MURRAY, Ky. – Zach Borenstein hit a two-run homer in both games, Josh Mueller matched his career high with 10 strikeouts and Mike Recchia earned his first collegiate save, leading Eastern Illinois baseball to a doubleheader sweep at Murray State, 8-6 and 7-4, Sunday afternoon.

The game one victory snapped EIU's 15-game losing streak in contests played away from Coaches Stadium. The Panthers (11-26, 6-8 OVC) have now won all seven of their series played at Murray State (19-20, 6-5 OVC) since joining the Ohio Valley Conference in 1997, improving to 16-4 at MSU's Reagan Field as a league member.

 

Saturday's action was rained out, abbreviating the scheduled three-game series to a pair of seven-innings affairs Sunday.

 

Borenstein matched his career high with four hits in game one and finished the day 6-for-10 with five RBIs. He hit a two-run shot in the seventh inning of game one and another two-run shot in the first inning of game two. He has homered in three consecutive contests and reached base safely in 29 straight.

 

Matt Kucharski, who remained a part of the starting lineup after making his first start as a Panther Wednesday, had two hits in both games en route to finishing the day 4-for-6 with three RBIs. He had four productive plate appearances in game one and singled home the go-ahead run in the fifth inning of both games.

 

Mueller (1-1) went the distance on the mound in game one, picking up his first victory of the season while tossing his third collegiate complete game. His 10 strikeouts represent the most by a Panther this year. The junior threw 134 pitches and won the matchup of the Preseason OVC co-Pitchers of the Year against MSU's Chris Craycraft (5-3).

Brent McNeil (2-3) and Recchia teamed up for four innings of shutout relief in game two. Recchia got the key out of the game, striking out Jonathan Craycraft with the bases loaded and EIU clinging to a one-run lead in the bottom of the fifth. Craycraft was the first batter Recchia faced.

 

“When the rain came in [Saturday] we talked about switching the pitchers and finding an answer for the end of the game,” EIU head coach Jim Schmitz said. “Josh set the tone with 10 strikeouts and only two walks. He finished the game, which is important for us with the bullpen situation. McNeil got us through an inning or two and Recchia comes right in and strikes the guy out. Those are the types of big plays we haven't had lately. It was just nice to see Josh and Recchia finish games.”

 

The Panthers pounded out 14 hits in game one and scored in each of the final six innings of the seven-inning affair. For the day, EIU scored its 15 runs on 25 hits and managed to score in 10 of the 14 innings played. Alex Gee was 3-for-4 in game one and walked three times in the nightcap. Cam Strang had three hits and two walks on the day, extending his career long hit streak to 10 consecutive games.

 

After not seeing action Wednesday for the first time this season, Ben Thoma responded with two doubles and a 3-for-5 day. He connected for a two-bagger in both games, including as a pinch hitter in the fifth inning of game one. He would score the game-tying run in that inning.

 

“Thoma and Kucharski really had good days,” Schmitz said. “Thoma responded well with two doubles and a single after he was benched. Kucharski, he just battled in the nine spot [in the lineup], getting walks and two-out hits. And we added on in both wins. Borenstein hits the two-run homer and we win by two.”

Eastern led 6-4 in the top of the seventh of game one when Borenstein connected for an opposite-field homer. It proved to be a key insurance blast after Murray scored twice in the bottom of seventh. Borenstein also went deep to left center in his first at-bat of the nightcap, joining Gee as Panthers to home in both games of a doubleheader this season.

 

Eastern trailed 4-2 entering the fourth inning of game one. Kucharski opened the inning with a walk on a full-count pitch. Borenstein singled him home from second base with two outs.

 

After Thoma's double in the fifth, EIU caught a break when Murray right fielder Daniel Hill dropped a fly ball off the bat of Gerik Wallsten. Thoma scored and Wallsten took second on the defensive gaff. Kucharski singled home Wallsten after a balk.

 

Thoma's two-out single an inning later plated Gee and extended the Panthers' lead to 6-4.

 

Murray State did not go quietly in the seventh, bringing the potential tying run to the plate after run-scoring hits from Wes Cunningham and Hill. But Mueller got Jason Laws to groundout to shortstop to end game one.

 

Mueller struck out the side in the second and third innings. However, he also gave up a combined six hits and four runs (three earned) in those frames. But after surrendering an RBI single to Laws with one out in the third, he retired 11 of the next 12 MSU batters to come the plate.

 

The nightcap was tied 4-4 heading to the fourth inning. The Panthers took advantage of a pair of two-out errors in the third, scoring a pair of unearned runs. Thoma doubled home Ryan Dineen after the EIU second baseman reached on an error and stole second. Thoma scored on the second error of the inning.

 

Murray was able to tie the game in the bottom of third but starting pitcher Mike Hoekstra limited the damage after giving up three consecutive hits to open the inning. Hoekstra retired the 4-5-6 portion of the MSU lineup to end the inning, giving way to McNeil and the EIU bullpen afterwards.

 

Thoma scored the go-ahead run in the fifth inning after drawing a leadoff walk. Wallsten sacrificed his teammate into scoring position and Kucharski knocked him in with a base hit through the right side.

 

The Panthers extended their lead with two more unearned runs in the sixth. The MSU third baseman threw wildly while trying to cut down the lead runner at third base on a sacrifice bunt by Dineen. With the bases loaded and one out, Wallsten's opposite-field single plated pinch runner Daniel Bracken. Curt Restko was later hit by a pitch with two outs and the bases loaded, forcing home another run.

 

Recchia pitched over an error in the sixth inning, leaving runners on the corners when he was able to retire Cunningham on a fly ball to right center. He retired the 4-5-6 portion of the Murray lineup in 1-2-3 fashion to close out the victory in the seventh.

Eastern returns to action Tuesday for a 6:30 p.m. neutral-site game against Missouri. The contest is slated to be played at T.R. Hughes Ballpark in O'Fallon, Mo.