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MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Eastern Illinois baseball team used a balanced hitting and pitching performance to take the second game of the weekend series with Memphis, 4-3, on Saturday afternoon at FedExPark. 

The Tigers (10-6) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third before the Panthers (3-11) clawed their way back in the top of the next inning to tie the game at two on a Ben Thoma two-RBI home run over the left field fence. The home run was the first for a Panther this season.

In the top of the fifth, the Panthers took a one-run lead (3-2) on a Cam Strang RBI single to left field. EIU eventually pushed its lead to two (4-2) in the seventh inning on a Jacob Reese RBI double to left field.

A Chad Zurcher RBI single to left field in the bottom of the ninth would get Memphis within one (4-3), but Darin Worman came in to replace Matt Miller on the mound to record the final out of the game and post his first save of the season.

Luke Bushur (1-2) recorded the victory, throwing four strikeouts and only allowing two runs in six innings of action. Brent McNeil posted two strikeouts and only allowed one run in 2.2 innings of relief work.

“Luke Bushur was phenomenal on the mound,” said Eastern Illinois head coach Jim Schmitz. “I like the way he responded this afternoon after his last outing at Alabama last weekend.”

The Panthers out hit the Tigers by one (11-10) and committed one less error (2-1).

Thoma paced EIU at the plate as he was 2-for-4 with a run and two RBIs. Zach Borenstein and David Ciaglia both added two hits.

Ryan Holland (3-2) took the loss for the Tigers, allowing four runs and nine hits in 6.2 innings of work. Drew Martinez led Memphis at the plate as the junior was a perfect 4-for-4 with an RBI and a run.

“We knew Memphis would come after us today,” said Schmitz. “Winning two games in a row down here against a good Memphis team and coming out with close wins down the stretch has be great for us.”

The final game of the weekend series with Memphis is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday.