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NASHVILLE – Three Eastern Illinois pitchers held the nation's third ranked offense to just three runs on Friday evening as EIU beat Belmont, 5-3, to win the opening game of a three game Ohio Valley Conference series.
EIU won its third straight game improving to 6-26 overall, 3-13 in the OVC.  Belmont fell to 20-16, 9-6 in the OVC.  The two schools will resume the series at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Rose Park.
The Panthers jumped on the board in the top of the second inning using the long ball as
Demetre Taylor hit his fifth home run of the season, a two-run shot that scored
Brant Valach. Â
Bobby Wenthe gave the Panthers a 3-0 lead with a solo homer following Taylor's home run.
Drew Ferguson had an RBI double and Tyler Fullerton an RBI single as they brought the Bruins to within one run in the third inning.  Tyler Walsh tied the game with an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth that chased EIU starter
Andy Fisher.  Fisher worked five plus innings.
Chase Thurston and
Matt Wivinis then shutdown Belmont for the final four innings not allowing a hit.  Thurston (2-0) worked three innings for the win while Wivinis picked up his first save with a scoreless ninth.
EIU took advantage of two Belmont errors in the top of the ninth as they scored two runs against reliever Matthew Kinney (1-5). Â
Mitch Gasbarro came around to score the winning run after pinch running for
Jason Scholl.
Marshawn Taylor and
Caleb Howell both went 2-for-5 for EIU.  Ferguson, Fullerton and Walsh had two hits each for Belmont.
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