Game 1 | Game 2

WILMINGTON, N.C. – The Eastern Kentucky University softball team used strong pitching on Sunday to sweep a pair of contests and push its winning streak to eight games.
 
Eastern beat Brown in game one, 6-0, before knocking off host UNC Wilmington in game two, 1-0, in eight innings.  
 
In game one, Eastern struck for four runs in the first and two runs in the sixth to roll past Brown.
 
With two outs in the bottom of the first inning, Zoe Mihalicz got things started with an infield single. After a Carly Robinson walk put runners on first and second, Mattira Morales singled down the left field line to bring home Mihalicz to give the Colonels a 1-0 lead. Vianna Barron wasted no time adding on to that lead sending the first pitch she saw over the left field fence to give Eastern the 4-0 lead after one inning.
 
Eastern Kentucky (12-2) added on in the sixth after Jaqueline Mercado took a 1-0 pitch into the right center gap to bring home Barron and Gabriela De La Cerda to extend the EKU lead to 6-0.
 
Tori Peterson (1-0) went the distance in the circle going seven innings, striking out three and only allowing four hits.
 
Barron went 1-for-3 with one home run and three RBIs. Mercado chipped in 1-for-1 with two RBIs off the bench.
 
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In game two, the Colonels used a run in the top of the eighth inning to knock off host UNC Wilmington.
 
In the top of the eighth inning with the international softball rule, both teams start with a runner on second base. Mihalicz advanced Ariyana Miranda to third after a sac bunt. Robinson brought her home with a sac fly to left field to give Eastern the 1-0 lead.
 
UNC Wilmington (2-11) started with an infield single to put runners on first and second with no one out in the bottom of the eighth inning. Emily Langkamp then advanced both runners after a sac bunt, putting the winning run on second base and the tying run at third.
 
Mollie Paulick (5-1) struck out the next two batters to secure the teams' eighth straight victory.
 
Paulick tossed six and one-third innings with 11 strikeouts. Samantha Reynoso started and tossed one and one-third innings allowing one hit and striking out two.
 
The two pitchers combined to let up four hits while recording 13 strikeouts over eight innings.
 
Barron went 3-for-4. Robinson went 2-for-3 with the lone RBI of the game.
 
The Colonels are off to their best start in the programs history.
 
Eastern hits the road next weekend to Montgomery, Alabama for the ASU Invitational. First pitch against Nicholls State University is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Friday.