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 JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – The Panther baseball team allowed a season-high 15 runs in their Ohio Valley Conference series finale at Jacksonville State, losing 15-3 on Saturday afternoon at Rudy Abbott Field. EIU falls to 26-27 (15-11 OVC) on the year.
 
Despite the loss, senior Darin Worman made his 35^th appearance out of the bullpen this season, breaking the EIU single-season record set by Jeremy Sanders in 1999. He also tied the OVC single-season record set by Austin Peay's Zach Gerler in 2010.
 
“We dug ourselves a big hole this time,” said Eastern Illinois head coach Jim Schmitz. “Christian (Slazinik) was not as sharp as usual and we can't have that against a good JSU team and expect to win. We have not done this all year so maybe we got it out of our system before the OVC Tournament next week.”
 
JSU jumped out to an early lead as they scored six runs on three hits and three Panther errors in the first inning, taking a 6-0 advantage they would never relinquish. EIU cut its deficit to four (6-2) over the next two innings as they scored a run in the second inning on an RBI double by Brant Valach and another run on a Ryan Dineen sacrifice fly in the third inning.
 
It would be as close as the Panthers would get for the duration of the contest as the Gamecocks scored nine more runs en route to the victory. A solo home run by Dineen in the top of the fifth would be the only other run EIU would put on the scoreboard for the rest of the game.
 
Dineen led the Panther offense, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run. Caleb Howell added two hits and a run while Valach chipped in two hits.
 
Christian Slazinik (6-6) was tagged with the loss, surrendering six runs (three earned) and three hits in 0.2 innings of action. Slazinik also issued four walks in the shortest outing of his Panther career. Four other Panthers saw action out of the bullpen in the loss. Worman went the longest of any reliever, allowing eight hits and three runs in 4.1 innings.
 
Hunter Rivers (5-3) earned the win for JSU, striking out three and only surrendering three runs (two earned) in five innings of work. Ben Waldrip led the Gamecocks at the plate as he went 4-for-5 with six RBI, three runs and two homers.
 
JSU had eight more hits (17-9) than EIU and committed two fewer errors (3-1). JSU also stranded three more runners on base (11-8).
 
The Panthers return to action at the OVC Tournament held in Jackson, Tenn., on May 23-27 at Pringles Park, home of the Double A Jackson Generals (Seattle Mariners). EIU earned the No. 4 seed and will face No. 5 seed Morehead State at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, May 23.