Eastern Kentucky Sweeps EIU in Baseball

With the anticipation of inclement weather occurring in Richmond, Ky. Eastern Illinois and Eastern Kentucky altered their weekend schedule to have the two teams face off in a doubleheader Friday. Eastern Kentucky completed the sweep of the twinbill winning by scores of 9-3 and 7-5.

Game One: Eastern Kentucky 9, Eastern Illinois 3

After Eastern Kentucky scored in the first inning, Eastern Illinois would go on to tie the game up in the middle innings, but the Colonels pulled away in the late innings scoring six runs in the final two innings to take game one of the doubleheader by a score of 9-3.

Eastern Kentucky got on the board early in the bottom of the first inning. A double, an error, and a stolen base put runners at second and third for EKU. Mandy Alvarez gave Eastern Kentucky the early lead with a two-run single.

The Panthers got things going with a two-out rally in the top of the fourth inning. Back-to-back doubles by Matt Dunavant and Jason Scholl led to the Panthers’ first run of the inning. Frankie Perrone followed the two doubles with a single up the middle to score Scholl and tie the game at 2-2.

Eastern Kentucky took the lead again in the bottom of the sixth inning, as three-straight two-out singles drove in the go-ahead run and put the score at 3-2.

After Eastern Kentucky extended their lead with three runs in the bottom of the seventh, the Panthers looked to cut the deficit in the top of the eighth. Mitch Gasbarro started the inning with a double into the right center gap. An error on the next play allowed Gasbarro to score and cut the lead to 6-3.

Eastern Kentucky put the game out of reach scoring three runs on three hits in the bottom of the eighth inning to take game one 9-3.
Brendon Allen suffered the loss on the mound for the Panthers. Allen allowed six runs (five earned) in 6.1 innings pitched.

Dunavant and Perrone were the only Panthers to record multiple hits in the first game, as the pair finished an identical 3-for-4 at the plate.

Game two: Eastern Kentucky 7, Eastern Illinois 5

The Panthers looked to even the series and split the doubleheader, but Eastern Kentucky was able to hold off a late comeback bid by Eastern Illinois and complete the sweep of the doubleheader 7-5.

Eastern Kentucky looked as if they would run away with the night cap of the doubleheader. The Colonels scored four runs in the third, and a run in the fourth and fifth innings each.

Demetre Taylor gave the Panthers’ their first run of the game with a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning to move the score to 6-1.

Kyle Nowlin answered back with a solo home run of his own for Eastern Kentucky to get the run back for the Colonels in the bottom of the sixth.

The Panthers started a rally with two outs in the top of the seventh inning. Nick Maton and Dane Toppel both singled to put runners on the corners. After a walk to Joseph Duncan to load the bases, Cale Hennemann drove in two runs with a single through the right side and cut the lead to 7-3.

Eastern Illinois worked up another two-out rally in the top of the eighth inning. Scholl reached on an error by the Eastern Kentucky second baseman, and came around to score on a Perrone RBI double. Maton drove in Perrone on the next play to cut the lead to 7-5, but the Eastern Kentucky bullpen would not allow another run to the Panthers the rest of the way.

Matt Wivinis took the loss on the mound for the Panthers, allowing seven runs in his 5.2 innings of work.

Hennemann and Maton recorded two hits each in the second game to lead the Eastern Illinois offense.

In a back-and-forth game that saw six different lead changes in the series finale against Eastern Illinois and Eastern Kentucky. The Panthers came up just short in the game as the Colonels completed the series sweep winning game three by a score of 8-7. The Panthers will return to Coaches Stadium to host Morehead State in a three-game series next weekend (May 6-8).

With the loss, Eastern Illinois falls to 7-36 (2-19 OVC). Eastern Kentucky improves to 20-25 (10-11 OVC).

After both teams were held scoreless in the first two innings, the game took a turn and became a back-and-forth affair. The Panthers got on the scoreboard first in the top of the third inning. After Nick Maton singled to start the inning, a sacrifice bunt moved Maton up another 90 feet and into scoring position. Cale Hennemann brought home Maton with an RBI single to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead.

Eastern Illinois extended their lead with another run in the top of the fourth inning. The inning was started with back-to-back singles by Mitch Gasbarro and Demetre Taylor. A sacrifice bunt moved the pair to second and third. Jason Scholl plated Gasbarro on an RBI groundout to extend the lead to 2-0.

Eastern Kentucky overtook the lead in the bottom half of the fourth inning. With runners on the corners for the Colonels, Kyle Nowlin tied the game with a two-run double into left center. A single by Ben Fisher scored Nowlin and gave EKU a 3-2 lead.

The scoring continued for the Panthers in the top of the fifth inning. Just like the third inning, Maton singled to lead off the inning and moved up on another sacrifice bunt by Dane Toppel. Joseph Duncan laid down a perfect bunt and reached first on the hit to put runners on the corners. Hennemann drove in Maton on a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 3-3. The Panthers found themselves ahead once again on the Gasbarro RBI double that plated Duncan.

Andy Fisher entered the game on the mound for Eastern Illinois in the bottom of the fifth inning with Eastern Kentucky threatening to score. With the bases loaded and one out in the inning, Fisher got the first two batters out he faced to keep the Eastern Illinois lead at 4-3.

After a scoreless sixth inning, Eastern Kentucky got to the Eastern Illinois reliever Fisher in the bottom of the seventh inning. With runners on first and second, Taylor Blair drove in a run with an RBI double to right field. Eastern Kentucky regained the lead 6-4 on the next play on a Fisher single up the middle that plated two runs.

The back-and-forth action continued into the top of the eighth inning. With the bases full, the Panthers scored their first run of the inning on a wild pitch. Frankie Perrone gave Eastern Illinois a 7-6 lead with a two-run double to left field.

Eastern Kentucky took the lead one final time with two runs in the bottom of the eighth and won the series finale 8-7.

Fisher suffered the loss on the mound for the Panthers, allowing five runs in 3.2 inning of relief.

Gasbarro led the Eastern Illinois offense as he finished the day 4-for-5 at the plate. Maton added three hits and Taylor finished the day with two hits.