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CHARLESTON, Ill. – Indiana State scored four times in the fourth and seventh innings to rally for a 10-6 victory against Eastern Illinois baseball Wednesday in the finale of the Panthers' season-long, six-game homestand at Coaches Stadium.

 

The loss was only EIU's second in 10 home games this season and brought a five-game winning streak to an end.

 

Eastern (14-14) scored all six of its runs in the first three innings. Jordan Tokarz led the way with a 3-for-5, two-RBI day. He doubled home a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning to get EIU on the board for the first time.

 

Brett Nommensen and Jordan Kreke both collected a pair of hits and RBIs. Nommensen hit his second home run of the homestand, and third of the season, in the second after walking and scoring an inning earlier. Kreke, meanwhile, registered RBI singles in each of his first two at-bats.

 

The Panthers led 6-2 entering the top of the fourth inning. But Pascual Del Real's two-out, three-run homer tied the game and chased EIU starter Mike Recchia, who gave up three long balls total.

 

Brady Shoemaker's RBI double in the seventh knocked in what proved to be the game-winning run, but the big blow of the rally was a two-out, three-run double off the bat of David Brumagin.

 

Indiana State (10-17) sent nine men to the plate in both of its four-run innings.

 

Eastern's Ross Jeske (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing three straight hits to open the seventh. Brian Morrell nearly got the Panthers out of the frame, but EIU head coach Jim Schmitz said he hung a slider to Brumagin and ISU's third baseman ripped it into the gap for a bases-clearing two-bagger.

 

Indiana State's Nathan Inman (2-1) allowed three runs in the first two innings he worked but then settled down and worked consecutive 1-2-3 innings before departing after the bottom of the sixth. He did not issue a walk in his five innings of work.

 

Tristan Facer's two-out single in the fourth proved to be EIU's final hit of the contest. The Panthers also hit into inning-ending double plays in both the seventh and eighth innings.

 

Pressed into action quickly after Scott Foley had to leave the game with what appeared to be a muscle strain, freshman Matt Miller retired all five batters he faced to finish off the game for Eastern.

 

The Panthers sent nine men to the plate in the first inning and scored three times. Nommensen led off with a walk and Curt Restko singled in front of Tokarz's double into the right-center gap. Kreke then plated his teammate with a base hit through the left side.

 

Nommensen greeted Inman with a leadoff home run in the second. Zach Skidmore later scored on another base hit from Kreke.

 

An inning later, Ryan Lindquist reached on a bunt single, moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Bart Thyer and scored on a two-out base hit from Nommensen.

 

Nommensen enjoyed a very productive homestand, finishing it 13-for-24 (.542) with six extra-base hits and six RBIs. Kreke, meanwhile, busted out of a late-March slump with a 10-for-23 (.435) showing over the last nine days. He knocked in eight runs in the six games.

The Panthers return to action Saturday for a 1 p.m. Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader at Murray State.

More Info: Contact Ben Turner, Asst. SID