Box Score Game One |
Box Score Game Two
RICHMOND, Ky. – With the anticipation of inclement weather occurring in Richmond, Ky. Eastern Illinois and Eastern Kentucky altered their weekend schedule to have the two teams face off in a doubleheader on Friday. Eastern Kentucky completed the sweep of the twin bill winning by scores of 9-3 and 7-5. The two teams will complete their series tomorrow with a single game starting at 2 p.m. (CST).
After today's games Eastern Illinois falls to 7-35 (2-18 OVC), while Eastern Kentucky improves to 19-25 (9-11 OVC).
Game One: Eastern Kentucky 9, Eastern Illinois 3
After Eastern Kentucky scored in the first inning, Eastern Illinois would go on to tie the game up in the middle innings, but the Colonels pulled away in the late innings scoring six runs in the final two innings to take game one of the doubleheader by a score of 9-3.
Eastern Kentucky got on the board early in the bottom of the first inning. A double, an error, and a stolen base put runners at second and third for EKU. Mandy Alvarez gave Eastern Kentucky the early lead with a two-run single.
The Panthers got things going with a two-out rally in the top of the fourth inning. Back-to-back doubles by
Matt Dunavant and
Jason Scholl led to the Panthers' first run of the inning.
Frankie Perrone followed the two doubles with a single up the middle to score Scholl and tie the game at 2-2.
Eastern Kentucky took the lead again in the bottom of the sixth inning, as three-straight two-out singles drove in the go-ahead run and put the score at 3-2.
After Eastern Kentucky extended their lead with three runs in the bottom of the seventh, the Panthers looked to cut the deficit in the top of the eighth.
Mitch Gasbarro started the inning with a double into the right center gap. An error on the next play allowed Gasbarro to score and cut the lead to 6-3.
Eastern Kentucky put the game out of reach scoring three runs on three hits in the bottom of the eighth inning to take game one 9-3.
Brendon Allen suffered the loss on the mound for the Panthers. Allen allowed six runs (five earned) in 6.1 innings pitched.
Dunavant and Perrone were the only Panthers to record multiple hits in the first game, as the pair finished an identical 3-for-4 at the plate.
Game two: Eastern Kentucky 7, Eastern Illinois 5
The Panthers looked to even the series and split the doubleheader, but Eastern Kentucky was able to hold off a late comeback bid by Eastern Illinois and complete the sweep of the doubleheader 7-5.
Eastern Kentucky looked as if they would run away with the night cap of the doubleheader. The Colonels scored four runs in the third, and a run in the fourth and fifth innings each.
Demetre Taylor gave the Panthers' their first run of the game with a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning to move the score to 6-1.
Kyle Nowlin answered back with a solo home run of his own for Eastern Kentucky to get the run back for the Colonels in the bottom of the sixth.
The Panthers started a rally with two outs in the top of the seventh inning.
Nick Maton and
Dane Toppel both singled to put runners on the corners. After a walk to
Joseph Duncan to load the bases,
Cale Hennemann drove in two runs with a single through the right side and cut the lead to 7-3.
Eastern Illinois worked up another two-out rally in the top of the eighth inning. Scholl reached on an error by the Eastern Kentucky second baseman, and came around to score on a Perrone RBI double. Maton drove in Perrone on the next play to cut the lead to 7-5, but the Eastern Kentucky bullpen would not allow another run to the Panthers the rest of the way.
Matt Wivinis took the loss on the mound for the Panthers, allowing seven runs in his 5.2 innings of work.
Hennemann and Maton recorded two hits each in the second game to lead the Eastern Illinois offense. Â Â
Â
