Box Score |
CHARLESTON, Ill. – After falling behind seven runs to start the game, Eastern Illinois rallied back to pull within three runs, but due to inclement weather in the area, the EIU comeback attempt got cut short as the game was called after six innings with Saint Louis picking up an 8-5 win over the Panthers.
Eastern Illinois had their seven-game win streak snapped with the loss and dropped to 14-28 on the season. Saint Louis improved to 24-14 on the year.
Saint Louis jumped out to a commanding 7-0 lead with six runs in the first and one run in the second on a home run by James Morisano.
After
Dougie Parks singled to lead off the bottom of the second, he came around to score on an RBI triple by
Andrew Curran and cut the Saint Louis lead to 7-1.
The Billikens got the run back in the top of the third. After leading off the inning with a triple, Trent Leimkuehler scampered home on a wild pitch to extend the Saint Louis advantage to 8-1.
Eastern Illinois began to rally in the fourth and fifth innings.
Matt Albert scored on a wild pitch in the fourth as the Panthers kept the offense rolling in the fifth.
Justin Smith walked to start the inning and moved up to second on a single by
Logan Beaman. Parks walked to load the bases ahead of a wild pitch that allowed Smith to come in to score.
Nicholas McCormick singled to right field to plate Beaman and Parks and pulled the Panthers within three at 8-5. That would be as close as the Panthers would get however as a thunderstorm moved into the Charleston area and cause the game to be called after six innings played. The game was deemed official because more than five innings were played.
Brent Stephens took the loss on the mound for the Panthers in the start.
Frankie Perrone, Beaman, Parks, McCormick and Curran all collected one hit each for the Panthers.
Eastern Illinois will look to bounce back this weekend as the Panthers travel to take on Morehead State in a three-game Ohio Valley conference series.
