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EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – SIU Edwardsville used the long ball to its advantage on Thursday night as the Cougars hit five home runs during a 6-2 win over Eastern Illinois in the Ohio Valley Conference series opener.
EIU fell to 12-35, 8-20 in the OVC. SIUE improved to 19-27 overall, 18-10 in the OVC. The two teams will resume the three game series on Friday night at 6 p.m.
Keaton Wright was 2-for-4 for SIUE with both of his hits solo home runs in the first and sixth innings. Dustin Woodcock would add a two-run homer in the sixth as the Cougars built a 5-0 lead against EIU starter
Jake Johansmeier (2-6).
Chase Green had the final home run against Johansmeier with a solo shot in the seventh.
EIU was able to get to SIUE starter P.J. Schuster (8-3) in the top of the eighth with two runs.Â
Caleb Howell had an RBI single as he finished 2-for-4.Â
Demetre Taylor drove in the final run as part of his 3-for-4 day at the plate.
Zach Malach closed the game to pick up his fifth save of the season while Drew Johnson added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth with a solo home run.
Joseph Duncan was 2-for-5 for EIU as the other Panthers player with multiple hits.Â
"We battled back tonight but can't seem to score," said EIU head coach
Jim Schmitz. "We didn't have the big hits out of our big hitters."
