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Alabama State (Host) Info |
UNC Greensboro Info
CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Eastern Illinois softball is ready to take the field as the Panthers open up the 2013 campaign at the four-team Alabama State Hornet Invitational this weekend in Montgomery, Ala.
EIU begins weekend play on Saturday (Feb. 16) facing UNC Greensboro (3-0) at 10:30 a.m., before taking on the host Hornets (0-5) at 1 p.m.
Then on Sunday (Feb. 17), EIU will again battle the Spartans at 10 a.m., followed by a 12:30 p.m. tourney finale contest versus ASU.
Ohio Valley Conference newcomer Belmont (2-2) will also be participating in the three-day invite, yet the Panthers and Bruins are not scheduled to play each other due to being league rivals.
Live stats of each weekend contest will be available via the Alabama State website at BamaStatesports.com.
HORNET INVITATIONAL SCHEDULE
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15
11 a.m. ... BEL vs. UNCG
1:30 p.m. ... BEL at ASU
4 p.m. ... UNCG at ASU
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16
10:30 a.m. ...
UNCG vs. EIU
1 p.m. ...
EIU at ASU
3:30 p.m. ... BEL vs. UNCG
6 p.m. ... BEL at ASU
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17
10 a.m. ...
EIU vs. UNCG
12:30 p.m. ...
EIU at ASU
Opponents & times (central) subject to change
MONTGOMERY WEATHER OUTLOOK
According to weather.com, the Montgomery, Alabama weather scenario this weekend should be good for outdoor action, with partly cloudy and sunny skies expected for Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
A high of 51-degrees is on call on Saturday, yet there is a 20% chance of wet weather. Sunday, meanwhile, a high of 57-degrees and no rain is being projected.
QUICK LOOK AT PANTHERS
With 13 letterwinners set to return, including all but one starter from last season, the EIU Panthers look to continue the squad's winning ways this season.
Eastern finished 28-26 last spring, as a late-season push helped the Panthers garner a runner-up finish in the regular-season in Ohio Valley Conference action at 18-10.
Three returning all-conference honorees return, led by junior pitcher
Stephanie Maday, who earned her second straight league honor last spring as a member of the All-OVC First Team.
Senior outfielder
Melise Brown and sophomore infielder
Bailey O'Dell both picked up All-OVC Second Team kudos, while O'Dell was also tabbed to the All-Newcomer unit following a standout first season in a Panther uniform in 2012.
Other potential key starters include juniors infielders
Reynae Hutchinson,
Ashleigh Westover and
Carly Willert, while seniors
Ally Seplak and
Abby Wood will most likely continue to see action in the outfield and behind the plate, respectively.
Returnig utility and pinch-hitters include juniors
Kaylie Pruett and
Brooke Owens, as well as sophomore
Hannah Cole.
Led by Maday, the pitching staff also includes key returners
Hanna Mennenga and Hutchinson, while MTSU transfer
Janele Robinson will also be called to make an immediate impact in the circle.
SCOUTING THE INVITE COMPETITION
Both Panther opponents this weekend have already opened up the 2013 season following respective action last weekend.
As the invitational host,
Alabama State enters the weekend at 0-5, after losing three to Mercer and two additional games to future EIU opponent, IUPUI. Two of the Hornet defeats came in five-inning mercy rules.
Junior outfielder Meagan Dixon leads ASU with an impressive .647 bat off 11 hits, including a pair of doubles and a home run. She also owns a .941 slug mark and 16 total bases.
Senior utility Brehanna Rodrigues has the squad's lone triple off a .500 batting average, behind seven hits, four RBIs and a perfect 3-for-3 stolen base tally.
In the circle, sophomore Destyni Valencia's five Ks lead the squad, as she's seen action in all five games thus far this year. Unfortunately, the three total ASU pitchers have also fanned 48 hits, recorded 30 walks, and has allowed the opposition to plate 39 earned runs.
EIU leads ASU in the all-time series, 1-0.
With a perfect 3-0 mark, the Spartans of
UNC Greensboro, recorded consecutive one-run wins over George Mason twice and Charleston Southern last weekend.
Four UNCG players are currently hitting over .300 on the early season, led by freshman Lindsay Thomas and junior Toni MacReynolds are each hitting .500 as they split catching duties.
Thomas ties senior infielder Eileen Horsmon and junior utility Aisha Figueroa with four hits each, while leading the team with three homers and four RBI. Thomas owns an impressive 1.625 slug % behind 13 total bases.
Figueroa owns the top base running numbers via a perfect 2-for-2 mark in stolen bases.
Junior Raeanne Hanks leads a trio of pitchers as her 2-0 record includes eight Ks, eight walks, two earned runs, and a 1.27 ERA. Newcomer Nicole Thomas picked up the other win in the circle behind four innings of work.
Team-wise, the Spartans have 20 hits, 12 runs and 10 RBIs to their credit, which includes a slight advantage in hitting with a .247 to .235 clip lead over the opposition.
This weekend's two contests with UNCG will mark the first time that the Panthers and Spartans will have met on the softball field.
... for more info, contact Bart Rettberg, Asst. SID