Southeast Missouri thought it had taken a lead on the Eastern softball team in the top of the fourth inning off what everyone thought was a two-run double from Randi Dae Conway.

The two-run double was taken away after discussion from the umpires led the decision that Conway stepped out of the batter’s box to hit the ball. 

Eastern had a 2-1 lead before the mass confusion and maintained it up until the sixth inning, when sophomore Mia Davis sent a line drive two-run home run over the left field fence to secure a 4-1 win in the second game of the doubleheader. Eastern won game one 4-1 as well. 

Conway’s “what could have been” game-winning two-run double was the biggest push the Redhawks made in either game. The Redhawks had a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but Eastern quickly erased that. 

Davis’ home run was her sixth of the season and even though Eastern would have won without it, it had her feeling good. 

Even with the wind howling in, she found a way to poke it over the fence. 

“I didn’t think it was going over at first,” Davis said. “Keeping it low helped, because everything in the air was getting caught today. I thought it was either going to hit the fence or land in front of it, so I was hustling, too. It felt good, though.”

The Panthers pushed ahead 2-0 after junior Mady Poulter drove in Kayla Bear on a double right before sophomore Haley Mitchell drove in Poulter.

The Panthers scored their four runs, which was plenty for senior pitcher Michelle Rogers, who handled the rest, pitching a complete game. 

Mitchell’s RBI in the second game was her fourth of the day as she, just like Davis, crushed a three-run home run in the third inning of the first game to give Eastern a 4-1 lead that it held through the rest of the game as senior pitcher Jessica Wireman shut down the Redhawks.

Mitchell’s opposite field home run came on a 1-1 count, bringing in Poulter, who had just walked and senior Andrea Roberts, who tripled to lead off the inning. 

She was not looking for anything special at the plate, but trusted what her teammates told her prior. 

“Mady (Poulter) told me just to sit back, because I was going to get an outside pitch and that is what I looked for and it obviously worked,” Mitchell said. “I just look for the one I want and I hit it.” 

Coach Kim Schuette called Mitchell’s home run clutch, because it gave Eastern a three-run lead, but noted the importance of Poulter being able to draw a walk after being down 1-2. 

The Panthers improved to 6-0 in OVC play and remain the top team in the conference. It was the first OVC games Eastern was able to play in over two weeks. Schuette said the team beat her to the field, which is not the norm. 

She said it was nice to have them to lean on.

Sean Hastings can be reached at 581-2812 or smhastings@eiu.edu