MARTIN, Tenn - Eastern Illinois (16-4, 3-0 OVC) prevail in the ninth inning as EIU goes on to beat UT Martin (7-14, 0-3 OVC) by a final score of 3-2. Nathan Aide hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to lift the Panthers past the Skyhawks. Starting pitcher Blake Malatestinic threw 5.1 innings on Sunday while giving up eight hits, twp runs, and had six strikeouts. Zane Robbins earns his seventh save of the season for the Panthers as they go to collect their 16th win of the season.

QUICK STATS
Nathan Aide: 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, R
Lincoln Riley: 2-5, 2B, R, SB
Lucas DiLuca: 2-4, RBI (17-game hitting steak)
Blake Malatestinic: 5.1 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 6 K
Hayden Birdsong: W (2-1), 2.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K
Zane Robbins: S (7), 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, K

UT Martin's pitching controlled the game through seven innings as the Panthers did not get their first hit til the fourth inning when DiLuca picked up a single to extend hitting hitting streak to 17 games.

The Skyhawks got on the board early in the first inning with an RBI single by Ethan Whitley off of Malatestinic. EIU's defense would settle down after the first as Malatestinic would throw two strikeouts in the second, and one in the third.

Both teams let runners stranded in thr fourth inning as EIU was struggling to get runners in scoring position to get on the board.

After two singles to start the bottom half of the sixth inning, Birdsong would replace Malatestinc on the mound. The Skyhawks would score one run in the sixth off a single by Alec Beaman to extend their lead to 2-0.

Panthers would have two runners on in the seventh after Aide and Worcester singled, but would fail to convert any runs out of it. EIU would strike in the top of the eighth after a Riley double and a RBI single to right field from DiLuca to get the Panthers on the board and cut the lead to one. Birdsong would strikeout three in the end the eighth.

Ryan Ignoffo would lead off the ninth with a single to set up Aide for the go-ahead to run blast to left center to put Eastern Illinois up one heading into the bottom half of the ninth. Robbins would come in for Birdsong and go three-up three-down to secure the win 3-2 for EIU.

The win gives EIU their fifth series victory of the season. The Panthers would score three runs on eight hits with no errors while UT Martin would score two runs on 11 hits with no errors.

Baseball will be back in action for a midweek game against Illinois State in Normall, Ill. This was originally a home game for EIU but was moved due to maintenance at Coaches Stadium. Livestats will be made available.