MATTOON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois (25-11, 7-4 OVC) lost another high scoring affair in game two of a three-game series versus the Racers of Murray State (20-18, 6-8 OVC) as EIU would go on to lose by a score of 15-9. Starting pitcher
Cameron Doherty threw in 5.2 innings, allowing eight runs, four earned runs, nine hits, and had eight strikeouts. The Racers posted nine extra base hits including six doubles and three homeruns.
Ryan Ignoffo had four hits including a solo homerun, and
Nathan Aide had three hits including three RBIs.
QUICK STATS
Ryan Ignoffo: 4-4, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, BB
Nathan Aide: 3-4, HR, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 3 R
Grant Lashure: 3-5, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, R
Cameron Doherty: L (4-4), 5.2 IP, 9 H, 8 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 8 K
Jesse Wainscott: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, S K
Doherty made quick work in the first inning after not allowing any runs to the Racers. EIU would start the offensive battle with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Aide got it started with a double to score
Logan Eickhoff and was followed by Ignoffo with an RBI single.
Nicholas Rucker then hit a double to score Ignoffo and put EIU up 3-0.
Murray State would fight back off of Doherty in the second and scored five runs. Alex Crump got the action started with an RBI single to left field to score Carson Garner. Jordan Holly would then hit an RBI single to score Crump. Jacob Pennington would hit one of his two three run homeruns in game two to put MSU up 5-3.
Grant Lashure would add EIU's only run in the second with a solo leadoff homerun.
After a scoreless inning for the Racers thanks to
Cameron Doherty's two strikeouts, Ignoffo for the Panthers would hit a solo homerun to tie the game at five all. Hayden Wynja and Doherty would both pitch two shutout innings in the fourth and fifth to keep the score knotted at 5-5.
Doherty would have his afternoon end in the sixth inning as the Racers scored four to give them a 9-5 lead. Crump and Parker Estes would have back-to-back doubles for Murray State to score their first run. Jake Slunder would hit an RBI single off of Doherty to end his game after throwing 5.2 innings. After a wild pitch by Wainscott and a stolen by by Slunder, Pennington would be walked. Byrson Bloomer would step up for the Racers and hit a two RBI double down the left field line to end the inning and put Murray State up 9-5.
Ignoffo would add one more run in the bottom of the sixth with a RBI single to score Aide after he doubled. Both teams would go scoreless in the seventh inning, but EIU had a chance with bases loaded, but Rucker grounded into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
The Racers would add three more runs in the eighth inning after Slunder hit a leadoff homerun off of Wainscott to end his afternoon.
Jackson Nichols entered the game for the Panthers and allowed two RBI singles by both Drew Vogel and Cade Sammons to increase their lead to 12-6. Lashure would add a double in the bottom of the inning, but was left stranded.
Murray State extended their lead in the final inning as they would tack on three more to finish the ninth. After singles by Estes and Riley Hawthorne, Pennington would hit his second three-run homerun of game one of Saturday's double header. EIU would start a rally in the ninth with a two-run homerun by Aide, and a RBI single by Lashure but the game end with a flyout by
Chris Worcester.
EIU would score nine runs on 13 hits and have three errors. Murray State would score 15 runs on 18 hits and have one error. Game two's results of Saturday's double header will be posted immediately after its conclusion.
