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ATHENS, Ga. – Eastern Illinois baseball fell behind early as the Panthers dropped their season opener on Friday afternoon, 18-3, at Georgia. The two schools will play the second game in the weekend series on Saturday at 11 a.m.
Georgia opened the game scoring two runs in the bottom of the first on a Mike Bell home run. Georgia would end the day hitting five home runs with Bell connecting for two.
The Bulldogs extended the lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the second with an RBI single by Skylar Weber and an unearned run.
EIU was able to cut the lead in half in the top of the third with RBI singles by
Isaac Sampen and
Jason Scholl.
Joseph Duncan and
Mitch Gasbarro came around to score for the Panthers.
Georgia broke the game open in the bottom of the third with a three-run homer by Keegan McGovern. The Bulldogs led 8-2 after the third inning and chased Panthers starter
Jake Johansmeier (0-1) in the fifth.
"Our starting pitching was not sharp today and then we had to go with freshmen out of the bullpen," EIU head coach Jimmy Schmitz said. "Our game tomorrow has an early start time at Noon (local), so we must forget this game and come to play on Saturday."
EIU scored its final run in the top of the fifth as
Brant Valach raced home on a passed ball. Georgia added runs in the fifth, sixth and eighth innings. The Panthers used freshmen pitchers
Ben Hughes and
Luke Dietz to close out the game.
Robert Tyler (1-0) picked up the win for Georgia going five innings and allowing two earned runs.
The Panthers were limited to seven hits with Duncan going 2-for-4 at the plate. Valach's one hit was a double.
Caleb Howell the nation's top returning hitter was 0-for-3 but did reach base on a walk as he now has reached base in 36 consecutive games dating back to last season.
McGovern was 3-of-5 with four RBI to lead Georgia. Bell had five RBI.
