PINE BLUFF, Ark. – Eastern Illinois (11-3) won their eighth straight game this season after defeating Arkansas-Pine Bluff (3-10-1) by a score of 12-2 in seven innings. Starting pitcher
Tyler Conklin (W, 2-0) got his first collegiate start on Wednesday afternoon and threw 4.0 scoreless innings while giving up only three hits and striking out four. Shortstop
Chris Worcester had himself a three hit game while also adding three RBI to lead the Panthers past the Golden Lions.
QUICK STATS:
Chris Worcester: 3-4, 3 RBI, 2 R, BB, 2 SB
Tyler Conklin: W (2-0), 4.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
Grant Lashure: 2-4, 3 RBI, R
Tarron Lawson: 1-2, 2 RBI, R
Lucas DiLuca: 1-1, 2 R, 2 BB (11-game hitting streak)
Hayden Birdsong: 1.0 IP, H, K
The Panthers' bats were hot all day long on Wednesday as EIU scored at least one run in the first five innings of the ball game. After
Logan Eickhoff reached on a fielder's choice in the first inning,
Ryan Ignoffo punched a single to right field to score the first run of the ball game and his 23rd RBI of the season. Conklin would strikeout one in the bottom half of the first while only facing three batters.Â
In the top of the second, Worcester manged to reach first on a single to left field, and stole second and third base to put himself in scoring position. After a
Dalton Doyle hit-by-pitch, Lashure manged to hit into a fielder's choice to bring home Worcester. Conklin would strikeout two more in the bottom of the second before giving up two consecutive hits, but manged to get out of the inning without any damage.
After DiLuca, Eickhoff, and
Nathan Aide all reached safely in the third, Worcester would score two after his second hit of the afternoon. Lashure would follow him later in the inning by singling to center field to score Aide and Worcester. The Panthers would go up 6-0 after the third. Pine Bluff would leave one on base in the bottom of the inning.
DiLuca manged to draw his second walk of the afternoon in the top of the fourth and advanced to third on two wild pitches. Eickhoff manged to earn himself an RBI on the day with a sac fly to center field. Conklin would end his day going three-up three-down in the bottom half of the fourth.
EIU would go on to score five more runs in the fifth inning after the Golden Lions loaded the bases to start the inning. With Lashure,
Bryce Hayman, and Sean Lynch on base,
Travis Reaves walked to score an RBI. Lawson came into the game for Ignoffo and hit a two-out single to score two runs. Worcester would earn his final RBI of the game after his third single to score Reaves.
Ja'Lil Akbar also got in on the action with and RBI walk to end the inning, and put EIU up 12-0. Pine Bluff would score two in the bottom half of the fifth inning off of
Nick Laxner.
Mac Hickman would throw the sixth inning for the Panthers, and after hitting the leadoff batter, would go on to get three straight outs. Birdsong replaced Hickman in the seventh to end the game with a final score of 12-2.
EIU scored 12 runs on eight hits and had no errors. Pine Bluff would score two runs on eight hits and had one error. The Panthers will be back in play on Friday, March 18 at 6:00 p.m. as they start a three-game series with McNeese State in Lake Charles, La. Livestats will be provided.
