NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Eastern Illinois (14-11, 5-5 OVC) clinched game one against the Belmont Bruins (9-13, 4-6 OVC) with a 4-2 victory.
Ky Hampton was awarded the win after six innings and a season-high six K's.
Alex Stevenson was awarded the save, his fourth of the season, after holding the Bruins hitless. The Panthers will finish the series against Belmont tomorrow in the form of a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
QUICK HITS
- Trey Sweeney went 1-3 with an RBI and drew two walks.
- Ryan Knernschield went 2-4, drew a walk, scored a run, and added an RBI.
- Keith Kerrigan went 2-4, knocked home a double, drew a walk, and scored a run.
- Christian Pena went 1-4, scored a run, and added two RBI to his season total.
- Ben Snapp went 3-4 on the day, roped a double, and added a run and an RBI.
- Ky Hampton struck out a season-high six batters en route to his third win of the season.
- Alex Stevenson struck out five and allowed no hits in his three innings pitched.
GAME ONE
Belmont took the lead in the bottom of the second frame off a single that scored two runs. Hampton had allowed two runners off bean-balls, costing him the lead early.
The Panthers opened up the fourth inning with a Knernschield walk, followed by a Kerrigan double into left-center field. Pena pushed a single into right field to score two runners and tie the game up. Snapp's massive day continued with a double that scored Pena and took the lead.
Eastern Illinois struck again in the top of the seventh, started by a Snapp single into right. After Snapp advanced on a wild pitch,
Dane Toppel drew a walk to put runners on first and second for Sweeney. The shortstop came through with a hit into right field that scored Snapp to put the Panthers lead at 4-2.
Stevenson entered in the bottom of the seventh in relief for Hampton. He pitched out of a jam, striking out the final two batters to hold Belmont scoreless in the inning. Stevenson closed out the game for EIU, holding the Bruins hitless in his three innings pitch, as the Panthers won 5-2.Â
ON DECK
The Panthers will wrap up the series tomorrow with a doubleheader against the Bruins starting at 1 p.m.
