Eastern Illinois (21-8, 5-1 OVC) vs Valparaiso (11-16, 0-3 MVC)
Rantoul, Ill. | Rantoul Family Sports Complex

Game One | Tuesday, Apr. 12, 4:00 p.m.
Livestats

ON-TAP: Eastern Illinois baseball will play a midweek matchup in Rantoul, Ill. at the Rantoul Family Sports Complex against Missouri Valley opponent Valparaiso. EIU played two non-conference games in Rantoul last week against Bellarmine and Saint Xavier which resulted in two wins. EIU is coming off a 4-1 week which included a series win against Ohio Valley Conference opponent SIUE. The Panthers are currently in first place in the OVC with a winning percentage of .833.

WEEKEND RECAP: EIU was able to win their second straight OVC series by winning two games against SIUE this past weekend. Although played at SIUE, the Panthers were the home team for all three games. EIU was able to win the first game 5-4 off a walk-off single by Lucas DiLuca in the bottom of the ninth to score Lincoln Riley form third. Nathan Aide also hit a homerun in the first inning in game one.

After losing the second game 5-11 on Saturday, EIU bounced back in a big way on Sunday with a 18-10 win over the Cougars. It was the most runs scored by EIU this season. Dalton Doyle lead the way for EIU going 3-5 with four RBIs while Logan Eickhoff and Nicholas Rucker both chipped in three RBIs to capture the series clinching win. The Panthers had 18 hits on Sunday while being walked another 15 times.

OFFENSIVE STREAKS: Nathan Aide currently has the longest active streaks for both on-base and hitting. Aide currently has an active streak of 25 games where he has reached base safely. This past week he had 13 hits in five games including two doubles, three triples, and two homeruns. He also has a 14-game hitting streak to lead EIU.

Lincoln Riley and Chris Worcester both have six game hitting streaks heading into the Valparaiso matchup. Riley picked up hits in all three games against SIUE including a double which was the winning run in game one. Worcester played in the first two games against SIUE picking up hits in both. In his last nine games, Nicholas Rucker has reached base safely. This past weekend, Rucker had a three-run homerun to cap off an eight run inning for the Panthers in game three against SIUE.

PRESEASON PANTHERS: Eastern Illinois' Logan Eickhoff and Cameron Doherty both earned preseason All-OVC earlier this offseason. Eickhoff was chosen at the utility position while Doherty was chosen for relief pitching. Eickhoff played in 31 games making 26 starters in the outfield. He was among OVC leaders with a .435 batting average before suffering a mid-season injury. Eickhoff returned on April 30 at SIUE and finished the season hitting .423 to become 23rd player in program history to hit .400 or better during a season. He held an on-base percentage of .463 and slugging percentage of .514.  Doherty posted a 3-2 record with a team high five saves during the season. He finished the season with a 3.45 ERA in 75.2 innings of work. He was also selected as the OVC preseason pitcher of the year for his performance last season.

OVC LEADERS: Ryan Ignoffo is still leading the conference in batting average with a .431 in 24 games this season. His .765 slugging percentage is second in the OVC. Lincoln Riley was been hit-by-pitch 16 times this season which is number one in the OVC. Nathan Aide is second in triples with four this season. Lucas DiLuca (.489). and Riley (.481) rank second and third in on-base percentage. Ignoffo and Aide both have driven in 30 runs this season which is tied for fifth in the OVC.

Trevor Nicholson dropped down to second in ERA with a 1.74. He still leads the OVC in opp. batting average (.185), strikeouts (64), and hits allowed (27). Nicholson's eight earned runs allowed is second in the conference and his 12 runs allowed in also second both behind SIUE's LHP Kaid Karnes.

SERIES HISTORY: EIU currently leads the all-time series against Valparaiso 21-5. Their first meeting was in 1949 where the Panthers were able to win 6-1. The two teams have no played each other since the 1996 season. EIU and Valpo last played a four-game series in which EIU won all four games. Valparaiso's last win came in April during the 1995 season.

ON DECK: EIU will travel for their first true OVC away series as they will face-off against Austin Peay for a three game series in Clarksville, Tenn. APSU is currently 6-3 in the OVC with a 13-20 record overall. Video and Livestats will be available for this series.