GREENSBORO, N.C. – Eastern Illinois (1-8, 0-0 OVC) dropped both of their double header contests against North Carolina A&T (8-2, 0-0 CAA) on Saturday. A strong offensive output in game one along with some impressive pitching performances carried the Aggies past the Panthers.
North Carolina A&T 10, Eastern Illinois 3
EIU dropped their opening game against North Carolina A&T by a score of 10-3. A strong showing from Aggies starting pitcher Coley Kilpatrick paved the way for the NCAT victory.
The Aggies got things going early with two RBI singles in the bottom of the first to take a 2-0 lead.
The Panthers threatened in the top of the third after a couple of errors allowed
Grant Lashure to advance to third base and
Quade Peters stole second following a walk, but Coley Kilpatrick worked back-to-back strikeouts to escape the inning and keep EIU off the board.
NCAT tacked on one run apiece in their next two at-bats before exploding with four runs in the bottom of the fifth to put Eastern in a 8-0 hole.
Meanwhile, the Panthers' hitters struggled to figure out Kilpatrick and had zero hits entering the sixth inning.
EIU's first knock first came by way of an
Eli Hill lead-off single in the top of the sixth, but the Panthers were unable to build any momentum as the next three batters went down in order.
After the Aggies scored two more in the bottom of the sixth, the Panthers finally broke through to plate three runs in the seventh.
EIU's first run was scored when
Kolten Poorman doubled to drive in
Michael O'Conor from second. In the next at-bat, a fly ball off the bat of
Chris Worcester allowed
Danny Infante to tag and score from third.
Kolten Poorman took home off of a wild pitch for EIU's third run of the inning.
The Panthers would move runners into scoring position in both the eighth and ninth innings but were unable to capitalize as they fell 10-3.
Tyler Conklin (0-2) took the loss for EIU, while Coley Kilpatrick (1-0) picked up the win for NCAT. Kilpatrick allowed just one hit while striking out seven batters through six innings of work.
North Carolina A&T 4, Eastern Illinois 3
In a much more competitive game two, the Panthers fell 4-3. The game was originally scheduled for seven innings but took eight to be decided.
A&T got on the board first when Shemar Dalton scored on a wild pitch in the first. However, with the bases loaded,
Jonathon Hanscom forced a fly out to get out of the inning and limit the damage.
The Panthers evened up the score in the third inning with a
Cole Gober single that brought home
Trenton Pallas from second.
Eastern then took their first lead of the series when
Grant Lashure drove home
Lucas Loos with a ground out to second. In the next at-bat,
Dylan Drumke extended the lead with a solo home run, his first of the season.
After a scoreless fifth, the Aggies responded in the sixth inning with a two-run homer off the bat of TJ Ash that tied the game at three apiece heading into the final regulation frame.
Eastern loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the seventh, but NCAT reliever Angel Ortiz shut the door with a strikeout to keep things tied. The Panthers would hold the Aggies scoreless in the bottom half to force the game into extra innings.
After EIU's batters were put out in order the top of the eighth, TJ Ash singled with the bases loaded to walk things off for the Aggies.
Zane Robbins (1-1) suffered the loss for EIU while Angel Ortiz (1-0) was credited with the win.
The Panthers and Aggies are scheduled to close out their series with a single game on Sunday. The action is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. CT.
