EIU Splits Friday in Florida

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Published on February 18 2017 11:09 am
Last Updated on February 18 2017 11:10 am

The Eastern Illinois softball team opened the North Florida Osprey Invitational Friday earning a 6-1 win over South Dakota State in their tournament opener before falling to hosts UNF 6-2 in their second game of the day. 

Following the split EIU sits at 4-2 on the year. 

Kayla Bear led the way for the Panthers finishing the day 5-for-8 at the plate with four runs scored, two RBIs, a double, and a home run.

The Panthers opened tournament play taking an early lead over South Dakota State as Kayla Bear blasted a lead-off solo home run in the first at-bat of the game to give EIU a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.

The Jackrabbits eventually evened the score in the bottom of the second inning. After reaching first on a fielder's choice SDSU's Abbey Murphy advanced to second base as Erin Mullen struck out swinging but made it to first base off a wild pitch. Murphy came around to score on the next at-bat off a single to center field by Danielle Steffo to make it 1-1 at the end of the second inning.

EIU answered right back in the top of the third as Jennifer Ames was walked to open the inning. Bear hit a single to left field on the next at-bat with both runners advancing to scoring positions following a sacrifice bunt from Taylor Monahan. Another sacrifice hit gave EIU the lead as Ames was able to score from third off the sac fly to left field from Mia Davis. The Panthers added one more run before the inning was over thanks to an RBI single from Haley Mitchell to left field to score Bear from second and give EIU a 3-1 lead after three innings.

The Panthers added one more run in the fifth inning off some stellar base running. Bear opened the inning with a single to right center field eventually stealing second and third base. A sacrifice fly from Tori Johnson brought Bear in to score and extend EIU's lead to 4-1.

Bear was not finished there as she would add her second RBI of the game smacking a double to center field to score Kiley Pelker from second base in the top of the sixth inning. She would eventually score from second base on the next at-bat thanks to a single up the middle from Monahan to give EIU the 6-1 lead. 

Bear finished the game 4-for-4 at the plate with four runs scored, two RBIs, a double, and a home run. Michelle Rogers improved to 3-0 on the year with the win going six innings and tying her career high with seven strikeouts. 

In the second game of the day the Panthers took on the host Ospreys. UNF got on the board first in the top of the second inning after loading the bases off the first three batters. North Florida's Jen Valle hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score the runner from third and put UNF in front 1-0, but that would be all the Ospreys would get in the inning.

UNF's Kayla McGory added to their lead in the third inning with a lead-off solo home run to extend the Osprey lead to 2-0. 

North Florida extended their lead yet again the following inning as Macayla Kelley was able to score from second base due to a fielding error that allowed Navia Penrod to reach first safely. The unearned run gave UNF a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning. 

The Ospreys piled on three more runs in the top of the fifth as they put runners on the corners with no outs. A sacrifice bunt followed by a two-run home run from UNF's Ashley Niesman gave North Florida a 6-0 lead at the end of the fifth inning.

The Panthers finally got on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning as EIU loaded the bases off the first three batters. Mady Poulter eventually stepped up to the plate smashing a double down the left field line to cut UNF's lead to 6-2.

That would be as close as EIU would get though as UNF's Logan Green went to the mound striking out three of the final five hitters of the game.

Jessica Wireman fell to 1-2 on the year earning the loss on the mound going five innings and throwing four strikeouts.

Monahan and Poulter led the team against North Florida going 2-for-3 at the plate as Monahan finished the day 4-for-6 overall.

EIU continues tournament play Saturday morning at 8 a.m. against South Carolina State followed by Kansas at 12:30 p.m.