CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Eastern Illinois (23-8, 6-1 OVC) wins back and forth game versus Ohio Valley Conference opponent Austin Peay (13-21, 6-4 OVC) by a final score of 9-7. A game which saw four lead changes, EIU manages to win and collect their sixth OVC win of the season. Closer
Zane Robbins picks up his 10th save of the season after striking out three Governors to end the ninth. He now ties the single season record for saves with 10.
Logan Eickhoff went 3-4 at the plate with 2 RBIs including the go-ahead RBI single in the eighth inning.
Chaney Trout also gets his first win of the season in relief.
QUICK STATS
Logan Eickhoff: 3-4, 2 RBI, BB
Lincoln Riley: 2-3, RBI, 2 R, BB, HBP
Ja'Lil Akbar: 3-4, 2B, 2 R
Grant Lashure: 1-1, RBI
Zane Robbins: S (10), 1.0 IP, H, 3 K
Chaney Trout: W (1-0), 1.0 IP, H, K
Trevor Nicholson: ND, 4.0 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 0 BB, K
Hayden Birdsong: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 2 BB, 3 K
The Panthers took the lead early in the first after Eickhoff picked up his first RBI of the game off a single to left field to score
Lincoln Riley.
Trevor Nicholson came in for a quick one two three inning in the bottom of the first to keep the Austin Peay off the board.
After a scoreless second inning,
Ja'Lil Akbar picked up a double in the third but was left stranded for EIU. Reid Brown lead off the third for APSU with a solo homerun to tie the game. Nicholson would give up back-to-back singles following the homerun which lead to a sacrifice fly by Gino Avros to Riley in center to put the Governors up one.
Both offenses would stall in the fourth before a busy fifth inning. EIU kicked it off by scoring two runs of their own.
Bryce Hayman lead off with a single and
Ben Gallaher followed that with a hit by pitch. After a sac bunt by Akbar and another hit by pitch to Riley,
Lucas DiLuca would hit a sac fly to center to score Hayman. Eickhoff would be walked to load the bases.
Nathan Aide would pick up his team leading 31st RBI after he was walked to put EIU up 3-1.
Nicholson would give up two singles to lead off the bottom of the fifth, and would end his night. Ky Hampton entered the game for Nicholson. APSU would get a bunt single on its next at-bat. Hampton would give up one run off a wild pitch the next batter. Ty DeLancey would hit into a groundout to second, but managed to score another run to tie the game. The Governors would add one more to take the lead after Harrison Brown doubled to left field.
EIU loaded the bases in the sixth after Hayman, Gallaher, and Akbar all reached safely. Hayman and Gallaher would score after two throwing errors by Austin Peay in the infield to put the Panthers back on top. Riley was not done there as he singled up the middle to score Akbar. DiLuca would hit an infield single to put runners on first and second for Eickhoff. After a fielder's choice, Eickhoff would get in a run down but not before Riley scored from third to end the inning with a score of 7-5.
APSU would answer right back with two more runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth. Jonah Beamon would hit a two-run homerun for the Governors off of Hampton to tie the game at seven a piece.
Chaney Trout would enter the game in the seventh for Eastern and shutdown the Governors offense. The Panthers would take the lead in the top of the eighth after Eickhoff picked up his second RBI single to score Akbar for the go-ahead run.
Hayden Birdsong would strikeout three to end the eighth. It is his second straight appearance with three strikeouts in one inning.
EIU would get an insurance run for closer Robbins as pinch hitter
Grant Lashure delivered an RBI single to put Eastern up two. Robbins would enter the game and strikeout three to earn his single season record tying 10th save.
The Panthers scored nine runs on 14 hits and committed no errors. APSU scored seven runs on 14 hits and had two errors. Game two will start tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+. Livestats will also be available.
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