FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Eastern Illinois (3-1, 0-0 OVC) lost their first game of the season to No. 9 Arkansas (4-1, 0-0 SEC) by a final score of 2-13 in seven innings. The Razorbacks have won the last eight meetings against the Panthers.
Ryan Ignoffo went a perfect 2-2 at the plate today including a pair of singles while being walked and hit-by-pitch.
Chris Worcester and
Lucas DiLuca both picked up an RBI in the loss.
Starting pitcher
Blake Malatestinic (L, 0-1) lost his first game of the season after throwing in three innings and allowing six runs on six hits. Hagen Smith (W, 1-0) picked up the win for the Razorbacks.
QUICK STATS
Ryan Ignoffo: 2-2, BB, HBP
Chris Worcester: 1-3, RBI, K
Grant Lashure: 1-3, 2B, R
Blake Malatestinic: L (0-1), 3.0 IP, 6 R, 6 H, 2 BB, K
Nick Laxner: 3.1 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 4 K
Early on during Friday's game, the Panthers failed to bring in runs leaving two stranded in the first inning after scoring first in their first three games of the season. Ignoffo picked up one of his hits during the first. Malatestinic went three up, three down to start his afternoon in the bottom of the inning.
After a scoreless second, the Razorbacks capitalized on two bunt singles off of Malatestinic. Kendall Diggs was walked with the bases loaded to give Arkansas their first run of the afternoon. Jared Wegner (2 RBI), Brady Slavens (RBI), Ben McLaughlin (RBI) and Peyton Holt (RBI) all drove in runs to go up 6-0.
Nick Laxner entered the game on the mound for EIU in the fourth and struck out two of his first three Razorbacks. After EIU left the bases loaded in the top of the fifth, Laxner would give up one run after an RBI single by Holt.
Eastern Illinois would get on the board in the top of the sixth off of Austin Ledbetter for Arkansas. After a HBP by
Cade Zalewski and a double by
Grant Lashure, Worcester would deliver his first hit and RBI of the season to cut the lead to 7-1. DiLuca would also hit a sacrifice fly to center to give EIU their second and final run of the afternoon.
In the bottom of the seventh, Arkansas would score six runs off of Laxner and
Jack Potteiger to end the game. Holt and John Bolton would each earn and RBI off of two errors by the EIU defense. Arkansas' Diggs would end the game at 13-2 with a three-run homerun to center field.
EIU posted two runs on six hits while committing three errors and leaving nine runners left on base. Arkansas scored 13 runs on 11 hits while having zero errors through seven innings.
The Panthers will be back in action tomorrow afternoon at 12:00 p.m. CT for their second game in a three game series against Arkansas. Livestats will be available and the game will be streaming on SEC Network+.
