EIU Game Notes | Live Stats | EIU Baseball on Facebook

Eastern Illinois (6-16, 2-1) vs. Austin Peay (10-12, 1-1)

Schedule 
Saturday, April 2 vs. Austin Peay (DH) - 1 p.m.
Sunday, April 3 vs. Austin Peay - 1 p.m.

Facility 
Raymond C. Hand Park (1,000) • Clarksville, Tenn.

Projected Starting Pitchers 
Game 1: RHP Mike Hoekstra (2-2, 4.10 ERA) vs. LHP Jeremy Dobbs (5-0, 3.21 ERA)
Game 2: RHP Luke Bushur (2-2, 5.32 ERA) vs. LHP Jack Snodgrass (0-3, 3.49 ERA)
Game 3: LHP Christian Slazinik (1-4, 7.17 ERA) vs. LHP Zach Toney (1-2, 5.16 ERA) 

GAMES 22-24
The Panthers are coming off two midweek games where they went 0-2, losing to Saint Louis on Tuesday and Indiana State on Wednesday. The Panthers look to bounce back this weekend in Ohio Valley Conference action when they travel to Clarksville, Tenn., to face Austin Peay in a three-game series. EIU is 6-16 overall and 2-1 in the OVC standings, tied for first with Jacksonville State for the league's best conference record. Austin Peay is 10-12 overall and 1-1 in the OVC. Austin Peay is coming off a 9-6 home loss to Middle Tennessee State on March 30.

THE SERIES WITH AUSTIN PEAY
The overall series record between EIU and Austin Peay is knotted at 25-25. The Panthers won the first meeting between the two squads, 4-2, on March 26, 1978 in Clarksville, Tenn. EIU is 12-15 on the road against the Governors and are 8-13 on the road under the guidance of Eastern Illinois head coach Jim Schmitz. The skipper is 21-23 all-time against Austin Peay as the EIU head coach. The Panthers are looking for their first win on the road against Austin Peay since May 1, 2005. EIU won the contest 3-2.

THE LAST TIME OUT AGAINST THE GOVERNORS
Last season, the Panthers took two of three against the Governors on May 2-3 in Charleston, Ill. EIU won the first two games by scores of 2-0 and 4-3 before dropping the final contest, 18-6.

Ryan Dineen was 5-for-10 at the plate against Austin Peay last year with three runs, two doubles and an RBI. Zach Borenstein added four runs and two doubles in the weekend series.

From the mound, Mike Hoekstra went 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA. The Lansing, Ill., native struck out five and did not allow a walk in six innings of action.

RECAPPING THE MIDWEEK GAMES
The Panthers struggled at the plate in their two midweek losses to Saint Louis and Indiana State. EIU hit .153 as a team with only three players posting two or more hits through both games in Zach Borenstein, Jacob Reese and Cam Strang. The pitching staff posted a 4.24 ERA with 13 strikeouts and while only allowing three walks in 17 innings of play.

BORENSTEIN HITTING IN THE CLUTCH
Junior Zach Borenstein has a team-high 28 hits with a .315 batting average on the year. The Buffalo Grove, Ill., native is hitting a team-best .364 with runners on base and .348 with runners in scoring position. Borenstein has five, two-out RBIs this season.

MILLER NAMED OVC CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Senior RHP Matt Miller was selected as the adidas® OVC Co-Pitcher of the Week after posting two saves last week and helping the Eastern Illinois baseball team win its OVC opening series with Eastern Kentucky. He shares the honors with Jacksonville State's Todd Hornsby.

For the week, Miller posted a 0.00 ERA in 5.2 innings. He only surrendered one hit while striking out seven and posting two saves.

Miller becomes the second EIU pitcher in as many weeks to be tabbed the OVC Pitcher of the Week as Mike Hoekstra earned the accolades last week.

HEAD COACH JIM SCHMITZ CLOSING IN ON MILESTONE
Eastern Illinois head baseball coach Jim Schmitz is closing in on his 600th career head coaching victory. The Wilmington, Ohio, native has amassed a 599-600 record in 23 seasons as a head coach. Schmitz owns a 435-439 record in 17 seasons at EIU and accumulated 164 wins between stints at Cincinnati (1987-90) and Wilmington College (1984-86).