BOX (PDF) | BOX (HTML)
BOX (PDF) | BOX (HTML)

CHARLESTON, Ill. – The Eastern Illinois baseball team split a Saturday afternoon doubleheader with Tennessee Tech at Coaches Stadium.

“It was an ugly day with the weather and made it hard to focus with the wind and how cold it was,” said Eastern Illinois head coach Jim Schmitz. “Overall, I was real pleased with how we swung the bats today.”

The Panthers (12-20, 6-4 OVC) took game one with the Golden Eagles (14-19, 4-4 OVC) by a score of 8-1 before falling in game two, 3-2.

Game One: EIU 8, TTU 1

Mike Hoekstra (5-2) tied a career-high nine strikeouts while allowing only one run through eight innings of action to lead EIU over Tennessee Tech in game one. The Lansing, Ill., native did not allow a hit until the top of the sixth inning and only allowed a total of four hits in the contest.

“(Mike) Hokestra was unbelievable, but we didn't know how to field the ball in game one at times,” said Schmitz. “The game could have got out hand with some of those errors, but his (Hokestra's) performance was outstanding.”

EIU scored one run in both the first and second inning to take an early 2-0 before Tennessee Tech got within one (2-1) when Devin Rivers scored on an Austin Wulf fielder's choice in the fifth inning.

The Panthers added four runs in the bottom of the seventh, taking a 6-1 advantage on two-RBI single by T.J. McManus and a two-RBI double by Jake Samuels.

Zach Borenstein hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning to make the score 8-1 in favor of the Panthers.

Troy Barton relieved Hoekstra in the ninth inning and closed out the win for EIU, getting Chad Hayes to fly out before striking out the final two batters.

EIU out hit the Golden Eagles by eight (12-4) and left two less runners on base (9-7) in the contest. The Panthers committed three errors to only one miscue by Tennessee Tech.

Borenstein paced the Panther offense, going 3-for-4 with two runs and two doubles. Cam Strang added two runs and three hits while Brad Schweigert posted two hits.

Tristan Archer (4-4) took the loss, surrendering nine hits and six runs in seven innings of action.

Game Two: TTU 3, EIU 2

With the game tied at two in the top of the seventh, Hayes hit the eventual game-winning RBI to lead Tennessee Tech over EIU, 3-2.

The Golden Eagles scored two runs in the top of the first inning on a Zach Stephens two RBI single to left field, taking an early 2-0 advantage.

“We could have been out of the game when we went down 2-0 but we fought back,” said Schmitz. “We hit the ball real hard, but with the wind blowing in it didn't go our way every at bat.”

EIU got within one (2-1) in the bottom of the fourth when Shawn Ferguson scored on a Jacob Reese sacrifice bunt. Ferguson eventually knotted the game at two in the next inning on a RBI single up the middle.

The Panther comeback fell short in the bottom of the ninth inning as Cullen Park was able to retire the final three EIU batters.

Park (2-1) posted the win, only allowing one hit while striking out four in the final 2.1 innings.

Brent McNeil (1-1) took the loss for EIU, surrendering three hit and allowing one run in two innings. Luke Bushur got the start as the freshman collected three strikeouts while allowing two runs in five innings of work.

The Golden Eagles posted two more hits (8-6) than EIU in the game and left four less runners on base (8-4). Neither team committed an error in game two of the doubleheader.
Ferguson paced the Panthers at the plate, going 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run. McManus added two hits and run.

EIU closes out the OVC weekend series with Tennessee Tech at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 17.