FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -Â Eastern Illinois (4-2, 0-0 OVC) avoid the sweep at Baum-Walker Stadium after taking game three over No. 9 Arkansas (5-2, 0-0 SEC) by a final score of 12-3. Marks first win against a ranked opponent since 2016 (No. 12 Arkansas).
Cole Gober had a monster day at the plate after going 4-5 with four RBI, a double and two solo home runs.
Ryan Ignoffo also had two hits including a two-run home run.
Winning pitcher Ky Hampton (W, 2-0) went seven innings while allowing three runs on three hits with four strikeouts. Arkansas only posted two extra base hits on the afternoon. Cody Adcock (L, 1-1) picked up the loss for the Razorbacks after allowing four runs on four hits.
It marks the third win in program history against Arkansas and the fifth win all-time against a ranked opponent.
QUICK STATS
Cole Gober: 4-5, 4 RBI, 2 HR, 2B, 2 R
Ryan Ignoffo: 2-5, 3 RBI, HR, 2 R
Chris Worcester: 2-5, RBI, 2B, 2 R, BB
Ky Hampton: W (2-0), 7.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, BB, 4 K
Eastern Illinois brought the bats out early on Sunday afternoon after scoring the first run in the top of the first.
Lincoln Riley would get the first of EIU's 14 hits to leadoff the game and was brought home by Gober for his first RBI of the day.
Arkansas would strike back in the second with a solo home run by Jace Bohrofen off of Hampton. It was one of three hits allowed on the day by Hampton in his second start of the season. The Razorbacks would go hitless the next nine batters against Hampton.
EIU would give up two runs in the bottom of the fifth after an RBI double by John Bolton and an RBI single by Tavian Josenberger to take their only lead of the game at 3-1. Gober would chip away at the lead in the sixth after he hit his first of two home runs in the ball game.
The Panthers would take control of the game with two outs in the top of the seventh after a
Chris Worcester RBI double to bring home Riley. EIU would go back-to-back home runs to left field off of Adcock with Ignoffo and Gober to extend their lead to 6-3.
Hampton ended his day on the mound in the seventh after retiring seven straight Razorbacks. He is the only starting pitcher for the Panthers this season to go at least six innings in both starts.
With a 6-3 lead heading into the eight, the Panthers matched their run total by adding six more.
Robby Taul got the action started with an RBI single through the left side of the infield to score
Ben Gallaher. After an error and a walk, Taul would score from third after a wild pitch by Gage Wood.
With the bases loaded, Ignoffo would hit a shallow single into right field to bring home his third RBI of the day. Gober followed that with an RBI single to right field to score Riley. With a full count,
Cade Zalewski was walked with the bases loaded to score another. The scoring ended with a pass ball by Parker Coil to bring home Ignoffo for the sixth and final run.
Ignoffo and
Zane Robbins closed out the game pitching in the eighth and ninth innings while only allowing one hit. Arkansas managed just one hit through the final four innings.
Eastern Illinois scored 12 runs (most this season) on 14 hits with just one error. The Razorbacks scored three runs on four hits with two errors on the afternoon.
The Panthers will be back in action next weekend for a four game series at Dayton University. The action starts on Friday, March 3 at 2:00 p.m. CT. EIU will play a double header on Saturday while finishing up the series on Sunday. Livestats will be provided for all four games.
