GRAMBLING, La - Eastern Illinois (5-3) wins a shoot-out in game two against Grambling State (2-7) by a score of 13-11. Lucas DiLuca hit a grand slam early in the game for the Panthers. Three other Panthers hit a homerun in game two including Ryan Ignoffo, Nathan Aide, and Lincoln Riley. Hayden Birdson picked up his first win of the season after throwing 4.2 innings out of the bullpen. He allowed one earned run, two hits, and had six strikeouts.

QUICK STATS
Lucas DiLuca: 2-4, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R
Nathan Aide: 1-5, HR, 3 RBI, BB, R
Ryan Ignoffo: 1-6, HR, RBI, R
Lincoln Riley: 2-3, HR, RBI, 2 R
Hayden Birdsong: W (1-1), 4.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 6 K
Zane Robbins S (2), 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 K

After a scoreless first inning for both teams, EIU struck first with a grand slam from DiLuca off of Roy Peguero. DuLuca scores Ja'Lil Akbar, Ben Gallaher, and Traivs Reaves. This marked his first homerun of the season, and first home run at the division one level. Akbar also scored an RBI single to start the inning to put the Panthers up 5-0.
 
EIU was able to extend their lead in the third inning after an Ignoffo solo homerun, and a Travis Reaves RBI double to score Riley to put the Panthers up 7-0. The Tigers were held scoreless in the bottom half of the inning.
 
After EIU was held scoreless in the fourth inning, the Tigers put up a nine run inning in the bottom half. The inning was led off by two solo homeruns by Cameron Bufford and John Garica. Daylon Ardoin would then single through second base to score one, and leave the bases loaded. Terry Burrell would then double to score three more for the Tigers. After a pitching change by EIU that brought in Kyle Lang, Jarficur Parker doubled to score one more to make the score 7-7. John Garcia would then bring home to more to increase the Tigers lead to 9-7.
 
Lincoln Riley scored the lone run in the fifth inning as he had his first homerun of his career in the top of the fifth with a solo shot. The Panthers would leave two on base. EIU would hold the Tigers scoreless in the bottom half of the fifth.
 
The Panthers would go scoreless in the sixth inning, but the Tigers would add one in the bottom half of the inning after a failed pickoff at third. 

Reaves would single to start the inning, and with two outs DiLuca was hit by a pitch. Logan Eickhoff would then single to center field to score Reaves from second. Aide would cap off the inning with a homerun to score three more to bring EIU's lead back to 12-10. Grambling State would add a solo homerun in the bottom half of the inning to bring it within one run.

Both teams were held scoreless in the eighth. EIU would add one more run in the ninth thanks to a Eickhoff single that scored Akbar. Robbins would close out the ninth inning with two strikeouts to give EIU the win, 13-11.

EIU posted 13 runs on 14 hits with two errors. Grambling State had 11 runs on 14 hits and errors. 

The Panthers play their final game against Grambling State tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. Recap will follow the game.
 
Nathan Aide homerun in the top of the seventh to put the Panthers back in front 12-10.