EIU Softball makes first-ever NCAA appearance
CHARLESTON, Ill. (WCCU) — Eastern Illinois softball will be making its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
EIU will appear in the Evanston Regional.
The Panthers will face Northwestern at 2:30 p.m. on Friday in Evanston. Northwestern won the Big Ten and finished the season with a 38-11 record.
EIU finished the season at 34-19 and won the OVC Tournament Championship.
In the Evanston Regional are Miami (Ohio) from the Mid-American Conference who had a 37-18 record and Kentucky from the SEC who finished the season with a 30-20-1 record.
EIU is 2-8 all-time against Northwestern with the last time the two schools played coming in 1998.
EIU is 3-8 all-time against Miami's last meeting in 2020. EIU is 1-2 against Kentucky, the last match-up in 2016.
Full Schedule (all times listed in central):
Friday, May 19
- Game 1 - Kentucky vs. Miami (OH) - noon CT - SEC Network
- Game 2 - Northwestern vs. Eastern Illinois - 2:30 p.m. CT - ESPN+
Saturday, May 20
- Game 3 - Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 - 12 p.m. CT
- Game 4 - Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 - 2:30 p.m. CT
- Game 5 - Loser of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4 - 5 p.m. CT
Sunday, May 21
- Game 6 - Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5 - 3 p.m. CT
- Game 7 (if necessary) - 5:30 p.m. CT
