Baseball Powers Past SIUE In Series Finale/이스턴일리노이대학교[미국주립대 장학생,미국대학편입]

Baseball Powers Past SIUE In Series Finale/이스턴일리노이대학교[미국주립대 장학생,미국대학편입]

Eastern Illinois and SIUE displayed an offensive showcase in their series finale on Sunday. The Panthers powered past the Cougars, 16-13, in a game that finished with 10 home runs combined between the two teams.

With the win, Eastern Illinois improved their record to 19-33 (11-16 OVC), while SIUE dropped to 23-26 (11-16 OVC).

For the first time all series, Eastern Illinois took the lead in the top of the first inning. Joseph Duncan started the game with a lead-off double down the left-field line and came around to score later in the inning on an RBI single by Dougie Parks to put the Panthers ahead, 1-0.

SIUE quickly responded in the bottom-half on the first as Alec Skender got hit by a pitch to start the inning and scored on a two-run home run by Keaton Wright in the next at-bat that gave the Cougars a 2-1 lead.

Eastern Illinois batted around and regained the lead in the top of the second inning. Josh Turnock led off the inning with a single through the right side of the SIUE infield. Hunter Beetley followed with a one-out double to the wall in right-center field to plate Turnock. Duncan followed suit and knocked an RBI double of his own to score Beetley and gave the Panthers the lead once again at 3-2. The Panthers continued with their scoring ways in the inning as Jimmy Govern belted a two-run home run over the wall in left-center field. Logan Beaman continued the rally with a two-out walk. Parks capped the six-run second inning for the Panthers with a two-run home run and extended the EIU lead to 7-4. Parks moved into a tie for eighth all-time in single-season history with 16 home runs and ninth all-time with 55 RBIs on the year.

The Cougars pulled within on run at 7-6 with four runs in the bottom of the second.

The Panthers kept the bats hot in the top of the third inning as Frankie Perrone worked a lead-off walk and moved into scoring position on a single by Beetley. A sacrifice bunt moved the pair up a base as Perrone came around to score on an RBI groundout by Duncan. Govern extended the Panthers' lead to 10-6 with his second two-run home run of the game.

SIUE answered right back in the bottom-half of the inning as Jordan Stading knocked a lead-off single and scored on a two-run home run by Aaron Goecks to trim the EIU advantage to 10-8.

The seesaw battle continued between the two teams into the fourth inning. Eastern Illinois got a pair of runs in the top of the frame on a two-run home run by Beetley, but SIUE got the two runs back with back-to-back solo home runs by Brock Weimer and Dustin Woodcock.

After holding the Panthers scoreless for the first time all game, SIUE rallied back to knot the game at 12-12 in the bottom of the fifth. With runners on second and third and just one out in the inning, Skender brought the Cougars back within one with an RBI sacrifice fly. Wright tied the game on the next at-bat on an RBI double down the left-field line.

Both teams were held scoreless in the sixth inning, but the EIU bats rattled again in the top of the seventh. Turnock and Beetley both singled in the inning to put runners on second and third with two outs ahead of Andrew Curran. Curran came through with a clutch three-run home run to put the Panthers ahead once again at 15-12.

Eastern Illinois added an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Turnock and Perrone started the inning with back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners. A groundout off the bat of Beetley extended the Panthers' advantage to 16-12 heading into the last half-inning.

The added run in the top-half of the ninth proved to be essential for the Panthers as Eric Glitz belted a lead-off solo home run for the Cougars. An EIU error allowed another SIUE runner to reach base, but Michael Starcevich came in and closed the door on the Cougars to pick up his fifth save of the season.

Jake Haberer picked up the win on the mound for the Panthers, tossing six innings of relief.

Curran and Beetley both finished with their first four-hit games of their EIU careers to lead the offense. Turnock added three hits, while Duncan, Govern and Parks all chipped in two hits each.

The Panthers will now travel to Butler on Tuesday for a non-conference matchup prior to hosting Austin Peay next weekend.