Game 1 Boxscore (PDF) | Game 2 Boxscore (PDF)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Eastern Illinois softball earned Louisville Cardinal Classic runner-up team honors as the Panthers clawed past Buffalo, 7-6, before falling to the No. 18-ranked host squad, 5-0, on Sunday (Feb. 24).  EIU now sports an even 4-4 mark in early spring action.

Sophomore infielder Bailey O'Dell paced EIU with a 3-for-6 day at the plate, including three RBI and a double.  Senior Melise Brown tied O'Dell with four total bases off two hits, including a crucial triple, while the outfielder also picked up the lone EIU stolen base.

Junior pitcher Hanna Mennenga finished her fine weekend play going 1-1 overall in the circle as she recorded 10 strikeouts, by allowing two walks and earned runs off seven-innings of work.  Classmate Stephanie Maday also saw five-innings of action with three Ks.

Defensively, the Panthers turned a very rare triple play in the tourney finale loss at Louisville, as Maday caught a low line drive before delivering to junior Carly Willert and O'Dell at first and second bases, respectively, to tag a pair of Cardinal runners.

In the first game versus Buffalo, the Panthers had an early 4-2 lead before the Bulls plated four consecutive runs to enjoy a 7-4 advantage heading into the sixth frame.

But Eastern took advantage of a UB miscue before sophomore Hannah Cole drilled a two-RBI double to secure the Panther comeback victory.

In just over two-innings of work, Mennenga earned the nice win by retiring six Bulls via strikes to finish with an impressive 24 total Ks over the course of the weekend.

O'Dell also nailed a double in the win to finish with three total hits, as Brown had a hit and a triple.

In the tourney finale versus the Cardinals was a close game through three frames, before the No. 18-ranked host squad plated a run in the fourth and then broke open with four additional scores in the next inning.

However, the Panthers would end up stranding six runners in the contest thanks to five walks and a single by senior Abby Wood.

EIU will next be in action at next weekend's Marshall Invitational playing both Robert Morris (Penn.) and Buffalo once, before twice taking on the host Thundering Herd.

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