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Box Score | 

MOREHEAD, Ky. – After Morehead State took an early lead against Eastern Illinois, the Panthers battled back all game long and used an eight-run ninth-inning rally to defeat the Eagles, 14-7, on Friday. Eastern Illinois improved to 15-28 (8-11 OVC) following the win, while Morehead State dropped to 27-15 (12-6 OVC).

Dougie Parks gave the Panthers an early 2-0 lead on a two-run home run in the top of the first inning to open the game, but Morehead State responded in a big way in the bottom-half of the inning. Reid Leonard doubled to start the inning and came around to score following a groundout and a wild pitch. After the next two Eagles reached base, Braxton Morris tied the score at 2-2 with an RBI double. Tyler Niemann followed with a three-run home run to put the Eagles ahead, 5-2.

Josh Turnock added a run for EIU with a lead-off home run in the top of the second, but the Eagles extended their lead to 7-3 after Niemann homered for the second time in the game, this time a two-run home run, in the bottom of the third.

Eastern Illinois began to chip away in the top of the fourth. Andrew Curran worked a lead-off walk and moved up to third on a double by Frankie Perrone. Nicholas McCormick plated Curran with an RBI groundout and Joseph Duncan followed with an RBI sacrifice fly to cut the EIU deficit to two at 7-5.

After Morehead State took an early lead against EIU starter Brendon Allen, the redshirt senior settled in and held the Eagles scoreless during the fourth through seventh innings.

The bats came alive again late for the Panthers as Govern got things going for Eastern Illinois with a one-out double in the top of the eighth. Logan Beaman singled to score Govern and brought the Panthers within a single run.

The Panthers carried their momentum from the eighth inning into the ninth as Matt Albert started the inning with a lead-off single. Curran brought home Albert as the game-tying run with an RBI triple down the right-field line. Perrone singled home Curran to give the Panthers an 8-7 advantage. Eastern Illinois poured it on from there with six more runs in the inning, capped off by a grand slam from Parks, as the Panthers earned a 14-7 decision over Morehead State.

Jake Haberer earned the win on the mound for the Panthers as the right-handed pitcher tossed two scoreless innings of relief.

Parks had a big game at the plate for the Panthers as the junior transfer finished the contest with four hits in five at-bats and six runs driven in. Duncan, Beaman, Albert, Curran and Perrone all added two hits for the EIU offense as the Panthers outhit the Eagles, 17-9, in the game.

Eastern Illinois and Morehead State will continue their series on Saturday with first pitch set for 1 p.m. (CST).