CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Kentucky overcame a three-run deficit to beat Eastern Illinois, 4-3, Sunday in Charleston, Ill. The game was the regular season finale for both teams. With the victory, the Colonels (28-20, 17-10 OVC) win the series, but Morehead State’s win over Tennessee State locked up second place in the Ohio Valley Conference for the Eagles and left EKU in third. The Panthers (20-24, 12-9 OVC) finish fourth.
Entering today’s game, both teams knew the loser would finish fourth in the conference standings and have to face the fifth seed in the first round of next week’s Ohio Valley Conference tournament. The winner would have a chance to place second and receive a first round bye in the tournament.
EIU broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third when Melinda Jackson drove in Ally Nolte with a single to center field. The Panthers extended their lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth. Denee’ Menzione scored on a ground out and Nolte pushed across a run with a single to right field.
Eastern Kentucky answered in the top half of the fifth. Sophomore Shyenne Hussey led off the inning with a home run off the scoreboard in right field. After Erin Luther walked and Pam Webber reached on an infield single, freshman Cassi Gibson tied the game 3-3 when she drove in both runners with a double to left-center.
EIU stranded the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fifth. The Colonels loaded the bases in the sixth with no outs. Hussey drove in what proved to be the winning run with a sacrifice fly. A fly ball and a line drive to third kept EKU from adding to their lead.
The Panthers stranded another runner in the sixth before sending the Colonels down in order in the top half of the seventh.
In the bottom half of the inning, Taylor Lawson and Megan Nelson both reached base to begin the inning. An interference call on the batter led to the first out and kept the runners at first and second. A fielder’s choice accounted for the second out, but a double steal pushed the tying and winning runs to third and second base respectively. A ground ball to the pitcher ended the game and Eastern Illinois’ hopes for a last inning comeback.
Five different Colonels finished with one hit. Hussey went 1-for-2 with a run and two RBIs. Nelson and Jackson led Eastern Illinois. Both had two hits and Jackson drove in one run.
Freshman Stacye Toups started for Eastern Kentucky and gave up three runs on three hits before leaving after the fourth inning. Kalyn Fox (8-5) came on in relief and pitched the final three innings without allowing a run. Karyn Mackie (8-9) gave up all four EKU runs on three hits in five innings of work.
The Colonels will begin play in the OVC tournament on Thursday when they face sixth seeded Samford at 11 a.m. ET. Eastern Kentucky won two of the three games played between the two teams during the regular season.
Jacksonville State and Morehead State receive the top two seeds and first round byes. Fourth seeded Eastern Illinois will face fifth seeded Tennessee Tech in the other first round match-up.
Eastern Kentucky was the only team in the top-three to finish where the coaches predicted in the league’s preseason poll. Jacksonville State was picked to finish second. Morehead State was picked to finish last in the 10-team conference. Tennessee Tech was the preseason favorite to repeat as OVC champions.
