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CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois (29-14, 10-7 OVC) splits a Saturday double header with Morehead State (20-24, 9-8 OVC) at Coaches Stadium for EIU's first true home games of the year. Trevor Nicholson dominated in game one one the mound with 11 strikeouts in eight innings of work in a 5-3 victory. Hayden Birdsong would pick up the save in game one. Nicholas Rucker and Nathan Aide would homer in game two to give EIU a 7-1 lead, but the Eagles fought back to score three in the ninth to beat EIU 8-9. Game two starting pitcher Cameron Doherty threw 5.1 innings while allowing four runs and struck out four. Blake Malatestinic earned the loss in game two.

GAME ONE QUICK STATS
Trevor Nicholson: W (5-0), 8.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 11 K
Hayden Birdsong: S (1), 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 K
Lucas DiLuca: 2-4, HR (2), 2 RBI, R
Ryan Ignoffo: 2-4, R
Chris Worcester: 1-3, HR, 2 RBI, R, BB

Game one was a rubber match between Nicholson and Morehead State's Luke Helton who threw all eight innings for MSU. Helton was able to go all eight innings while allowing ten hits, five runs, and struck out six Panthers. Nicholson also threw eight innings while collecting 11 strikeouts, his fourth game this season with double digit strikeouts and his most since March 25 at UT Martin (14).

Morehead State got on the board first in game one with a two RBI double by Chase Vinson. He would go on to hit eight in total on Saturday.

EIU would take the lead back in the bottom of the second after Worcester crushed a ball to right center field for a two-run home run to tie the game. After a double by Rucker, Grant Lashure would hit an RBI single to put EIU up 3-2.

Nicholson would retire 13 straight Eagles beginning in the third inning and going until the eighth where he allowed a walk. He would then strikeout three straight Eagles to end his day with 11 Ks. Lucas DiLuca also added a two-run home run in the fifth to extend EIU's lead to 5-2.

Zane Robbins collected the first out in the ninth, but loaded the bases and walked in a run to cut the lead to two. After a pitching change, Birdsong shut the door on MSU with two strikeouts to end game one.

EIU scored five runs on 10 hits with no errors in game one while MSU scored three runs on four hits and had one error.

GAME TWO QUICK STATS
Nicholas Rucker: 1-1, HR, 3 RBI, R, 3 BB
Chris Worcester 3-5, RBI, 2 R, 2 SB
Nathan Aide: 1-2, HR, RBI, 2 R, BB
Cameron Doherty: 5.1 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 0 BB, 4 K
Blake Malatestinic: L (4-4), 1.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, BB, K

Both offenses came out in game two of the double header. The Panthers got the game started in the second inning with an RBI by Bryce Hayman on a fielder's choice that would score Ryan Ignoffo after he singled. EIU would also pull off a double steal in the second inning after a strikeout by Lashure that brought home Worcester.

The Eagles would cut the lead to one in the third after a solo homerun by Ryley Preece. EIU would tack more on in the third after Ignoffo hit a sac fly to deep right field to score Nathan Aide. Worcester would then step up with a single to center field to score DiLuca. Rucker would end the third with a three-run blast to right field to score Worcester and Eickhoff and put EIU up 7-1. 

Vinson would come back up to the plate in the fourth and cut the Panther lead to three with a three-run blast of his own off of Doherty. Doherty would settle down and get out of the inning. Aide was able to come back up in the fourth and hit a solo home run of his own to push the lead to four.

Morehead State took over in the last two innings by scoring two in the eighth and three in the ninth to take the lead. Vinson hit his second home run of the day, this one off of Kyle Lang in the eighth inning. Malatestinic would come in the ninth and give up three runs. Roman Kuntz would double to bring home one run. Alex Jacobs would then ground out to Worcester at short, but did manage to tie the game with a run. Nick Gooden would single in the ninth to score one more and give MSU the game two victory.

EIU scored eight runs on nine hits with no errors. MSU scored 9 runs on 16 hits with no errors. Both teams will be back in action tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 p.m. for game three. ESPN+ will be available.