LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Josh Mueller pitched 7 1/3 innings of two-run ball in his best outing of the young season and the bottom third of the lineup was 6-for-10 with three runs scored, leading Eastern Illinois baseball to a 4-3 victory against Milwaukee Saturday morning at the Cardinal Classic.

 

The Panthers (5-2) scored three times in the fifth inning and tacked on a key insurance run on a two-double by Richie Derbak in the eighth. Derbak also closed out the game on the mound, with four of the five outs he recorded coming via the strikeout. He fanned the first two batters he faced in the eighth with the potential tying run on second base.

 

Mueller (1-0) did not give up a hit until the fourth. He struck out four and issued only one walk. A pair of 4-6-3 double plays erased the first two runners he allowed to reach base.

 

Ryan Lindquist, Curt Restko and Gerik Wallsten each collected a pair of hits and a scored a run. They hit three straight singles to begin the fifth. Wallsten plated Lindquist with a base hit to right. After Brett Nommensen was hit by a pitch, Jordan Tokarz knocked in a run with fielder's choice to shortstop. Zach Skidmore followed with a sacrifice fly to left.

 

Jordan Kreke was hit by a pitch with two outs in the eighth. Derbak followed with an opposite-field double down the left field line, posting EIU's lone extra-base hit of the game.

 

Mueller gave up consecutive singles to begin the seventh but responded by striking out the next two batters, the No. 5 and 6 hitters in the lineup. Derbak walked the first man he faced in the ninth before striking out the next two batters. Back-to-back singles to center put the potential tying run on second base, but Derbak got the No. 9 hitter to fly out to right to end the game and record his ninth career save.

Tokarz's career-long 12-game hitting streak dating back to last season came to an end with an 0-for-4 game.

More Info: Contact Ben Turner, Asst. SID