CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois cross country opened the 2017 season on Friday afternoon with impressive efforts from a veteran on the women's side and a first-time collegiate competitor on the men's side as they hosted the EIU Walt Crawford Open at the Woodall Panther Trail.
 
Freshman Dustin Hatfield won the men's race for EIU as he posted an 8K time of 25:09.03.  He was followed by EIU senior Chris Orlow as the Panther men had four runners in the top fifteen finishers.
 
Senior Maria Baldwin just missed becoming a three-time champion of the Walt Crawford Open as she finished in second place with a 5K time of 17:55.73.  Kaitlyn Shea of Southeast Missouri won the title with a time of 17:48.90.
 
The meet was a double dual meet featuring six NCAA Division I schools from Bradley, EIU, Illinois, Murray State, Southeast Missouri and SIUE.  Additional schools with competitors in the field included Vincennes University, Danville Area CC, Illinois Central College, Lincoln College and Kaskaskia College.
 
The EIU men posted a 4-1 record in dual competition losing to Illinois.  The Panther women finished with a 3-2 record with losses to Illinois and SEMO.
 
Hatfield's first place time was 25:09.03 as he was nearly nine seconds ahead of teammate Orlow with a time of 25:17.39 to place second.  Jaime Marcos was eighth with a time of 25:51.61.  Tyler Lay crossed in 12th place with a time of 25:58.60 with Jeremy Bekkouche was the final EIU scored runner in 24th place with a time of 26:42.97. 
 
On the women's side Baldwin was not able to catch Shea for the victory but did hold off Rebecca Craddock of Illinois in third place with a time of 17:58.72.  Freshman Kate Bushue was the next EIU women's finisher with a time of 18:46.30 as she placed 13th.  Ali Gutt and Grace Rowan came across the line in 22nd and 24th position.  Gutt's time was 19:02.80 with Rowan slightly behind at 19:07.33.  Jocelyne Mendoza was EIU's final scored runner in 27th place with a time of 19:10.68.