EIU, SIUE Drop Losses in Baseball

NORMAL, Ill.  – The Panther baseball team dropped a non-conference contest at Illinois State, 9-4, on Tuesday afternoon in the Redbirds home opener at Duffy Bass Field. EIU falls to 7-21 on the year.

Demetre Taylor gave the Panthers an early 1-0 lead in the first inning with a RBI single to center field. The Redbirds (18-8) scored six runs on two hits and one error in the next inning to take a 6-1 advantage they would never relinquish.

“Jake Haberer was not sharp as we dug ourselves into a big hole early,” said Eastern Illinois head coach Jim Schmitz. “We had our chances with bases loaded a few times and did not come through with a big hit to get back into game.”

Illinois State added one run in the sixth inning before the Panthers got within four (7-3) in the top of the eighth inning, scoring two runs on two hits. The Redbirds responded in the bottom of the frame with two runs on three hits to make the score 9-3. Adam Casson hit a two-out, RBI single to right field in the top of the ninth inning for the final EIU run.

EIU had two more hits (9-7) than Illinois State and left one more runner on base (11-10). Both squads committed two errors in the contest.

Caleb Howell led the Panther offense as he went 3-for-5 at the plate with two runs. Paul DeJong led the Redbirds at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three RBI. Jaden Widdersheim, a Stewardson-Strasburg graduate, pitched an inning for the Panthers.

Evansville Downs SIUE

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – A six-run fourth inning wasn't enough for SIUE baseball Tuesday night, as the Cougars fell 15-7 in a nonconference game to Evansville at Braun Stadium.

The Purple Aces scored five times in the first inning and never trailed in the game. Evansville improved to 16-9 with the win. SIUE fell to 10-16 overall with the loss.

"You score seven runs and you should win," SIUE Head Coach Tony Stoecklin said. "It's frustrating. It's frustrating for everyone."

SIUE starter Sam Hopkins (0-2) didn't record an out, surrendering the five runs in the first inning on three hits and two walks.

"It deflates the whole team to get down like that in the first inning," Stoecklin said.

Effingham High School graduate Chase Green scored a run and had a single for SIUE.