Box Score
CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Kentucky scored a run in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game, but Eastern Illinois scored in the bottom of the ninth to pull out a 2-1 victory in the series finale on Sunday. The two teams split a doubleheader on Saturday.
Sunday’s series finale featured a match-up of the two pitchers that won on Saturday. Amber May allowed three hits and led Eastern Illinois to a 4-3 victory in game one.
Kristin Perry tossed a complete game, two-hit shutout in EKU’s 7-0 win in game two.
The Panthers loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the third inning. EIU drew first blood on a sacrifice fly by Kiley Holtz, but Perry induced a fly ball in foul territory to escape further damage.
The game remained 1-0 in favor of the home team until the seventh inning. With Eastern Illinois (19-17, 9-4 OVC) one out away from winning the game, and the tying run at second base,
Diane Gallagher’s fly ball to left field was dropped, allowing
Aimee Spathias to score the tying run. Perry retired the Panthers in order in the bottom of the inning to send the game into extra innings.
After a lead-off single in the ninth by Holtz, EIU drew back-to-back walks to load the bases with one out. Junior
Stacye Toups came on in relief, but Jen Saucier drew a third straight walk to push across the winning run.
After giving up two hits in the third, Perry (5-12) did not allow another hit until Holtz led off the ninth inning with a single. The freshman pitched eight and a third innings, allowed five hits and two runs. She walked five and struck out seven. May tossed all nine innings, allowing one run on eight hits. She struck out 10 and walked one.
Raquel Howes had a three hit game for Eastern Kentucky. Five different Panthers accounted for the team’s five hits.
The Colonels (12-27, 6-7 OVC) will return to action on Wednesday when the 2010 three-game series with Morehead State concludes with the final game. First pitch at Gertrude Hood Field on the EKU campus is scheduled for 2 p.m. The two teams split a doubleheader in Morehead on March 30.
