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JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – The Panther baseball team posted a season-high 23 hits and scored a season-high 17 runs on Thursday night at Rudy Abbott Field, dropping the Gamecocks 17-8 in the Ohio Valley Conference series opener between the two schools. EIU improves to 26-25 (15-9 OVC) on the year.
 
The Panthers have now won 10 of their last 11 OVC games, including seven consecutive road games.
 
“Watching from the dugout tonight, I was impressed with how we played defense, pitched and obviously how we did at the plate,” said Eastern Illinois head coach Jim Schmitz. “The players are taking a serious approach to the game and they think we have something good going right now.”
 
EIU took an early 5-0 lead into the bottom of the second before the Gamecocks scored two runs over the next two innings to get within three (5-2). EIU added six runs on four hits and one JSU error in the top of the fifth to push its lead to nine (11-2) before the Gamecocks scored two runs in the bottom of the frame to make the score 11-4.
 
The Panthers continued their offensive presence by scoring four more runs in the top of the sixth, taking a 15-4 advantage. JSU scored four unanswered runs over the next two innings to cut its deficit to seven (15-8), but not before EIU added two more insurance runs in the top of the ninth to put the Panthers up 17-8.
 
EIU posted 11 more hits (23-12) than JSU and did not commit any errors to the four miscues recorded by the Gamecocks. Both teams left 12 runners on base in the contest.
 
T.J. McManus led the Panther offense, going 4-for-5 at the plate with five RBI and one run scored. Nathan Sopena added three hits, three runs and two RBI. Eight Panthers had multiple hits in the game while a total of five players had two or more RBI.
 
Mike Hoekstra (4-3) recorded the win, striking out four batters in six innings of work. He also surrendered nine hits and four runs. Matt Borens posted his first career save, striking out two and only allowing one run in the game's final three innings.
 
Aaron Elias (2-8) was tagged with the loss, allowing seven runs (four earned) and nine hits in four innings. Scott Underwood led the Gamecocks at the plate, going 2-for-5 with three runs.
 
Game two of the weekend series is slated to start at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, May 17.