Baseball Visits Western Illinois For OVC Clash

Will be first conference meeting with WIU since 1996

4/3/2024 10:35:00 AM

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Eastern Illinois (6-18, 1-5 OVC) at Western Illinois (6-18, 2-4 OVC)
Apr. 5-7 | Macomb, Ill.

Game 1 – Friday, 3 p.m. | Live Stats
Game 2 - Saturday, 1 p.m. | Watch | Live Stats
Game 3 – Sunday, 1 p.m. | Watch | Live Stats

Full Series Notes

ON TAP: The Eastern Illinois baseball team continues their OVC schedule this weekend with a trip to Macomb to face Western Illinois. The teams will play three games, with the first scheduled for Friday, April 5th at 3 p.m.

SERIES HISTORY: Since 1960, the Panthers are 93-58-1 versus the Leathernecks. Last season, EIU took both games of their home and home series, including a 9-3 win in Macomb. This will be their first meeting as conference opponents since 1996 when both teams were members of the Mid-Continent Conference.

SCOUTING THE LEATHERNECKS:

Western enters this weekend with an overall record of 6-18 (2-4 OVC). After winning their conference opening series against UT Martin, the Leathernecks were swept by Tennessee Tech in Cookeville last week.
As a team, WIU is batting .234 with an ERA of 10.48, which are both last in the OVC.
Their offense is led by Maxton Palod with a .333 batting average and 14 RBI.
Pitcher Caden Kratz leads the OVC with six saves. He has a 1.47 ERA through 18.1 innings pitched.
The Leathernecks are led by first year head coach Terry Davis.

LAST TIME OUT: The Panthers went 1-2 in a very competitive OVC series at UT Martin last week. The Skyhawks won the first two games in walk-off fashion before EIU broke through for their first OVC win of the season with an 8-4 victory on Saturday.

QUICK HITTERS:

Lucas Loos' .395 batting average is fourth best in the OVC. He is third in slugging percentage (.767) and second in OPS (1.247).
Loos leads the conference in doubles with 12.
Cole Gober (.333) and Dylan Drumke (.309) are also batting north of .300 this season.
Jonathon Hanscom's 4.56 ERA is eighth best in the OVC. His 12 earned runs allowed are tied for second fewest in the league.
Since making his debut against Lindenwood on March 19, Slater Wilcox has allowed just three earned runs through 11.2 innings pitched. His 2.31 ERA is lowest on the team.
Catcher Grant Lashure has caught eight runners stealing this season, which is third most in the conference.

CATEGORY LEADERS:
Hits: Lucas Loos (35), Cole Gober (32), Michael O'Conor (26)
Multi-Hit Games: Lucas Loos (10), Cole Gober (9), Michael O'Conor/Grant Lashure (7)
Home Runs: Lucas Loos/Dylan Drumke (6), Cole Gober (5), Michael O'Conor (3)
RBI: Dylan Drumke (25), Lucas Loos (21), Michael O'Conor (17)
Strikeouts: Colton Coca (29), Jonathon Hanscom (25), Bryce Riggs (24)

NEXT UP: The Panthers will return to Charleston for a six-game home stand beginning Tuesday, April 9th when they host Northern Illinois at 3 p.m. They will then welcome SIUE to Coaches Stadium for another OVC series next weekend.

HEAD COACH: Jason Anderson begins his ninth season as the Eastern Illinois head baseball coach. Anderson got his first win as the Eastern Illinois head coach on March 5, 2016 against No. 12 Arkansas by a final score of 10-8 (10 innings). He would go on to finish with a 15-39 record in his first season. He would improve each season over the next three years after posting 21, 23 and 26 wins before posting an 8-6 record during the 2020 COVID-19 season. The following season, Anderson coached Trey Sweeney who was drafted 20th overall by the New York Yankees in the 2021 MLB Draft. Sweeney was the third highest drafted Panther of all-time. In 2022, Anderson would reach a new high mark for wins in a season after going 33-20 and securing the number four seed in the OVC Tournament. It was the most wins by an EIU team since 2001. In 2023, Anderson coached EIU to a school record 38 wins, OVC Tournament Championship, and NCAA Regional berth. It was the Panthers' first Regional appearance since the 2008 season. He is a 2012 graduate of the University of Illinois after playing baseball there from 1998-2000. He was the Pitcher of the Year in the Big Ten during the 2000 season and was drafted in the 10th round by the New York Yankees. After his eight-year playing career in the MLB, he made coaching stops at Danville Community College and the University of Illinois before coming to Eastern Illinois. He is assisted by Mike Pugliese. J.D. Pulfer, and Brad Merritt.

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