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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Despite a complete game performance by freshman pitcher Jake Johansmeier, the Panther baseball team could only get one run across the plate as they dropped their Ohio Valley Conference series opener at Belmont, 2-1, on Friday night.
 
Johansmeier (2-3) recorded his first career complete game in the loss, striking out four with one walk. He also surrendered five hits and two runs.
 
“Jake was good tonight,” said Eastern Illinois head coach Jim Schmitz. “However, we did not execute on offense.”
 
The Panthers (15-23, 5-13 OVC) took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, scoring what would be their lone run on a two-out RBI single by Nick Priessman.
 
Matt Beaty tied the game at one in the fifth inning on a solo home run to right field. The Bruins (29-11, 15-4 OVC) scored what would be the game-winning run on an Alec Diamond RBI single to right field in the seventh inning.
 
EIU had three more hits (8-5) than Belmont and left four more runners on base (7-3). Neither team committed an error in the contest.
 
Demetre Taylor went 2-for-4 at the plate to pace the Panthers while Treysen Vavra went 1-for-4 with a run.
 
Dan Ludwig (9-1) earned the win for Belmont, striking out one and allowing six hits and one run in 7.1 innings of work. Josh Davis posted his 10^th save of the year as the closer did not allow a run in the final 1.1 innings. Beaty finished the day going 2-for-3 with two runs and a RBI to pace the Bruin offense.
 
Game two of the weekend series is slated for 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 27.