Tweet #EIUBleedBlue

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – With an alternated scheduled for the weekend conference series between the Eastern Illinois and Austin Peay due to expected weather, the two teams competed in a doubleheader today as part of the final two games of the series. The Panthers found themselves on the lesser end of the twin bill, losing by scores of 13-6 and 6-3. Upon the final results of today's games, EIU now hold a 1-14 (0-3, OVC) record, as Austin Peay improves to 8-6 (3-0, OVC).

The Panthers will travel to Nashville, Tenn. to face Lipscomb on Tuesday.

Game 1: Austin Peay 13, Eastern Illinois 6
With Eastern Illinois and Austin Peay tied at 1-1 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, the Governors exploded for seven runs in the frame, and would go on to take the first of two games on the day by a score of 13-6.

Matt Dunavant put EIU in the scoring column first, as he blasted a solo home run down the left field line to put EIU ahead 1-0 in the top of the second inning.

Austin Peay would not let the lead last long however, as they responded with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game at 1-1. With runners on the corners and one away, T.J. Marik tied the score with an RBI groundout.

Brendon Allen and Michael Costanzo who started for EIU and APSU respectively, cruised through the middle innings to keep the score tied.

Allen then ran into trouble in the bottom of the sixth inning. Logan Gray started the scoring streak with an RBI triple in the right center gap. He quickly scored on a passed ball. Three-straight walks loaded the bases for the Governors. Clayton Smithson provided the big blow in the inning with a three-run double to right center. Austin Peay added to more RBI singles after the Smithson double to pull ahead 8-1.

Tyler Tesmond hit the first home run of his career at EIU, a solo shot, to put the score at 8-2 in the top of the seventh.

The Governors had their first three batters reach base to begin the bottom half of the seventh inning. A walk, a two-run double, and an RBI single provided Austin Peay with four runs in the inning.

Austin Peay would add another run to their total in the bottom of the eighth, as Kyle Blackburn led-off the inning with a triple. Blackburn would come around to score on a Ridge Smith single, as the score stood at 13-2 heading into the final frame.

With the bases packed for EIU to start the ninth inning, a Frankie Perrone hit by pitch starting the scoring rally for the Panthers. Joseph Duncan followed with an RBI single out to right field. Dane Toppel reached on a fielder's choice and scored Jackson Mueller on the play. The Panthers scored their fourth run of the inning on a wild pitch, but the Panthers rally would end with a groundout on the next play to finish with a score of 13-6 in favor of Austin Peay.

Allen (0-2) suffered the loss in game one, going 5.2 innings on the mound, and allowing six runs. Costanzo (3-0) picked up his third win of the season going 7.0 innings while only allowing two runs.

Tesmond finished a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate in the first game, as Josh Turnock (2-for-2) and Duncan (2-for-3) added a pair of hits each.

Game 2: Austin Peay 6, Eastern Illinois 3
With runs being hard to come by during the first four innings, Austin Peay broke the game open with a five-run sixth inning to complete the series sweep over Eastern Illinois, winning the finale by a score of 6-3.

With both offenses struggling to streak anything together, Austin Peay broke through in the bottom of the fifth inning. With two away and the bases loaded, Chase Hamilton earned a walk to put APSU ahead 1-0 after five innings in the books.

EIU responded with a scoring effort of their own in the top of the sixth inning. Duncan and Toppel singled to put runners at the corners for Cale Hennemann. Hennemann came up big for the Panthers as he was able to bring in Duncan on a fielder's choice to tie the game at 1-1.

The scoring would continue for Austin Peay, and in a big way, as the Governors put up five runs in the bottom half of the sixth inning. After scoring a run on a fielder's choice, Smith would add a pair of runs to the Austin Peay total with a two-run home run. A Panther error and a double by Imani Willis would bring the score to 6-1 in favor of the home team.

Once again the Panthers would not go away quietly in their final at-bat. Dunavant walked to start the inning, as Nicholas McCormick would come on as a pinch runner. A Turnock double put EIU with runners at second and third. Perrone brought EIU within three, with a two-run double, but the Panthers would not be able to add another run in the inning and dropped the final game by a score of 6-3.

Andy Fisher (0-2) picked up the loss in relief, giving up six runs in 2.1 innings pitched. EIU starter Michael McCormick had a solid outing to begin the game, giving up just four hits in three innings. Zach Neff (1-3) earned his first win of the year for Austin Peay, as he tossed six innings and only surrendering one run. Jared Carkuff picked up his first save of the season in a three inning effort.

Duncan, Hennemann, and Turnock paced the EIU offense with two hits each.