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MURRAY, Ky. – Behind a season-high 20 hits, the Panther baseball team won its Ohio Valley Conference series opener with Murray State, 11-5, on Friday afternoon at Reagan Field. EIU has now won five consecutive OVC games, improving to 20-23 (10-8 OVC) on the year.
 
“The way we came out early in the game shows that guys have a lot of confidence,” said Eastern Illinois head coach Jim Schmitz. “We talked about being aggressive this afternoon. The guys did a great job of adding runs on throughout the game, and that's what I am most excited about.”
 
The Panthers scored seven runs through the game's first three innings to take an early lead they would never relinquish. EIU scored four runs in the top of the first inning on a T.J. McManus grand slam before McManus drove in another run in the following inning on sacrifice fly. A Nathan Sopena two-RBI single in third inning gave the Panthers the 7-0 advantage.
 
Murray State got within five (7-2) in the bottom of the sixth, scoring two runs on one hit and one Panther error. EIU responded by scoring three runs in the top of the seventh to make the score 10-2, but the Thoroughbreds again fought back to add three runs of their own in the bottom of the frame to cut their deficit to five (10-5).
 
An RBI single by Nick Priessman in the eighth inning gave EIU an insurance run, making the score 11-5.
 
EIU had 13 more hits (20-7) than Murray State, but left five more runners on base (12-7). Both squads committed two errors in the contest.
 
McManus led EIU at the plate, going 3-for-4 with five RBI and two runs scored. Priessman, Jacob Reese and Sopena all added two RBI while Caleb Howell also scored two runs. Every player in the Panther lineup had at least one hit on the day.
 
Troy Barton (7-4) picked up the win, striking out one batter and allowing six hits and five runs (four earned) in 6.1 innings. Darin Worman pitched the final 2.2 innings out of the bullpen, not surrendering a run while striking out two batters. He also only gave up one hit.
 
Tyler Beers (3-5) took the loss for the Thoroughbreds, allowing nine hits and seven runs (six earned) in 2.1 innings. Offensively, Jacob Rhodes went 2-for-5 with three RBI and a run.
 
Game two of the conference series begins at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 5.