Senior outfielder Marybeth Dyson put Eastern up for good with a two RBI double in the first inning, as Eastern beat Western Illinois 7-4 to complete a sweep Sunday at Williams field.
After four weekend Ohio Valley Conference series sweeps and three non-conference wins, Eastern (20-16, 12-0) has the fourth-longest active win streak in the country at 15 games.
“We’re not taking any win for granted. We’re excited,” Dyson said. “We’re sticking together, playing for each other, and just giving it our all each game.”
In the top of the first inning, Western Illinois (8-20, 3-8) scored fast. After a throwing error by senior catcher Lexie Griffin, the Leathernecks took a 1-0 lead.
Eastern then reached base on an error and three walks to tie the game. Head coach Dan Paulson said the team got off to a really good start.
“We had one run without even having a hit,” Paulson said. “Just disciplined at the plate, making her throw strikes, and that’s been something that’s led to success for us all year. Whenever we can stay disciplined at the plate, good things happen.”
Freshman outfielder Brooklyn Groppel, who was the hero in the first game yesterday, came up to bat. On the third pitch of the at bat, she drilled a ball down the right field line and two runners scored.
Senior outfielder Marybeth Dyson came up right after Groppel and hit a ball right up the middle to score another two runs.
This was only Groppel’s seventh start this year, with her sixth coming yesterday in game two.
“I’ve had a lot of mixed emotions about [starting]. I’m just trying to play carefree and just be myself. I know my team is supporting me the whole way through,” Groppel said. “If there’s a mess up or anything, everyone knows that it’s my first time, so they’re all behind me for it and I just try and play fearless.”
Senior infielder Lizzie Stiverson added two hits in the win. It was her third time in three games with two hits and extended her hitting streak to seven games.
Stiverson said that she has been able to produce because of her coaches and having a consistent mindset while always trusting herself and her teammates.
In the bottom of the second inning, EIU added to its lead with a two run RBI double by junior catcher Sophia Olman. She was previously held hitless this series before the double.
“She was beating me yesterday, so I wanted to make the adjustment, and I had a few adjustments made with Coach DP in pregame,” Olman said. “And just staying more relaxed and sticking to my plan and hitting something that was going to make me successful.”
On the year, Olman has a.256 batting average and has driven in 22 runs. Of those RBIs, 20 of them have been since the start of the month.
Paulson said that the beginning of the year was rough for Olman, but that she has stayed consistent and worked hard in the batting cages to get to this point.
EIU did finish the day with four errors. Paulson pointed out that the team had miscues which caused most of the four runs to be scores, but he added that anytime you get an OVC sweep it is a good day.
Eastern travels to Indiana State on Tuesday to play a non-conference game at 4 p.m. before returning home against UT Martin this weekend.
Patrick Schmitz can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].
