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Photo Gallery | By Sandy King

CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois baseball (24-21, 13-14 OVC) defeated the SIUE Cougars (23-24, 13-14 OVC), 5-4. The Panthers managed their eleventh win at home in the non-conference battle against SIUE. Nick Laxner was awarded the win after pitching 4.0 innings, allowing only three hits, and one earned run. Cameron Doherty collected his fourth save of the season, tying him with Alex Stevenson for the most by a Panther. With this win, the Panthers still have a shot at making the OVC Tournament. The Panthers' final regular-season series will come against OVC rival Jacksonville State.

QUICK HITS

• Trey Sweeney went 2-3 at the dish and was intentionally walked twice.
• Christian Pena went 3-5, recorded an RBI, and scored a run.
• Dane Toppel went 2-3 and scored a run.
• Tarron Lawson went 1-4 and recorded an RBI.
• Keith Kerrigan went 1-2 and drew two walks.
• Dalton Doyle went 2-5, recorded two runs, and recorded an RBI.
• The Panthers combined for 14 hits on the day, leaving 12 stranded.
• Both teams combined for 26 hits and one error.

PANTHERS VS. COUGARS
The Panthers scorched the Cougars with a two-out rally in the first inning started by Doyle. Doyle hit a double to the fence to score DiLuca. Doyle was followed by the senior, Pena, who hit a double of his own and added another. Lawson added another hit to score Pena and give the Panthers the early 3-0 lead. 

The Cougars struck back, putting the Panthers lead at 3-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth. Doyle led off the inning with a single through the third baseman and shortstop. Doyle advanced on a wild pitch and groundout and scored an insurance run off the second wild pitch of the inning by the Cougars pitcher. 

The Cougars cut the lead to 4-3, but the Panthers' senior catcher, Ryan Knernschield, gave the Panthers the game-winning run with a knock through the left side that scored Toppel. Doherty closed out the game with his fourth save of the season, recording four strikeouts and allowing no earned runs in his 2.0 innings pitched.

ON DECK
The Panthers will travel to Jacksonville, Ala., to face the Jacksonville State Gamecocks. The opening game of the series will be on Thursday, May 20, starting at 6 p.m.