Hennemann Walk-off Single Lifts EIU To Win

CHARLESTON, Ill. – With the Eastern Illinois baseball team in search for a win and playing host to Illinois College, a Cale Hennemann walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th lifted the Panthers to a 7-6 win over the visiting Blueboys on Wednesday afternoon at Coaches Stadium. The Panthers will open up a three-game stint against visiting Belmont this Friday at 3 p.m. at Coaches Stadium.

The Panthers improved to 6-31 on the season with the win, as Illinois College falls to 13-10 on the season.

After a scoreless first two innings from both teams, Eastern Illinois broke into the scoring column first in the bottom of the third inning. Back-to-back doubles by Hennemann and Mitch Gasbarro plated the first run of the inning for the Panthers with the Gasbarro hit driving in Hennemann. A groundout moved Gasbarro up to third with just one out in the inning. A wild pitch from the Illinois College starting pitcher allowed Gasbarro to trot home and give the Panthers a 2-0 lead.

The Blueboys cut the Eastern Illinois lead in half in the top of the fourth inning. With runners on the corners, Connor Melton singled to right to give Illinois College their first run of the game.

Eastern Illinois worked a run back in the bottom of the fifth as the inning got started by Gasbarro being hit by a pitch. A failed pickoff attempt moved Gasbarro up to second, and he found his way onto third on a single by Demetre Taylor. Frankie Perrone brought home Gasbarro on the next play with a sacrifice fly to give the Panthers a 3-1 advantage.

With the rain starting to come down hard, the Panthers took advantage of the wet conditions in the bottom of the seventh. Joseph Duncan beat out an infield single and was awarded second base as an Illinois College throw found its way into the Eastern Illinois dugout. Hennemann singled through the right side to plate Duncan and extended the EIU lead to 4-1.

After Illinois College scored a run in the top of the eighth on an Alec Wade RBI single, Hunter Morris answered back with a solo home run over the wall in left center for the Panthers.

Things got rather interesting in the ninth inning. With the bags full and just one away, Austin Peck stepped up to the plate for the visiting Blueboys. Peck blasted a grand slam that cleared the wall in right and gave IC their first lead of the game at 6-5.

With the momentum shifting towards Illinois College, the Panthers rallied back to tie the game in the bottom half of the frame and force extra-innings. Gasbarro doubled to left with one out to give EIU a runner in scoring position. Matt Dunavant was called upon as a pinch-hitter and came through in the clutch for the Panthers with an RBI single to tie the game at 6-6.

Illinois College threatened once again in the top of the 10th with a runner on third and just one out in the inning, but Eastern Illinois reliever Matt Wivinis closed the door and sent the game tied into the bottom half of the frame.

Jason Scholl walked to start the bottom of the 10th for the Panthers. The Illinois College reliever Dentler Loschen got the next two batters out with Scholl remaining at first. Duncan singled through the left side to put runners on first and second for EIU. Hennemann won it for the Panthers on the next play with a walk-off single to left center scoring Scholl for the 7-6 win.

Wivinis picked up his first win of the season in two innings of relief for the Panthers.

Duncan and Hennemann led the Eastern Illinois offense on the day as both players finished 3-for-6 each. Gasbarro, Taylor, and Morris all recorded two hits each in the game.