MACOMB, Ill. - Eastern Illinois (30-15, 10-8 OVC) wins a close game in Macomb, Ill. on Tuesday afternoon against Western Illinois (6-39, 4-17 SUMMIT) by a final score of 7-6. With their 30th win of the season, EIU now has their most wins in a season since the 2009 season when the Panthers went 31-19.
Ryan Ignoffo had a big day at the plate collecting two hits and three RBIs including the go-ahead two RBI double in the eighth inning.
Chris Worcester also had three hits and a RBI on the day.
Blake Malatestinic picks up his fifth win of the season after coming in relief in the seventh inning.
Kyle Lang also collects his first save of the season.
QUICK STATS
Ryan Ignoffo: 2-5, 2B, 3 RBI, R
Chris Worcester: 3-3, RBI, R, SAC, HBP
Dalton Doyle: 2-5, RBI, SB
Lucas DiLuca: 1-4, 2 R, 2 HBP
Blake Malatestinic: W (5-4), 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 K
Kyle Lang: S (1), H, 0 R, 2 K
Both starting pitchers made quick work in the first inning, including
Tyler Conklin who allowed no hits through one. WIU's starting pitcher Caden Kratz came back in the top of the second and gave nothing to the EIU offense. The Leathernecks' offense would strike first in the second with a two-run home run by C.J. Richmond off of Conklin to give WIU to early 2-0 lead.
The Panthers wouldn't be down for long as they struck back with three runs of their own in the third. After a walk by
Ja'Lil Akbar and a single by
Logan Eickhoff, Worcester hit a sac fly to center field that would score Akbar from third. Ignoffo and
Nathan Aide both hit back-to-back RBI doubles to give EIU the 3-2 advantange heading into the fourth.
WIU would go to Jack Carberry out of the bullpen in the fifth inning. Carberry would load the bases for
Nicholas Rucker who would single to right field and score
Lucas DiLuca from third.
Dalton Doyle followed that with an RBI single of his own to score Worcester and push the Panthers' lead to three.
After a scoreless sixth inning,
Jason DeCicco would enter the game on the mound for Eastern. DeCicco loaded the bases for Matt Santarelli who would walk in an RBI to cut the lead. Max Slavens would hit into a fielder's choice to score one, but an error by the EIU defense would bring home another to tie the game. WIU would score one more after an RBI by Dillon Sears. DeCicco would be replaced by Malatestinic who ended the inning.
Ignoffo would step up to the challenge in the eighth inning after he singled to shallow right center field which brought home Akbar and DiLuca for the go-ahead runs in the game. Malatestinic would go three up three down in the bottom of the inning to set up
Kyle Lang in the ninth. Lang would strike out two on his way to his first save of the season and the EIU win.
The Panthers score seven runs on 12 hits with two errors. WIU scored six runs on seven hits with no errors. EIU will be back in action this weekend as they travel to Nashville, Tenn. to face-off against the Bruins of Belmont. All three games will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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