CHARLESTON, Ill. – The Eastern Illinois baseball team (16-32, 10-14 OVC) celebrated Senior Day on Sunday with a big 5-1 win over Morehead State (30-21, 14-10 OVC). Against a high-powered Eagles batting order, Colton Coca and Jonathon Hanscom combined to allow just one run on three hits to lift the Panthers to victory.

While pitching proved to be the story, the EIU offense started hot to give Coca and Hanscom some solid run support. Cole Gober got the scoring started with an RBI single that drove home fellow senior Lucas Loos to put Eastern up 1-0 after one.

In the second, the Panthers put up the only multi-run inning of the ball game, with Trenton Pallas scoring on a wild pitch, before a Lucas Loos single plated Dylan Drumke and Tyler Castro to give EIU a 4-0 advantage.

The next three half innings were scoreless with all nine batters being retired in order, but Tyler Castro broke the silence in the fifth with a lead-off home run to right field. It was Castro's first home run of the season.

Morehead State finally found some offensive life in the top of the sixth, and after loading the bases with two outs, walked in their first run of the game. However, EIU starter Colton Coca remained unfazed and forced a fly out to escape the jam with minimal damage.

It was Coca's final out of the game, as he finished his day with five strikeouts while surrendering just one run on two hits through six complete innings.

Jonathon Hanscom entered the game in the seventh and recorded the final nine outs to pick up his fifth save of the season. He struck out four while allowing just one hit and no runs.

Morehead State's three total hits were tied for the fewest they had recorded in a single game this season. 

Coca (2-3) was awarded the win while Ethan Davis (0-1) suffered the loss.

Offensively, Lucas Loos had yet another productive outing, going 2-3 with an RBI and extending his reached-base streak to 43 games.

Tyler Castro (2-3, R, RBI) and Trenton Pallas (2-4, R) also posted multi-hit performances, while Cole Gober went 1-2 with an RBI.

The Panthers are set to close out their non-conference schedule with a midweek game at Illinois State on Tuesday at 5 p.m. They will then conclude the regular season with a three-game set at Lindenwood next weekend. Game one is scheduled for Thursday, May 16th at 5 p.m.