Box ScoreMEMPHIS, Tenn. – For the second-straight game it took extra-innings for Eastern Illinois and Memphis to produce a final outcome. The Panthers found themselves on the lesser-end in the second game of the series as Zach Schritenthal would bring home the game-winning run on a sacrifice fly out to center and even the series at 1-1 following a 2-1 victory in game two.
The Panthers drop to 2-16 on the season, as Memphis improves to 7-11 overall. The rubber game between Eastern Illinois and Memphis is set for a 1 p.m. start tomorrow.
Both
Matt Wivinis and Connor Alexander were in complete control for their respective clubs from the start of the game, but Eastern Illinois got to the Memphis start first in the fourth inning. Dane Topple started the inning with a double that found some grass down the left field line. Alexander looked as if he would get out of the inning unharmed as he got the next two Panthers to fly out.
Frankie Perrone made sure the Panthers would not come up empty as he roped a double into the left center gap to bring home Toppel and give EIU a 1-0 lead.
Wivinis was dominant on the mound through 8.1 innings, but with one away in the ninth inning, the Memphis bats came alive. Back-to-back singles by the Tigers put runners at first and third for the home team. Jake Little hit a ground ball to short, but the Panthers were unable to turn-two on the play and allowed Chris Carrier to score and send the game into extra-innings.
The Panthers had runners on first and second with one out as
Jimmy Govern reached on an error and
Jason Scholl singled to center. James Muse came into the game to get the final out of the inning and keep the Panthers off the board.
After Wivinis got the Tigers lead-off batter to ground out to begin the bottom of the 10th, Colton Neel tripled into the right center gap and chased the EIU starter.
Chase Thurston came on in relief and intentionally walked the first batter he faced to setup a force-out. Memphis moved up their runner at first to put runners at second and third. The Panthers defense stepped up in a big way as Scholl tagged out Neel trying to make his way home before touching the plate. Thurston rolled another groundball to escape the jam unscathed.
EIU had a golden opportunity to pull ahead in the 12th inning, as the Panthers loaded the bases with one down.
Mitch Gasbarro singled and back-to-back walks by Govern and Scholl packed the bags for Eastern. The Panthers could not come up with a key hit when they needed however, as the Memphis pitching staff got the next two batters out to keep the game tied.
Darien Tubbs doubled down the left field line to start the bottom of the 13th inning for Memphis and moved up to third base on a Thurston wild pitch. Memphis had the winning run just 90 feet away, as Schritenthal hit a fly ball out to center field that was just deep enough to bring home Tubbs and give Memphis the 2-1 win in game two.
Wivinis went 9.1 innings on the mound in the no-decision, allowing one unearned run on five hits, while striking out six. Thurston (0-2) suffered the loss for the Panthers in three innings of work. Jonathan Bowlan (1-1) earned the win for Memphis tossing a scoreless inning in relief.
Toppel, Perrone, Gasbarro, Scholl, and
Nick Maton all recorded one hit each for EIU, as the Panthers ended with five hits in the game.
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