NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Belmont Softball dropped a pair of contests to Eastern Illinois (32-11, 12-4 OVC) Friday at Rose Park. EIU topped Belmont, 11-2 in the first contest and edged the Bruins, 3-1, in the second game as the Panthers earn the sweep on the day.
Game 1: Eastern Illinois 11, Belmont 2 (5 innings)
The visitors came out swinging in the first game of the Friday doubleheader as EIU hit four home runs by three different players as the Panthers went on for the easy 11-2 victory over Belmont in five innings of action.
EIU's Reynea Hutchinson led the charge for the Panthers as the senior hit two, three-run blasts and finished 3-for-3 on the contest with six RBI.
The Bruins accounted for just three hits on the afternoon as starting EIU pitcher Hanna Mennenga (17-4) was lights out on the mound. The senior allowed a pair of runs while striking out four for the Panthers.
Game 2: Eastern Illinois 3, Belmont 1
Belmont rebounded in the second game of the day as the Bruins battled the Panthers tough throughout the nightcap.
EIU jumped out to the early, 2-0, advantage in the game as the Panthers scored one run in both the first and second innings.
Belmont cut that lead in half in the bottom of the third when Jessica Wilson (Alvin, Tex.) hit an RBI single with two Bruins on base.
A Belmont error in the fifth inning helped Eastern Illinois score a run as the Panthers extend their lead, 3-1.
The Bruins had several chances to either tie or take the lead in the final three innings of but Belmont stranded a pair of runners in each inning.
A groundout by BU's Mia Vierra (Palmdale, Calif.) in the bottom of the seventh gave EIU the slim, 3-1, victory and the sweep on the afternoon.
Belmont (12-27, 6-12 OVC) returns to action tomorrow as the Bruins host SIU Edwardsville for a doubleheader at Rose Park starting at noon CT. Live stats and streaming video will be available for both contests.
