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TAMPA, Fla.  – Sophomore Christian Slazinik led the Panther baseball team to a 3-0 win over South Florida on Saturday evening at USF Baseball Stadium. EIU improves to 5-7 on the year.
 
A night after having the Bulls pitching staff throw a one-hitter against the Panthers in a 4-0 shutout, EIU returned the favor by only surrendering one hit against the Big East foe. Slazinik (3-1) allowed one hit and posted six strikeouts in eight innings of work. Fellow southpaw Adam Clark picked up the save for the Panthers in the final inning and kept the one-hitter intact.
 
The Panthers scored three runs in the first two innings to go up 3-0 and take a lead they would never relinquish. A Ben Thoma sacrifice fly scored the first of two runs in the top of the first inning before David Ciaglia singled to left field to score Ryan Dineen for the second run.
 
George Kalousek led off the top of the second with a single to center field before a Tyler Schweigert sacrifice bunt moved Kalousek into scoring position. An error on the following Panther at bat scored Kalousek for the final run of the game.
 
The Panthers had five more hits (6-1) in the game than the Bulls. Both teams also committed one error in the contest. EIU left six runners on base while South Florida stranded four base runners.  
 
Andrew Barbosa (1-2) took the loss for South Florida, surrendering four hits and three runs (two earned) in six innings of work .He also had four strikeouts and one walk.
 
Alex Mendez picked up the Bulls lone hit in the top of the fourth inning with a leadoff single to center field.
 
Dineen led the Panthers at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a run scored. Ciaglia added a hit and an RBI in the winning effort.
 
The Panthers close the series with South Florida at noon on Sunday, March 11.