Aces to face EIU in doubleheader
With ten wins already under their belt, the University of Evansville softball team will open up its home slate on Wednesday, playing host to Eastern Illinois in a doubleheader set to begin at 3 p.m. at Cooper Stadium.
Through three weekends of action, the Purple Aces have already matched their win total from all of 2015. The team has gotten it done on both sides of the ball with Michal Luckett, Danielle Freeman and Chandra Parr leading the offense. Luckett is the 6th-ranked hitter in the Missouri Valley Conference, batting .449 through the first three weekends. She has notched a team-best 22 hits and is tied for the team lead with 12 runs scored. Just as impressive, Luckett is a perfect 7-7in steals.
Freeman has also had a solid start, batting .350 so far while posting 11 RBIs. She has drawn five walks while getting on base 43.8% of the time. Parr begins the home slate with 12 RBIs, tops on the squad. She is batting .327 with an MVC-best seven doubles.
Morgan Florey and Amanda Blankenship have taken care of business in the circle thus far. The duo has combined to pitch 80 1/3 out of the Aces’ 100 innings of work. Florey, who was named the MVC Pitcher and Newcomer of the Week in February, is a perfect 5-0 with two saves. In her 38 1/3 innings of work, Florey has accumulated a 2.11 ERA. She ranks third in the MVC with 63 strikeouts and has walked just eight batters.
Blankenship leads the conference with 15 appearances and 14 starts in 2016. She has a pair of victories while working 42 innings.
Eastern Illinois enters Wednesday’s doubleheader with a record of 4-15. Since starting the season at 3-1, EIU has gone 1-14 in its last 15 outings. Reigning Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week Kylie Bennett paces the Panther offense. In the SIU Coach B Classic, she hit .455 with three home runs and six RBIs.
