CHARLESTON, Ill. – The Eastern Illinois softball squad recently finished the 2010 campaign on a high note, advancing to the end-of-season Ohio Valley Conference Tournament for the third consecutive year, placing fourth. The Panthers went 24-27 overall and 12-10 in league while setting a new team home run mark for the second straight season.

Three Panther seniors, Angie Danca, Denee' Menzione and Megan Nelson, finished their outstanding Eastern careers by leading the squad in numerous individual single-season and career numbers, while also adding to the team achievements. Junior standouts Kiley Holtz and Amber May, meanwhile, would represent the Panthers on the All-OVC squad as they assisted EIU in hitting and in the pitchers circle, respectively

EIU went 2-2 at the OVC Tournament, avenging late season losses to league newcomer Murray State in the opening round game. After losing a tough one-run game to the host and regular-season champion UT Martin squad, the Panthers battled back in the loser's bracket by ending Morehead State's season in a big win. Unfortunately the season came to an end on another one-run loss to a team that the Panthers swept in the regular-season, Tennessee Tech.

Menzione finished her stellar career by representing the Panthers on the All-tournament unit. In the four games at the OVC tourney, she owned an amazing .615 batting average, which included eight total hits off 13 at-bats, with half of those of extra-base hit variety, via three doubles and a homer, while finishing up with a four RBI tourney performance. For the season, Menzione would end up tying the single-season school-mark for home runs, knocking out eight for the second year as her 27 career dingers rewrote the Panther record. In her career, the outfielder also ended up setting a new career mark for walks with 83 while ranking fourth for all-time RBI and seventh in total bases with 245.

May gutted out an amazing four-game OVC Tourney weekend of work of her own behind 568 total pitches, including 384 strikes (68%) for 23 strikeouts and just eight walks off of 32-innings in the circle. For the year, she ended up tying her season-high mark for wins with 17 and complete games with 26. She also finished in the Top 10 for season strikeouts (172), games started (31), and appearances (39). Career-wise, May has a chance to continue to move up in several career marks next season as a senior as she is already ranked for all-time victories, ERA, saves, strikeouts, shutouts, innings pitched, games started, complete games, and appearances.

Other season highlights include sweeping the eventual 2010 OVC Tournament champion Gamecocks of Jacksonville State to open league play, winning the early-season Georgia State Invitational and enjoying a season-high nine-game winning streak. In addition, power hitter Holtz was tabbed as the weekly 'Player of the Week' twice, while May earned her third career OVC 'Pitcher of the Week' honor. May joined Holtz for end-of-season All-OVC accolades, with Holtz earning her second straight league honor with her First Team selection, while May found a spot on the Second Team.

Expectations for the Panthers 2011 are high as EIU will return 16 players from this season's squad, whose fourth place finish at the OVC tournament bested their preseason predicted order of finish of sixth. That includes ten upperclassmen via three incoming seniors and seven soon-to-be juniors.

COMPLETE HIGHLIGHTS & RECORDS FROM 2010 

Georgia State Invitational Title
Panthers capture GSU Panther Invitational (2-2), avenging an earlier weekend loss to the host squad by winning the title game. 

Sweep of Jax State
Panthers make huge splash to open league play, sweeping defending champion (and eventual OVC tourney winner and three-time NCAA Regional participant) Jacksonville State in a two-game series on the road in Alabama. 

Season High Win Streak
EIU wins nine straight to end the month of March, while also opening OVC play with a 7-0 mark. 

Taking it to SEMO
For the first time since joining the OVC in 1997, the Panthers earn the season sweep of SEMO, winning two in Cape Girardeau, as well as the single game at home. 

Earn Sweep of TTU Again
For the second straight year, Eastern takes each of the regular-season games over Tennessee Tech. 

Weather Plays Havoc With Season
Not only was the season-opening tourney at Alabama State snowed out, but eight total games ended up being rained out, including the entire Tennessee State series in Nashville. 

Six Homers Bury Redhawks
In the Panthers' six-inning, 10-2, rout at SEMO on March 31, six different players nailed a homer, setting a new school mark in the process. The six included (and in order) -- Melise Brown, Hailee Hanna, Jen Saucier (her second homer of the doubleheader), Denee' Menzione (setting a new EIU career homer mark), Abby Wood, and Melinda Jackson. 

Return to OVC Tourney
Panthers earn spot in end-of-season OVC Tourney for third consecutive year, finishing fourth with 2-2 mark. 

Panther Power Hit New School Homer Mark
For the second consecutive year, the squad set a new team mark for home runs, topping the previous season's mark with 30 bombs.

2010 INDIVIDUAL SEASON RECORDS IN TOP 10
Home Runs
    T-1st ... Denee' Menzione ... 8
    T-8th ... Kiley Holtz ... 6
Runs Batted In
    T-6th ... Kiley Holtz ... 33
Total Bases
    T-10th ... Denee' Menzione ... 82
Walks
    T-3rd ... Melinda Jackson ... 25
    T-5th ... Denee' Menzione ... 24
Stolen Bases (Freshman Record)
    Melise Brown ... 17, to tie 2006 mark by Angie Danca (2006-10)

MAY'S TOP 10 PITCHING MARKS IN 2010 
Victories … T-17th ... 17
Strikeouts … 4th ... 172
Innings Pitched … 5th … 225 1/3
Games Started … T-5th ... 31
Complete Games … T-4th ... 26
Appearances … 4th ... 39

2010 TEAM RECORDS IN TOP 10
Home Runs ... 1st ... 30 team homers (new single-season mark)

CAREER RECORDS IN TOP 10 ... thru 2010
Hits
    T-10th ... Megan Nelson (2007-10) ... 168
Home Runs
    1st ... Denee' Menzione (2007-10) ... 27
    4th ... Kiley Holtz (2008-Present) ... 14
    8th ... Hailee Hanna (2009-Present) ... 8
    T-9th ... Melinda Jackson (2008-Present) ... 7
Runs Batted In
    4th ... Denee' Menzione (2007-10) ... 92
    5th ... Kiley Holtz (2008-Present) ... 91
Runs
    T-10th ... Denee' Menzione (2007-10) ... 87
Total Bases
    7th ... Denee' Menzione (2007-10) ... 245
Stolen Bases
    3rd ... Megan Nelson (2007-10) ... 70
    6th ... Angie Danca (2006-10) ... 47
Walks
    1st ... Denee' Menzione (2007-10) ... 83
At Bats
    8th ... Megan Nelson (2007-10) ... 608
    10th ... Angie Danca (2006-10) ... 593

MAY'S CAREER RECORDS IN TOP 10 ... thru 2010
Strikeouts … 4th ... 363
Saves … T-6th ... 3
Complete Games … T-6th ... 52
Shutouts … T-7th ... 11
Innings Pitched … 8th ... 476
Appearances … 8th ... 85
Victories … 9th ... 34
Earned Run Average … 9th ... 2.24
Games Started … 10th ... 61

2010 OHIO VALLEY HONOREES
'Player of the Week'
    3/20/10 ... Kiley Holtz
    4/2610 ... Kiley Holtz
'Pitcher of the Week'
    3/20/10 ... Amber May
First Team All-OVC
    Kiley Holtz ... Infield
Second Team All-OVC
    Amber May ... Pitcher
All-Tournament Team 
    Denee' Menzione

... for more info, contact Bart Rettberg, Asst. SID