Last season, EIU softball ended the season on a high by winning the Ohio Valley Conference regular season and tournament titles.
Over the summer, however, McKenzie Oslanzi and Kendall Grover both transferred to SEC schools. Oslanzi went to Kentucky, and Grover went to Florida.
Senior pitcher Karlie McKenzie said that it was a big loss for the team. However, sophomore utility Abbi Hatton said that going into the transfer portal to fill the holes has helped team culture a lot.
“I think last year it might have been hard to buy into the culture and to be all in,” Hatton said. “But this year, we have been really focusing on that piece of it, more like the mental side versus physical.”
Sophomore outfielder Morgan Hance added that the returners understand what the coaches want now and can help with the newcomers.
Head coaches Kristi and Dan Paulson are in their second season at Eastern. They came from Parkland College. Last year, only junior infielder Alisha Frederick jumped from Parkland to Eastern.
This year, two others from that team made the jump to Eastern.
Senior catcher Lexie Griffin and senior infielder Lizzie Stiverson are two of the 11 new faces on the team. Last season there were 10 new players.
Last season, Griffin transferred to Illinois State after her time was up at Parkland. That fall in 2024, she said that she got hurt, so she spent most of the season on the bench watching.
“So I think honestly, I learned more just watching and paying attention to the little details while I was on the bench and recovering,” Griffin said.
After her time at Illinois State, Griffin said that she wanted to play for her Parkland coaches again.
“I kind of lost my love for the game at ISU and I felt like I kind of just wanted to give up there, but I think I would have regretted it if I didn’t just at least try one more time,” Griffin said. “So, I feel like the coaches here have really put importance on having fun and enjoying what we’re doing while we’re doing it.”
Now the goal for the team is the same as last year and any other year. Win the OVC, make the NCAA tournament, and win a regional game.
Last season EIU fell short of that last goal.
“Our biggest thing from last year was trying our hardest to get a win at a regional,” Hatton said. “That would be so awesome. That’s definitely the goal right there.”
In the preseason OVC rankings, the defending champs were not picked to finish first. Instead, Southeast Missouri State and Southern Illinois Edwardsville were picked to finish above them.
“It made me mad when I saw it,” Hatton said.
She said that it doesn’t matter what the preseason ranking said, but her initial reaction was still one of anger.
McKenzie said that in all three years that she has been at Eastern the team has never been ranked first.
“So it’s kind of like people, politics, whatever, but we’ve gotten a ring each year,” McKenzie said.
McKenzie and Hance were both named to the preseason All-OVC team, and Hatton was a player to watch.
“I don’t think it adds any pressure,” Hance said. “We don’t look at it too much.”
Hance said she was more excited for the end of the year when the people who went under the OVC’s radar gets to shine.
For this year, Hatton and Griffin both said that depth and pitching will be their biggest strengths.
“Our pitchers are honestly dominating in scrimmages. They’ve been making it really difficult on the hitters,” Griffin said.
EIU played SIUE six times last season with three of them being in the OVC tournament and split the season series with the Cougars.
“For conference, I would definitely say I’m excited to play SIU(E). I’m not scared. I’m excited,” Hatton said.
Eastern opens its season at the Georgia Southern Bash In the Boro with games against Western Kentucky and Georgia Southern today.
Patrick Schmitz can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].
