The Eastern softball team swept a pair of games Wednesday at Southeast Missouri. The Panthers won the first game with a final score of 3-2, and the second game, 5-3. Eastern now has an overall record of 17-15 and an Ohio Valley Conference record of 7-6.

Eastern was able to sweep Southeast Missouri behind pitching and hitting.  The sophomore-pitching duo of Stephanie Maday and Hannah Mennenga was lights out.

Maday took the mound, pitching seven strong innings while only allowing eight hits and two runs (one earned). She also struck out five Redhawk batters.  Mennenga continued her hot streak on the mound and had yet another consistent performance. She delivered seven strong innings on the mound, giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits, while also striking out four hitters. 

The Panther players came out swinging at the plate. After a rough game against Murray State, Panther third baseman Ashleigh Westover delivered one of her best performances of the season. For the day, she was four-for-six with two RBIs and a run scored.

Freshman Bailey O’Dell had another strong performance, going three-for-eight at the plate with a run scored. She also hit a single that drove in the game-winning run of the Panthers’ first game against SEMO.

Sophomore Reynae Hutchinson hit her team leading fourth homerun of the season in Wednesday’s action. She was two-for-six with two RBIs and a run scored. Center fielder Hayley Pieper was also two-for-six with a run scored on the day.

Sophomore Carly Willert extended her hitting streak to nine games after a hit in the first game, but lost it in the second game, as she didn’t get a hit. For the day she was one-for-six with an RBI. Junior Melise Brown also chipped in with a run scored and a double.

The Panthers’ next games will take place this Friday when they take on OVC conference rival Tennessee State in Nashville, Tenn. Tennessee State has an overall record of 10-23 and a conference record of 3-11. Eastern, who currently holds a conference record of 7-6, will have an opportunity to march its way up the standings. Eastern is currently in fifth place in the conference race.

Tennessee-Martin and Jacksonville State remain at the top of the class in the conference. Tennessee-Martin has an overall record of 26-12 and a conference record of 15-2. Jacksonville state has an overall record of 18-19 and a conference mark of 12-5.

Erik Jensen can

be reached at 581-7942

or [email protected]