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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Eastern Illinois (1-6, 0-0 OVC) fell to in-state rival Illinois (3-5, 0-0 Big 10) 12-2 on Tuesday afternoon. Some heavy hitting and a strong five innings from Illinois starting pitcher Cooper Omans led the Illini to their first win over the Panthers since 2016.

Illinois got off to a hot start with three runs in the first inning, including a two-run homer off the bat of Drake Wescott. The Illini proceeded to double their lead in the second inning, scoring their fourth run on a sacrifice fly before a Camden Janik double brought two more runs in to score.

EIU reliever Jonathon Hanscom held Illinois in check for the next two innings, but the Panthers offense was unable to get off the ground, as Cooper Omans limited the Panthers to just three hits while recoding six strikeouts through five innings of work.

The Illini added more to their lead in the bottom of fifth with another Wescott two-run homer to make the score 8-0. Illinois would go on to score four more runs, including a pair of solo long balls, before Eastern managed to get on the board in the top of the 9th.

The Panthers' first score came by way of a Cade Zalewski single that drove Cole Gober in from third base. After Tyler Castro put runners at the corners, Danny Infante recorded his third RBI of the season with a single to left field that plated Zalewski. However, Illinois was able to get a ground out in the next at bat to seal the victory.

Christian Carew (0-2) takes the loss for the Panthers while Cooper Omans (1-0) picks up his first win of the season for the Illini.

Trenton Pallas was the only Eastern batter to record more than one hit on the afternoon with two, as the Panthers combined for just eight total.

Jonathon Hanscom put in a solid 2.1 innings on the mound for EIU, only allowing two hits and zero earned runs.

EIU will be back on the road this weekend when they travel to Greensboro, North Carolina to battle with North Carolina A&T. Game one of the three-game series is slated for Friday, March 1st at 3 p.m. Central Time.