The Eastern softball team had been struggling to hit. The Panthers had scored only four runs in their four previous games.

That all changed Tuesday.

The Panthers doled out 20 hits and plated 12 runs in a pair of 6-3 victories against Evansville Tuesday in Evansville, Ind.

“We really hit the balls that we could drive,” Eastern head coach Kim Schuette said. “We weren’t swinging at everything through.”

The Panthers (22-14) scored in a variety of ways in both games.

In the second game of the doubleheader, Eastern was down 2-0 when junior second baseman Megan Nelson doubled down the left field line to tie the game in the fourth inning.

“That was a huge opportunity for (Nelson) to bring both in runs,” Schuette said.

The Panthers would blow the game open when sophomore catcher Kiley Holtz hit a bases-loaded, three-run double in the fifth inning.

“(Holtz) is dangerous with a bat in her hand,” Nelson said. “She’s quick. You can tell that teams we play are scared of her. She’s a clutch player.”

Holtz said her progression as a hitter is from being confident at the plate.

“I was kind of shy (last year),” she said. “This year, I know I needed to talk more on the field. Be encouraging. Talking more to the pitcher.”

Schuette said while both teams had strong hits, the Panthers had strong hitting across the board.

“They weren’t just these little rink-a-dink hits,” Nelson said. “People had the focus. It went from one hitter to the next.”

Eastern scored five of its runs off the long ball in the first game.

Freshman left fielder Hayley Pieper hit a three-run home run to right field for her second home run this season in the second inning to give Eastern a three-run lead.

However, the Purple Aces fired back with a home run from freshman first baseman Kylie Wagner.

Holtz hit a two-run jack in the third inning to give the Panthers a 6-1 lead.

The Purple Aces (8-25) fired back in the bottom of the third inning with back-to-back home runs from junior catcher Krista Price and senior second baseman Kristen Shirk.

As a team, the Panthers have hit 20 home runs this season, which ranks third all-time. Last season they hit 19 home runs. Eight different Panthers have hit a home run this season.

Amber May (16-9) gave up six hits and all three runs came off home runs in the first game.

“Amber did a good job,” Schuette said. “She settled down and took over the rest of the game against those hitters.”

In the second game, senior pitcher Kathleen Jacoby (5-5) gave up seven hits, but only three earned runs in 5 2/3 innings. She walked four and struck out three. May pitched the final 1 1/3 innings to pick up her third save of the year.

The Panthers return to Ohio Valley Conference action against second place Tennessee Tech on Friday and Saturday in Cookeville, Tenn. The Panthers, in third place, will play a doubleheader against the Golden Eagles Friday at 1 p.m. and the final game at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Kevin Murphy can be reached at 581-7944 or at kjmurphy@eiu.edu.

Eastern junior centerfielder Angie Danca leads off second base during the home game against Butler Thursday at Williams Field. (Erin Matheny/The Daily Eastern News)

(more…)