CARBONDALE, Ill. – Zach Borenstein homered twice and Eastern Illinois baseball took a two-run lead into the bottom of the eighth, but Southern Illinois scored three times in the frame to rally back and defeat the Panthers, 9-8, Wednesday afternoon.

Borenstein connected for a pair of three-run homers, posting his first career multi-homer game and finishing with a career-high six RBIs. Ryan Dineen and Gerik Wallsten both had a season-high three hits and were aboard on both of Borenstein's longballs.

Eastern closer Matt Miller (0-5) gave up four consecutive singles in the eighth inning. He did not record an out after taking over for Rich Ruff with one on, two outs and the Panthers (4-15) leading 8-6.

 

Eastern was down 3-0 early but tied the game in the third inning on the first of Borenstein's two longballs. After he went deep again an inning later, EIU led 7-3.

 

“We went down 3-0 today but we got back in the game,” EIU head coach Jim Schmitz said. “We just seem to do one thing wrong in some of our losses. Matt was not sharp. He didn't get the job done and he knows he didn't. We even tacked on an insurance run, which we haven't really done much this season. We've got to put it altogether, so it was another hard loss for the guys.

 

“Besides Borenstein having a great day, we did a lot of nice things. We hit the ball into the spots we wanted in certain situations and got a couple bunts down. And we had some good defensive plays, turning a couple big double plays after some good pitches from our guys. But you've got to play the entire game. I still feel like we have a lot more confidence going into the Eastern Kentucky weekend. Mentally we were pretty fractured last week but I feel much better about the team's mindset going into Richmond.”

 

The Panthers turned inning-ending double plays with two runners on in the second and sixth. Mike Martin made the key pitch that led to a 4-6-3 twin killing with the SIU leadoff man at the plate in the sixth, helping EIU maintain a 7-5 advantage.

 

But Martin was unable to retire any of the three hitters he faced in the seventh and the Salukis (9-12) cut the lead to one. Ruff limited the damage with a comebacker and foul out against the first two batters he faced. After an intentional walk, he brought the inning to an end with a ground ball to shortstop.

 

Following a leadoff single in the eighth, Ruff retired the first two hitters in the SIU lineup before giving way to Miller. The first two hitters Miller faced singled through the right side. Michael Stalter followed with a game-tying base hit to center field. With runners on the corners, pinch hitter Brock Harding knocked in the go-ahead run with an infield single to second base.

 

Eastern had tacked on an insurance run in the top of the eighth on a two-double by Wallsten, which plated Daniel Rowe after he opened the inning with a single.

 

Wallsten also delivered a run-scoring base hit to open the scoring in EIU's four-run fourth inning.

 

Curt Restko led off the ninth with a base hit but SIU closer Bryant George quickly eliminated the baserunner by inducing Alex Gee to hit into a 1-6-3 double play.

 

Eastern and Southern will play again April 28 at Coaches Stadium in Charleston.

The Panthers return to action Saturday when they open Ohio Valley Conference play with a noon (CDT) doubleheader at Eastern Kentucky.