May 9, 2003

Box Score

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Starter Rachel Van Fleet held Eastern Illinois to three hits through the first four innings and Southeast Missouri backed her with an early lead as the Otahkians claimed a 4-2 victory Friday afternoon in the 2003 Ohio Valley Conference Softball Tournament at Tennessee Tech.

With the win, SEMO (18-28) moved into the finals of the loser's bracket where it will play later Friday against either Tennessee Tech or Eastern Kentucky for the right to play in the championship Saturday.

The loss closed out the season for Eastern Illinois, which finished with a 14-34 record.

Van Fleet pitched four scoreless innings before giving way to relievers Jessica Hunter, who held EIU hitless over 1 2/3 innings.

The Panthers finally broke through against SEMO's third pitcher, Melissa VanVelkinburgh, in the seventh inning. Pinch-hitter Nicole Eichelberger started the rally with a single and Jessica Irps also singled. With one out, Kristen Darnell's single scored Eichelberger, and Kari Hagerty's ground out brought home the second runner before VanVelkinburgh got the final out.

Alicia Loucks and Kelly Birk singled, and Alana Bagby-Leonard followed with an RBI single for a 1-0 lead. Amy Murphy laid down a sacrifice bunt to bring home Birk with the second run of the inning. The lead went to 3-0 when Bagby-Leonard scored on a two-out single by Lyndsey Webb.

SEMO added a run in the third on three singles, with Webb's roller into the hole at second base bringing Bagby-Leonard across the plate.