Box ScoreHATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Eastern Illinois baseball team gained an early lead on Southern Miss, but a three-run fourth inning from the Golden Eagles pushed Southern Miss over EIU 6-1 in the opening game for both teams of the 2016 season.
In the bottom of the first, EIU starting pitcher
Matt Wivinis went to work quickly as he was able to get the first two Southern Mississippi hitters out. USM's Tim Lynch singled to right field with two outs, and made his way to third via a balk and a pass ball. Wivinis was able to close the door as he got Chase Scott to strike out swinging to end the inning.
The Panthers responded with a two-out rally of their own in the top of the second inning.
Frankie Perrone poked a double to center field.
Cale Hennemann singled up the middle and Perrone was able to score on an error by the Golden Eagles to put EIU ahead 1-0.
Taylor Braley homered to begin the bottom of the second to tie the game at 1-1. With one out, the Golden Eagles strung together three singles to load the bases. Wivinis once again shut down an USM rally as he struck out the final two batters of the inning.
Tyler Tesmond singled to left field in his first collegiate at bat to begin the top of the third inning. Tesmond then advanced to second base following a sacrifice bunt by
Joseph Duncan.
Nick Maton then singled up the middle as Tesmond was held up as third base. The two were left stranded as the game remained tied going into the bottom of the third inning.
Four straight batters reached base to begin the bottom of the fourth for the Golden Eagles as Dylan Burdeaux singled to right field to put USM ahead 3-1. The Golden Eagles loaded the bases once more, and brought another runner into score following Chase Scott was hit by a pitch. The Panthers
Jimmy Govern snagged a line drive at third base and raced to the bag before the USM baserunner could return to end the inning.
Jake Sadlin provided some power for the Southern Miss offense in bottom of the fifth inning as he homered over the center field wall to put the Golden Eagles ahead 5-1.
The Panthers scattered two hits over the final five innings of play including
Jimmy Govern's first in his EIU career, as the Golden Eagles tacked on another run in the bottom of the seventh to seal the 6-1 victory.
Cord Cockrell (1-0) was the winning pitcher for Southern Miss as he gave up one run and six hits over the span of seven innings. Wivinis (0-1) went five innings, as he allowed five runs on 10 hits.
Jake Haberer,
Hunter Clark,
Ben Hughes, and
Cole Berry pitched in relief for the Panthers and gave up just one run in three innings.
The Panthers will face the Golden Eagles in game two tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. in Hattiesburg, Miss.
