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Game 1 Box   |   Game 2 Box  |  Photo Gallery (by Sandy King)

CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois could never gain the lead in the first game on Sunday and in the second game of the Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader the Panthers could not make an early lead hold up as they lost 8-4 and 8-2 to Murray State on Sunday afternoon at Coaches Stadium.
 
EIU falls to 0-20 on the season 0-9 in the OVC.  The Panthers will host Illinois State on Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m.  Murray State improved to 11-17, 7-5 in the OVC.
 
"We are just not putting together the different phases of the game.  In the second game today we took the lead and committed an error that gave it back to them.  When you are 0-20 everyone is fragile," said EIU head coach Jim Schmitz.   "Yesterday we didn't pitch in the opener.  In the game one today we didn't hit and in the second game we didn't play defense.  We will just keep plugging away.  I thought we might be able to get a couple of wins this weekend playing at home but right now we are not playing good baseball."
 
Game One Recap
Eastern Illinois battled to tie the game two times in middle innings but could never take the lead as they lost the opener 8-4 to Murray State.  The Racers scored three runs in the first three innings as Nick Moore drove home the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly in the second.  The Racers second run of the inning scored on a throwing error.  MSU scored its run in the third inning on a double by Tyler Lawrence that scored Matt McGowan.  McGowan opened the inning with a double down the left line.
 
EIU cut into the lead in the bottom of the third taking advantage of two Murray State errors.  Marshawn Taylor reached on an error to open the inning and scored EIU's first run on a ground out by Caleb Howell.  Joseph Duncan scored the second run in the inning on throwing error by the Racers.  EIU tied the game in the bottom of the fourth as Jason Scholl scored on a double play ball.
 
Each team scored in the fifth with Lawrence driving home Murray State's run.  Lawrence was 2-for-5 in the game, one of four Murray State players with multiple hits in the opener.  EIU answered in its half of the inning with Brant Valach driving home Duncan with a sacrifice fly.
 
Murray State took the lead for good in the top of the sixth as Derek Yoder scored on a wild pitch after leading off the inning with a double to center.  Yoder was 2-for-2 with three runs scored.  That run would allow MSU starter Brad Boegel (1-2) to stay in the game as he tossed a complete game.  Boegel allowed eight hits and two earned runs.
 
EIU starter Jake Johansmeier (0-3) worked into the eighth before being chased by the Racers.  MSU added three runs in the eighth.  Nick Moore had an RBI double in the inning.
 
EIU was led by Scholl and Duncan as both players had two hits. 
 
Game Two Recap
EIU was sharp in the first inning as starter Matt Wivinis shut down the first three Murray State batters in order.  The Panthers then provided a two-run cushion for the starter as Howell had an RBI double and Demetre Taylor added an sacrifice fly.
 
The Panthers then committed two errors in the top of the second that allowed Murray State to take the lead.  Nick Moore had a big two run single to right field to give MSU the lead.  Andrew Bayus scored on a squeeze bunt for the Racers first run.
 
Wivinis (0-5) would work four innings allowing three earned runs but suffered the loss for EIU.  Brandon Hicks (1-1) worked five innings of scoreless baseball in relief to collect the win for the Racers.
 
Murray State added a run in the third, two in the fourth and two in the seventh.   Taylor Matthews and Nick Moore drove home runs in the seventh.  Moore was 2-for-4 in the second game with three RBI.  Brock Downey was 2-for-3.
 
Duncan, Howell and Valach each had two hits for EIU.