Box Score |
Photo Gallery (By
Sandy King)
CHARLESTON, Ill. – For the second time in the series, the Eastern Illinois baseball team had a chance to win the game in the bottom of the ninth, but Jacksonville State closer Justin Hoyt closed the door on a Panther rally and earned his sixth save of the season as the Gamecocks completed the series sweep with a 4-3 win in the finale. The Panthers suffered a tough loss and drop to 3-20 (0-6 OVC), as the Gamecocks remain perfect in the OVC at 9-0 and improve to 16-6 overall. The Panther will look to shake the loss with a mid-week game this coming Tuesday at Illinois State.
Both
Brendon Allen and Colton Campbell kept the game scoreless through the first three innings, but the Panthers broke into the scoring column first in the bottom of the fourth. After a walk to
Demetre Taylor and
Mitch Gasbarro was hit by a pitch,
Jimmy Govern loaded the bases with a single up the middle that was knocked down by the Jacksonville State shortstop to keep the Panthers from scoring on the hit.
Jason Scholl made sure the Panthers would cash in on their opportunity to score, as he singled up the middle to bring in two runs and give the Panthers a 2-0 lead.
Allen kept the Gamecocks off of the board in the fourth and fifth innings, but Jacksonville State got to the EIU starter in the sixth inning. After back-to-back walks, a groundout moved the runners up to second and third. Elliot McCummings brought home the first run in the inning for JSU with an infield single. Paschal Petrongolo added another run with an RBI single to right. The Gamecocks took the lead as McCummings came into score on a wild pitch.
The Gamecocks added an insurance run in the top of the seventh as Hayden White doubled down the right field line to bring home a run and put the visitors ahead 4-2.
The Panthers cut into the Jacksonville State lead after Taylor led off the bottom of the eighth with a solo home run over the right field fence.
Eastern Illinois had a great opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the ninth, as Scholl was hit by a pitch and
Dane Toppel worked a free pass.
Joseph Duncan moved the pair up to second and third, but the Gamecocks' closer struck out the next two Panther batters to give Jacksonville State the 4-3 win.
Allen (0-4) suffered the loss on the mound going seven innings and allowing four runs on seven hits. He finished with three walks and five strikeouts.
Andy Fisher kept the Panthers in the game as he allowed just one hit in his two innings of work, and added two strikeouts to his stat line.
Taylor, Gasbarro, Govern, and Scholl all recorded a hit each for the Panthers.
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