Box Score |
MOBILE, Ala. – For the second day in a row, the Eastern Illinois baseball team gained an early lead, but South Alabama used another late comeback to win the final game of the series by a score of 8-3.
With the loss, Eastern Illinois dropped to 0-3 to begin the year. South Alabama improved to 3-0.
Eastern Illinois scored the first run of the series finale in the top of the third inning. After a lead-off walk to
Justin Smith to begin the inning,
Andrew Curran moved Smith up another 90 feet on a sacrifice bunt. The Panthers put runners on the corners following a
Joseph Duncan single.
Dane Toppel scored Smith on the next play with an RBI groundout to give EIU a 1-0 lead.
South Alabama responded with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning to tie the score at 1-1. After loading the bases against the Panthers, South Alabama scored the tying run on an RBI fielder's choice off the bat of Paul Russo.
The Panthers quickly regained the lead in the top of the fourth inning with a two-out rally. After a walk to
Hunter Beetley, South Alabama kept the Panthers alive with an error that allowed
Jordan Flint to reach safely and moved Beetley up to second base. Smith singled to right to give the Panthers their first run of the inning. Duncan followed a Curran walk with an RBI single up the middle to put Eastern Illinois ahead 3-1.
EIU starter,
Dustin Wilson, controlled the South Alabama for most of the game, but the Jaguars once again got to the junior in the bottom of the fifth inning. Dylan Hardy hit a two-out triple into the right-field corner and later scored on an RBI single by Russo and cut the EIU lead to 3-2.
South Alabama overtook the lead following a four-run sixth inning and a two-run seventh inning against the EIU bullpen.
Wilson (0-1) suffered the loss on the mound for the Panthers, going 5.2 innings in his first career start at Eastern Illinois.
Duncan finished the game going 2-for-5 at the plate with one RBI and one stolen base.
Dougie Parks also recorded a hit for the Panthers.
The Panthers will travel to Conway, Arkansas, next weekend for a four-game series at Central Arkansas starting on Feb. 24.Â
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