EIU, SIUE Drop College Baseball Losses

INDIANAPOLIS – Eastern Illinois doubled up Butler in the hits column on Tuesday afternoon but the Panthers could not deliver the big hit as they lost 4-3 to the Bulldogs in a non-conference game. EIU will wrap up the 2015 season this Thursday through Saturday with an Ohio Valley Conference series at SIU Edwardsville.

The Panthers scored in the first with Caleb Howell delivering the first of his two hits, an RBI single to left center. The senior outfielder improved his season batting average to .405 with a 2-for-4 day at the plate.

Butler tied the game in the second and took the lead in the third. The Bulldogs scored in the second with Michael Fries hitting a sacrifice fly to center. Ryan Wojciechowski scored after leading off the second with a double. He was one of six Butler players with one hit at EIU had a 12-6 hits advantage. Drew Small had an RBI triple in third and scored on a sacrifice fly by Tyler Houston.

EIU scored in the fourth as Matt Dunavant had an RBI single through the left side. Dunavant started at designated hitter as both teams played many of their reserves.

“I played many of the non-starters to give them some at-bats,” said head coach Jim Schmitz. “We just didn’t get the big hit today.”

EIU took advantage of the game’s only error to tie the game in the eighth inning. Cale Hennemann reached on a throwing error that allowed Alex Cain to come around to score. Cain was 2-for-4 in the game joining Howell, Mitch Gasbarro (2-for-4) and Joseph Duncan (3-for-5) as Panthers with multiple base hits.

Butler was able to manufacture the game winning run in the bottom of the eighth as EIU relief pitcher Chase Thurston (2-2) picked up the loss. Cole Malloy loaded the bases with a bunt single and the Bulldogs scored their third run of the game on a sacrifice fly as Garrett Christman flied out to center to score Gehrig Parker.

North Clay graduate Andrew Grahn pitched the first three innings for EIU, allowing three runs, three hits, one walk and strikig out two.

Luke Johnson (3-0) picked up the win after pitching the eighth inning. Danny Pobereyko pitched the ninth for his fifth save of the season.

EIU fell to 12-34. Butler improved to 21-29.

Indiana State 8, SIUE 2

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – SIUE baseball fell behind 8-0 Tuesday night and couldn't come back, falling to Indiana State 8-2 at Bob Warn Field.

The Cougars fell to 18-27 overall. Indiana State improved to 25-23.

SIUE managed just six hits, by six different players, against four Indiana State pitchers.

"We just didn't take a lot of good swings," SIUE Head Coach Tony Stoecklin said. "We didn't have a good approach tonight."

Michael Eberele (2-2) started and pitched five scoreless innings for the Sycamores to earn the win. He gave up two hits and walked one. He did not strike out a batter.

Indiana State jumped out to 5-0 lead in the fourth inning on two hits, three walks, and a hit batter. Connor McClain had a two-run hit in the inning.

The Sycamores made it 8-0 with a three-run fifth inning. Indiana State catcher Kaden Moore capped the inning with a two-run home run.

"Our Achilles heel all season has been the inability to stop the big inning," Stoecklin said.

Caleb Wilkerson (0-1) allowed three runs in three innings. He gave up three hits and walked three. Ryan Agnitsch allowed five runs on five hits in three innings of relief. Brendan Miller tossed two scoreless innings to finish out the game.

The Cougars got on the board in the eighth inning. Alec Saikal singled through the left side of the infield to drive home his team-leading 34th run of the year. Nick Lombardo scored on the play after reaching on a fielder's choice. Mario Tursi walked with two outs to load the bases, but the Cougars left them loaded when the inning ended. SIUE left eight runners on for the game.

SIUE added a run in the ninth on the first career hit by freshman Justin Fagan, who started behind the plate for the Cougars. Fagan doubled to left to drive home Keaton Wright who singled to start the inning.

Effingham High School graduate Chad Green had a single for SIUE.

"He did well," Stoecklin said of Fagan. "He did a good job handling the pitchers tonight."

The Cougars return home for their final regular season series. SIUE will host Eastern Illinois Thursday-Saturday at Simmons Baseball Complex.

"We'll regroup tomorrow and get focused on playing well against Eastern Illinois this weekend," Stoecklin said.