FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – In a game that went into three extra frames, the Eastern Illinois baseball team knocked off No. 12 Arkansas 10-8 in 12 innings on Saturday. EIU wins their first game of the season and improves to 1-9 overall, as No. 12 Arkansas drops to 9-2 on the season. The rubber game of the three-game series is set for a 1:05 p.m. start time Sunday afternoon.

Eastern Illinois baseball Head Coach Jason Anderson picks up his first career win of his coaching career. The Panthers defeated a top 30 team for the first time since a 3-2 win at No. 14 Louisville on Feb. 28, 2012.

The bats came alive early for the EIU ball club as Dane Toppel led off the first inning with an infield single. He quickly found himself in scoring position after stealing second base. Cale Hennemann walked to put runners on first and second for EIU. Demetre Taylor and Jason Scholl put EIU on the board first with an RBI single each. Hunter Morris executed with an RBI bunt to give EIU a 3-0 early advantage.

Arkansas responded with a two-out rally in the bottom of the first. Cullen Gassaway provided the host team with an RBI single and Michael Bernal walked with the bases loaded to bring home another run to make the score 3-2 after one inning complete.

Jake Arledge tied the game at 3-3 with a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning.

The offense came alive again in the fourth inning for the Panthers as EIU crossed the plate five times in the frame. Three straight singles by Nick Maton, Mitch Gasbarro, and Joseph Duncan loaded the bases for EIU. Back-to-back doubles by Toppel and Hennemann brought home two runs each. Hennemann scored on an Arkansas error as EIU regained the lead, 8-3.

Arkansas would not go away quietly however as the home team loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth. A single by Austin Catron brought home two Razorbacks to bring the score to 8-5.

Arledge brought Arkansas within a single run as he provided his second home run of the game, a two-run blast in the bottom of the seventh to make the score 8-7.

Chad Spanberger sent the game into extras with a pinch hit home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the game at 8-8.

Scholl sparked the EIU offense with his solo shot to lead off the top of the 12th inning and put EIU ahead by a run. The Panthers added an insurance run with an RBI single off the bat of Jimmy Govern to put the score at 10-8.

Arkansas provided a scoring chance of their own in the bottom of the 12th inning with runners on the corners, but EIU pitcher Brendon Allen closed the door for his first save of the year to give the visiting Panthers a 10-8 win in game two.

Jason Euler (1-0) picked up his first win of the season tossing two innings of scoreless relief.

The EIU offense outhit No. 12 Arkansas 16-11 in the game as six Panthers ended the game with multiple hits. Scholl, Hennemann, and Toppel led EIU with two RBI each.