out of the inning as she earned one of her two strikeouts on the day and eventually ended the side.
May improved to 12-6 with the complete game win, while fanning just four Skyhawk hits and allowing only two walks.
"Amber was pitching on pure adrenaline today," said Schuette. "She was a bit tired even before the game and I know she's got to be beat after pitching ten innings. I know that she wants the ball and the rest of the team plays well behind her. We just need to get more runs for her. For some reason all the games with her on the mound seem to end up being close ones."
Junior Angela Danca went 3-for-4 on the day as well as registering a walk. Three other Panthers picked up hits as well as senior
Sarah Coppert and freshmen
Hayley Pieper and
Maria Sorrentino each hit safely. Pieper also picked up a stolen base.
Unfortunately
Denee' Menzione had her team-leading five-game hitting streak snapped, but she did earn two bases on balls. Including a very controversial one in the bottom of the eighth. With two outs, Menzione walked to first off UTM thrower Kara Harper, but not before Skyhawk head coach Donley Canary argued that the pitch count should only be three balls and one strike. After a lengthy discussion with both coaches and all three onfield officials, the home plate umpire ruled that Menzione did in fact walk. Fortunately for UT Martin, the Panthers were unable to take advantage and finished that inning without any damage.
That controversial call followed an earlier one that occured in the first game of the weekend series on Saturday, when UTM was correctly called for an illegal pinch runner substitution.
"Our outfield had a great weekend, running down several deep balls and making it look easy," said Schuette. "Denee' (Menzione) had some great catches today, while (Angela) Danca caught some really good ones yesterday. It was a good team effort."
The Panthers will host the Skyhawks, who fell to 18-11 overall and 2-3 in league play following the Saturday sweep, in a Sunday single-game, with first pitch set for noon at EIU's Williams Field.
... for more info, contact Bart Rettberg, Asst. SID