DAYTON, Ohio - Eastern Illinois baseball (5-4, 0-0 OVC) got back in the win column after winning the third game of a four game series against Dayton (2-7, 0-0 A-10) by a final score of 8-1. It marks the first ever win for the Panthers against the Flyers.
Ryan Ignoffo at the plate had a big day after going 3-5 with two solo home runs and a double.
Cade Zalewski also hit hit a solo home run, his third HR in the last three games.
Chris Worcester also earned his first home run of the season.
Sunday starter
Ky Matthews-Hampton (3-0) picked up his third win of the season after pitching in 8.2 innings while allowing just one run on eight hits with three strikeouts. Nate Espelin (0-2) suffers the loss after throwing 5.0 innings for the Flyers while giving up four runs to EIU.
QUICK STATS
Ryan Ignoffo: 3-5, 2 HR, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R
Cade Zalewski: 1-4, HR, RBI, R
Chris Worcester: 2-5, HR, 2 RBI, R
Ky Hampton: W (3-0), 8.2 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 3 K
EIU jumped out to the early 2-0 lead in the first two innings after Ignoffo and Zalewski both hit solo home runs in the first and second innings. Zalewski currently leads the Panthers in home runs with four after having one in the last three games.
Despite having allowed three hits in the first two innings, Hampton managed to force Dayton into a double play in the first inning while getting an inning ending strikeout in the second to keep EIU's lead.
Lincoln Riley was able to get on base in the fifth after being hit-by-pitch which set up the two-run blast by Worcester to give EIU the 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the inning. Dayton would score their only run of the ballgame in the fifth after an RBI double by Ben Jones.
Eastern would tack on two more runs in the top of the sixth with a pass ball to score
Nicholas Rucker and Riley would be walked with the bases loaded to bring home
Grant Lashure to bring the score to 6-1. Hampton would put down the next nine batters between the sixth and eighth innings.
The Panthers would add two more insurance runs in the top of the ninth with Ignoffo's second solo home run of the game and a RBI double by Lashure. With the bases loaded,
Jackson Nichols would get a lineout to
Ja'Lil Akbar at shortstop to end the game.
EIU would score eight runs on 14 hits with no errors and 10 left on base. Dayton would score one run on eight hits with no errors and seven left on base.
Tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 p.m. CT will mark the final game of a four game series between EIU and Dayton. Livestats will be provided on eiupanthers.com.
