Baldwin, McInerney place first in Walt Crawford Invite
Eastern runners Riley McInerney, Paxson Menard, Tyler Yunk, and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville runner Keith Meyer race in the EIU Walt Crawford meet on Friday on the Panther Trail. Eastern won both the men’s and women’s meets. McInerney finished first and Menard second.
September 7, 2015
The Eastern men’s and women’s cross country teams’ placed first at the EIU Walt Crawford Invite Friday.
Sophomore Maria Baldwin, who was the OVC Freshman of the Year last season, opened up her season with a first place 5k finish with a time of 18 minutes and 3.48 seconds, which was 16 seconds ahead of Kirsta Menghini of Southern Illinois.
Baldwin’s win was the first Eastern runner to win a Panthers home meet since Angie Simone won in 2002.
As a team, Eastern took 21 points and finished 48 points ahead of Southern Illinois-Edwardsville.
Junior Ivy Handley was second on the team and placed third overall with a time of 18:42.01. Junior Emily Brelsfoard finished third on the team and fourth overall with a time of 18:45.89.
Junior Riley McInerney finished first overall in the shortened four-mile race with a time of 20:05.06. The race was shortened due to the high heat in Charleston over the weekend.
Junior Paxson Menard placed second overall behind McInerney with a time of 20:08.98.
As a team, the Pantherd finished with 30 points overall, which was 11 more than Edwardsville.
The Panthers will travel to Illinois State Friday night for the Illinois State meet.
Bob Reynolds can be reached at 581-2812 or rjreynolds@eiu.edu
