Panthers Upend Bulldogs, Lake Land Hosts Strike Out Cancer Game

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Published on April 25 2013 7:11 am
Last Updated on April 25 2013 9:39 pm
Written by Millie Lange

Panthers Upend Bulldogs, 14-4

CHARLESTON, Ill. – The Panther baseball team picked up a 14-4 win over Benedictine University on Wednesday afternoon at Coaches Stadium. EIU improved to 9-3 when playing at home.

The Panthers improved to 15-22 on the year while Benedictine dropped to 18-22. EIU returns to action at Belmont on April 26-28 in a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series.

EIU scored five runs on three hits and one error in the second inning to take an early 5-0 advantage. The Panthers added three more runs in the next inning to take an 8-0 lead before the Bulldogs scored three unanswered runs over the fourth and fifth innings to get within five (8-3).

The Panthers added two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on a Tyler Schweigert two-run homer to make the score 10-3. EIU scored four runs on five hits in the next frame to take its largest lead, 14-3, before Benedictine’s Jared Klay hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning to make the final ledger, 14-4.

EIU posted five more hits (15-10) than Benedictine and left two fewer runners on base (11-9). The Bulldogs had two errors in the contest while the Panthers did not have any miscues.

All told, five different Panthers had two or more hits in the game. Brant Valach led the team at the plate, going 3-for-5 with three runs and a RBI. Treysen Vavra went 2-for-4 with two RBI while Trey Russell went 2-for-2 with two RBI, a run and his first career home run. EIU hit four home runs in the victory.

“We did a nice job on offense,” said Eastern Illinois head coach Jim Schmitz. “Guys like Trey Russell and John Devito who don’t get to play a lot did well this afternoon as Russell had two hits and Devito added a big double.”

Luke Bushur (1-0), a Teutopolis graduate, earned the win on the mound for EIU, striking out two and only allowing two hits in two scoreless innings of work. EIU used six total pitchers who combined to record eight strikeouts to four walks.

“Ben Kennedy was sharp today,” said Schmitz. “It was nice to have Luke Bushur and Jaden Widdersheim, a Stewardson-Strasburg graduate, healthy and looking good today as we will need that depth in the bullpen this upcoming weekend.”

Tristan Molumby (4-5) took the loss for Benedictine, allowing five runs (four earned) and three hits with four walks in 1.1 innings of work. Tommy Jennings led the offense as the third baseman went 3-for-4 with two runs.

 

Lake Land College baseball team to host Strike Out Cancer game

The Lake Land College baseball team will go head-to-head against the Parkland College Cobras, in an upcoming Strike Out Cancer match, where the teams will duke it out for a good cause.

During the upcoming Strike Out Cancer game, scheduled for Tuesday, May 7, the baseball team will help raise money for cancer research. To do this, the team will sell Strike Out Cancer T-shirts for $10, and while admission to the game is free, the team is asking for donations. All proceeds collected from admissions will be donated, too.

“Parkland’s head coach came to me with the idea this past fall,” said Lake Land College Head Coach Bill Jackson. “I agreed to it because it is a great way to get the communities of Mattoon and Champaign involved with this great cause.”

The game is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Grimes Field in Peterson Park, 500 Broadway Ave., Mattoon.

For more information about this event, call Coach Bill Jackson at (217) 234-5260.