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GAME ONE
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois baseball (15-8, 1-2 OVC) played the first of two games against Butler (6-20, 0-0 Big East) at Coaches Stadium on Sunday morning to the tune of a 14 inning game. EIU battled but fell to the Bulldogs 5-6 in 14 innings.

It marked the longest game for an EIU team since 2012 when Eastern Illinois and Austin Peay played a 17 inning game. Logan Eickhoff went 3-5 in game one while Grant Lashure delivered a huge two RBI double in the ninth inning.

Starting pitcher Ky Matthews-Hampton (ND) was a no decision after throwing in 6.0 innings and allowing two runs on eight hits with three strikeouts. Aaron Barokas (W, 2-2) earned the win for Butler while Colton Coca (1-1) suffered the loss.

QUICK STATS
Logan Eickhoff: 3-5, 3 SB
Grant Lashure: 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI
Kolten Poorman: 1-3, RBI
Ky Hampton: 6.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 3 K
Zane Robbins: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 K

Eastern Illinois held the early lead against the Bulldogs after scoring the first two runs in the third and fifth innings. Ignoffo hit a sacrifice fly to center to score one run while Joey Hagen had an RBI double to score Lincoln Riley in the fifth for a 2-0 lead.

Hampton allowed just five hits through the first five innings of work before giving up the tying runs in the top of the sixth inning. Kyle Van Liere had an RBI double for the first run and Cade Vota had a suicide squeeze that worked the even the game at two each.

The bats would go cold for the Panthers in the seventh and eighth innings as the Butler offense added a run in each of the next three innings to extend their lead to 5-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth inning.

EIU wouldn't shy away from a challenge after Lashure delivered his two RBI double to cut the lead to one. The final run came via Kolten Poorman who would enter the game with a pinch hit RBI single to tie teh game at 5-5.

The Panthers and Bulldogs would go on to play five more innings of baseball, reaching the 14 inning in the process. Barokas would pitch a strong 4.2 innings in relief while Dawson Taylor earned a save in the bottom of the 14th inning for Butler.

Zane Robbins also had a nice day on the mound after throwing in the 10th and 11th frames and allowing just two hits with four strikeouts. At last, Butler pulled through in the 14th inning off of Colton Coca to end the game.

EIU would score five runs on 13 hits with three errors while Butler scored six runs on 17 hits with two errors.

GAME TWO
Eastern Illinois baseball (15-9, 1-2 OVC) finished off their double header with Butler (7-20, 0-0 Big East) with a 2-0 loss in seven innings. Game two on Sunday was shortened due to the first game reaching into the 14th inning.

The Panthers offense only managed four hits in the loss. Jared Evans added two of those hits including a double. Lincoln Riley and Nicholas Rucker also had singles in the game.

Blake Malatestinic (L, 2-2) suffered the loss after throwing in 6.0 innings on Sunday and allowing two runs on six hits with three strikeouts. Cole Graverson (W, 1-3) earned his first win of the season after throwing in 5.0 innings and allow just one hit with five strikeouts.

QUICK STATS
Jared Evans: 2-3, 2B
Blake Malatestinic: L (2-2), 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 3 K
Jonathon Hanscom: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 K

After a scoreless first inning by both teams, Butler broke out the only home run of the double header after Xavier Carter hit a solo shot to right field with two outs off of Malatestinic. EIU would get runners on second and third in the bottom of the inning but failed to produce runs.

With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, Ben Gallaher reached first by an error by Butler. Gallaher's error eventually would lead to a throw by their shortstop to home to throw Evans out at the plate to keep EIU off the board.

Butler would score their final run of the afternoon off of a Malatestinic wild pitch which scored Joey Urban. Graverson did not allow a base runner in the final three innings of the game for Butler.

EIU had four hits and no errors in the loss. Butler scored two runs on six hits with two errors. The Panthers will be back in action next weekend as they travel to SIUE for an OVC showdown in Edwardsville, Ill. starting on Thursday, April 8. For more information go to eiupanthers.com.