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MATTOON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois (25-10, 7-3 OVC) lost game one of a three-game series against Murray State (19-18, 5-8 OVC) after the Racers hit six homeruns in rout to a 17-10 win at Lake Land College. Zane Robbins suffers his first loss of the season after throwing for EIU in the top of the ninth and allowed four runs and two walks. Reliever Hayden Birdsong kept the Panthers in the game after throwing in 5.0 innings and only allowing three hits, one runs, one walk, and had a season high nine strikeouts. Ryan Ignoffo and Nicholas Rucker both had homeruns for the Panthers today.

QUICK STATS
Hayden Birdsong: 5.0 IP, 3 H, R, BB, 9 K
Trevor Nicholson: 3.0 IP, 10 H, 9 R, BB, 2 K
Zane Robbins: L (1-1), 0.0 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 2 BB
Ryan Ignoffo: 2-4, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R, BB
Nicholas Rucker: 3-5, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R
Logan Eickhoff: 3-5, RBI, R

Starting pitcher Trevor Nicholson allowed a two-run homerun in the first inning to Drew Vogel to give the Racers the early 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the first. Vogel was one of six batters for Murray State to have a homerun. Panthers would go scoreless in the bottom of the first.

After a three-up three-down second from Nicholson, the Panthers' bats would come alive for an eight run second inning. Ignoffo led off the inning with a walk and was followed by Rucker with a two-run homerun to tie the game at two a piece. Grant Lashure would single for the Panthers, and would be brought home by Ja'Lil Akbar.  After a ground-rule double by Lincoln Riley, Lucas DiLuca would pick up an RBI single to score Akbar. Logan Eickhoff would put on a bunt single through the left side of the infield to score an RBI. The Panthers would bat around the order leading to a three-run homerun by Ignoffo to put EIU up 8-2.

Nicholson would come back out in the third, and allow the Racers to answer with four more runs. Byrson Bloomer would pick up an RBI single to score one, and Seth Gardner would hit a three-run homerun to cut the Panthers lead down to two.

After a scoreless third for EIU, Alex Crump would hit a leadoff homerun off of Nicholson to cut the lead to 8-7. A single by Parker Estes would bring up Jordan Holly who would hit the Racers fourth homerun off of Nicholson to give the lead back to Murray by a score of 9-8. The Panthers would tie the game in the fourth inning with an RBI single by Ignoffo after DiLuca doubles to right field to leadoff the fourth.

Birdsong would pick up two strikeouts on the mound in the fifth for the Panthers as both teams were held scoreless in the fifth. Holly would double in the sixth for the Racers to take the lead back. It would be the only run allowed by Birdsong.

The Racers would go three-up three-down in the top of the seventh after Birdsong struck out three straight batters. EIU would tie the ballgame up at 10 with a Riley single that scored Rucker after he doubled to start the inning. Both teams would go scoreless in the eighth.

Robbins started the ninth for the Panthers, but failed to stop the Racers' offense. Jake Slunder singled to start the inning and would steal both second and third base. After a walk by Robbins, Bloomer hit a three-run blast to center field to give Murray State a 13-10 lead. Jason DeCicco would enter the game after Robbins. Murray State would add an RBI single by Crump and a three-run homerun by Estes to extend their lead to 17-10.

The Panthers offense did not score in the ninth as Alec Whaley would go on and secure his second win of the season for Murray State.

EIU posted 10 runs on 15 hits and had one error. MSU would score 17 runs on 18 hits and had no errors. Both teams will be back at Lake Land College tomorrow starting at 11 a.m. for an OVC double header. Livestats and radio will be available.