COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech and Eastern Illinois battled for a long time in game one, taking the day's opener into extra innings before the Panthers took a 3-2 victory in the 10th. Game two started with four scoreless frames before the Panthers scored four in the fifth inning, then six more in the sixth to force the run-rule.

 

Tech (11-25, 4-10 Ohio Valley Conference) closes out the series with the Panthers at noon on Saturday.

 

The Golden Eagles got a strong pitching performance from Emly York in the circle, going the first six innings and allowing two runs – one earned – on five hits as she walked one and struck out two. Payton Wagner got the tough-luck loss, allowing one run on four hits with three walks and a strikeout.

 

McKenzie Oslanzi went five complete frames for the Panthers (18-16, 10-3 OVC), yielding one run on three hits with a walk and four strikeouts, while Karlie McKenzie picked up the victory as she allowed an unearned run on five hits, walking one and striking out nine.

 

Tech got on the scoreboard first as Abby Shoulders scored on Sydney Kirby's single to right field – and that was it until the sixth inning. Alisha Frederick drove in Abbey Crain and Kendall Grover with a double to put the Panthers on top, then the Golden Eagles evened the game again as Ella Bishop drove in Makayli Harris with a single up the middle.

 

The seventh, eighth and ninth innings were quiet, but the Panthers scored the go-ahead run in the top of the tenth. After Sophia Olman reached on a four-pitch walk, Karson Davey drove her in with a double to left, but was thrown out at third trying to stretch the play into a triple.

 

Game two took a long time before anyone got on the board, but the Panthers got there in a big way as Briana Gonzalez hit a grand slam to go up 4-0 in the top of the fifth. Kirby drove in Abbee Klinefelter with a single through the left side, then Harris doubled to right center – and advanced to third on a throwing error – to bring Kirby home.

 

However, the flood gates opened in the top of the sixth as the Panthers had six batters get a hit or a walk before the first out was recorded. EIU collected an RBI single, a three-run single and error combo, then a two-run home run to make it a 10-2 game.

 

Lainey Fitzgerald took the loss, allowing six runs on eight hits over five innings, walking and striking out three. Addison Abell went one inning, allowing four runs on four hits with one walk and a strikeout.

 

McKenzie continued game two where she left off in game one, pitching the first two innings without allowing a run and yielding two hits with a strikeout. Bryanna French picked up the victory as she allowed two runs on five hits in 2 2/3 innings, walking one and striking out one. Oslanzi collected the save as she came in when it was a 4-2 game, throwing the final inning-and-a-third with one strikeout.