CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois (31-18, 10-11 OVC) take the season sweep over Western Illinois (7-42, 4-17 SUMMIT) with a 6-1 victory Tuesday afternoon on senior day. Before the game, six seniors were honored as they play their final season at EIU:
Nathan Aide,
Trevor Nicholson,
Cameron Doherty,
Kyle Lang,
Jason DeCicco, and
Dalton Doyle. Starting pitcher
Tyler Conklin threw an excellent game, as he went six innings while allowing only one run and two hits. Aide would add a home run on his senior day for his 10th of the season. Doyle also earned an RBI on his senior day. All of Eastern's runs were scored within the first three innings.
QUICK STATS
Tyler Conklin: W (3-0), 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 2 K
Zane Robbins: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, BB, K
Nathan Aide: 1-3, HR, 2 RBI, R, 2 BB
Ben Gallaher: 2-4, 2B, RBI
Dalton Doyle: 1-3, RBI, BB
Eastern's offense started the game off hot by scoring in the first three innings. In the first, Conklin was able to go three up three down to start the game on the mound. On offense, Aide started the game off with a two run home run to left field to put EIU out in front.
Nicholas Rucker would hit a triple the next at-bat, and was hit home by Doyle with an RBI single through the left side.
Smart at-bats by the Panther hits allowed for two walks to lead off the second.
Lucas DiLuca was able to load the bases with an error by WIU.
Chris Worcester picked up the game's fourth run with a fielder's choice that would score
Sean Lynch Jr. The Panthers would then execute a double steal to score
Ja'Lil Akbar from third. EIU would go up 5-0 after two.
EIU would start off the third with two walks by Rucker and Doyle.
Ben Gallaher stepped up with an RBI single through the gap in between third and short to bring home Rucker. The Panthers would leave two stranded in the inning, but would lead 6-0.
Conklin allowed the first hit to the Leatherneck's offense in the fourth inning with one out as Kory Olsen singled back up the middle. Panthers would get to ground outs to end the inning. Conklin would throw into the seventh, and was relief by DeCicco. After a wild pitch, Chase VanDerGinst hit a double down the third base line to score C.J. Richmond for WIU's only run of the game.
Zane Robbins would entered the game for the Panthers in the top of the ninth. Robbins allowed a walk and a single to start the inning, but ended the game with a strikeout and a 4-6-3 double play to secure the Panther's 31st win of the season.
EIU scored six runs on eight hits with no errors. WIU scored one run on four hits with one error.
The Panthers will be back in action on Thursday, May 19th at 3:00 p.m. at Coaches Stadium for their final home series of the season against Ohio Valley Conference opponent Southeast Missouri State. Livestats will be made available throughout the series.
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