Courtesy of Eastern Illinois Athletics
CHARLESTON, Ill. — Eastern Illinois softball opened unofficial fall action this past weekend as the Panthers earned a pair of victories over visiting Olney Central College and Parkland College on Friday (Sep. 19) and Sunday (Sep. 21), respectively.
EIU nabbed consecutive 6-0 and 9-0 shutouts of Olney CC, while also downing Parkland via twinbill scores of 9-1 and 12-0.
For the weekend, freshman pitcher/infielder Tori Johnson led the squad with an impressive .769 bat, going 10-for-13 at the plate. Junior outfielder Jennette Isaac followed with her own fine 6-for-11 mark offensively.
“This was a very productive weekend,” said second year skipper Angie Nicholson. “We were able to work in everyone at one point or another and had many different lineups going on.
“I was very pleased with how well we pitched and hit,” she added. “We hit the ball harder and more consistent than I had expected which was a very pleasant surprise. Naturally we also made some young mistakes, which I fully expected, but the fact that we are able to see those errors now and be able to correct them right away is what the fall portion of our schedule is all about.”
In Friday’s first game with Olney Central College, newcomer Michelle Rogers pitched all seven innings as she averaged a strikeout per inning, while allowing just one walk. EIU did allow eight hits, but also delivered 11 of their own as freshman pitcher/first baseman Taylor Miokovic, junior transfer Katie Watson, fellow junior Kylie Bennett, and Johnson all went 2-for-3. Senior Bailey O’Dell delivered a pair of RBIs in the first game vicdtory.
In the nightcap, freshman Jessica Wireman earned the start and full-game spot in the circle, as she fanned nine hitters, allowed just two hits and surrendered zero walks. The Panthers drilled 15 total hits as Bennett nailed a two-run bomb off a three-RBI performance. Isaac and Johnson both were a perfect 2-for-2, Wireman 3-for-4, and Andrea Roberts earned 2-for-3 plate performances.
The first game win over Parkland on Sunday saw Rogers in the circle again, as she tallied nine Ks, three walks and allowed only one hit. The Cobras lone score came via an untimely Panther miscue. Eastern, meanwhile, pounded out 12 hits, as Johnson again led the way with a 3-for-4 plate performance, Isaac was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs, while O’Dell added two RBIs as well via her own 2-for-4 hitting mark.
During the final weekend contest, Rogers and Johnson shared pitching honors, with Rogers retiring four batters via strikes with zero walks and just one hit in four innings of work, while Johnson allowed no hits while fanning five and allowing just two walks in the last three innings of the game. As a team, EIU had 13 hits in the shutout as Johnson was a solid 3-for-4 at the plate, while O’Dell secured a 2-for-3 performance. Junior Haylee Beck, senior Hannah Cole and newcomer Ashley Tokarski all finished with a pair of RBIs.
The Panthers will finish up the autumn portion of the slate this coming weekend, as Eastern will entertain Illinois Central College and Wabash College this Saturday (Sep. 27) at noon and 4 p.m., respectively, before hosting nearby softball power Lake Land College in an 11 a.m. doubleheader on Sunday (Sep. 28). All action will take place at Eastern’s Williams Field.
