CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois baseball (19-13, 3-6 OVC) won their first Ohio Valley Conference series of the season after winning the Saturday double header over Little Rock (19-14, 7-5 OVC). The weekend was capped off with a walk-off win by
Kolten Poorman in game two.
The Panthers won game one by a final score of 5-3 in which
Colton Coca earned his third win of the season after throwing 2.1 innings in relief. EIU took game two by a final score of 7-6 in the bottom of the ninth inning thanks to Poorman's heroics.
GAME ONE: EIU 5 LR 4
Eastern Illinois put up double digit hits in their 5-3 victory over the Trojans in game one of an OVC double header.
Colton Coca took home the victory for Eastern Illinois after throwing 2.1 innings of relief for starting pitcher Ky-Matthews Hampton.
Hampton went 6.0 innings in the game allowing nine hits and three runs while striking out four.
Zane Robbins also picked up his third save for the Panthers in the victory.
Lincoln Riley was steady at the plate for Eastern Illinois in game one as he collected his three hits including a double to lead the way for the Panthers.
Dominic DiLello also added two hits and a run scored in the game after being subsituted into the game in the fifth.
Grant Lashure got EIU on the board in game one in the fourth inning after a two RBI single which brough home Poorman and
Ryan Ignoffo. DiLuca would score DiLello in the sixth to give the Panthers a 3-0 lead.
Little Rock scored all three of their runs off of Hampton in the seventh inning with Trey Hill and Tyler Williams picking up an RBI to tie the game. Coca would enter the game and only allow one hit the rest of the way.
Nicholas Rucker earned his only hit of the game in the seventh inning, but gave the Panthers the go-ahead run to put EIU on top 4-3. Riley would later score on a wild pitch in the eighth inning to give EIU an insurance run.
Robbins entered the game with one out in the top of the ninth and delivered his third save of the season. He added one strikeout of the two batters he faced.
The Panthers won game one with five runs on 10 hits with one error. Little Rock scored three runs on 10 hits with two errors.
GAME TWO: EIU 7 LR 6
Late game heroics from
Kolten Poorman allowed Eastern Illinois to collect their first OVC series win of the season. Eastern Illinois improved to 3-6 in conference play and moved up the seventh in the standings.
Blake Malatestinic had a good outing as the starting pitcher for Eastern Illinois. Despite the no decision, Malatestinic threw in 5.0 innings allowing six hits and one run with two strikeouts.
Logan Eickhoff had the big day at the plate for the Panthers as he had three hits and two RBI to lead Eastern Illinois.
Lucas DiLuca also provided a spark by having to sacrifice flyouts for the Panthers to net two runs.
After Little Rock scored a run on a double play by the Panther defense in the second inning, Eastern Illinois struck back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the second. DiLuca and Eickhoff both had an RBI in the inning.
Eastern Illinois wouldn't score until the fifth inning starting with a bunt RBI single by
Dominic DiLello. That was followed by
Ben Gallaher scoring on a throwing error by the Little Rock defense. DiLuca would deliver his second sac fly of the ball game to give EU the 5-1 advantage.
Jonathon Hanscom would enter the game in the sixth inning for the Panthers. He would allow two runs in the sixth inning, but would settle down and retire the next nine Trojans he faced.
With the score at 5-3,
Zane Robbins entered the game with two runners on in the top of the ninth inning. After a wild pitch by Robbins, Graydon Martin delivered the game tying two RBI single for the Trojans. Tyler Williams then hit an RBI single to put Little Rock up one.
Ryan Ignoffo would enter the game in the ninth to close of the side.
In the bottom of the ninth, DiLuca and
Lincoln Riley both got on with just one out. Eickhoff then hit an RBI single to score DiLuca and tied the game at 6-6. After an intentionally walk of
Ryan Ignoffo,
Kolten Poorman had his biggest RBI of the season with a fielder's choice to end the game.
Eastern Illinois scored seven runs on 11 hits with one error. Little Rock scored six runs on 12 hits with six errors.
The Panthers will be back in action next Tuesday, as they travel to Champaign, Ill. to play the Fighting Illini of Illinois. The game starts at 6:00 p.m. CT. For more updates go to eiupanthers.com.
