COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Eastern Illinois baseball team (15-27, 9-11 OVC) dropped their Saturday evening game against Tennessee Tech (27-20, 11-9 OVC) by a score of 6-5. The Panthers rallied back from a four-run deficit late but were unable to complete the comeback win as TTU tied the series in walk-off fashion.

Both offenses were held scoreless through the first inning before Tennessee Tech opened up the scoring with a Whitcomb sacrifice fly in the second inning.

The Golden Eagles extended their lead further in the third inning with a Theo Bryant three-run home run that put EIU in an early 0-4 hole.

Both teams generated base runners in the fourth and fifth innings but were unable to push any runs across in either frame.

In the sixth, the Panthers broke through for a run with a Joey Hagen RBI single that plated Quade Peters, who had initially reached on a base hit and recorded his team-high 12th stolen base to move into scoring position.

In the bottom of the seventh, TTU responded with an RBI single of their own to extend the EIU deficit back to four runs.

With two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the eighth, Michael O'Conor delivered a base hit that drove in two runs to cut the TTU lead to 5-3.

Not long after, the Panthers pushed another run across when an errant throwdown on an O'Conor stolen base allowed Eli Hill to score from third.

With O'Conor now in scoring position, Trenton Pallas came through with an RBI single to tie the game at 5-5.

However, with the score still tied and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, a wild pitch allowed Nico Jordan to score from third, giving Tennessee Tech a 6-5 walk-off victory.

Zane Robbins (1-4) was handed the loss while Jaxson Pease (6-2) picked up the win.

Christian Carew had another solid effort in relief, giving up just one run on three hits with three strikeouts through three and a third innings pitched.

Michael O'Conor led EIU offensively with a 2-4, two RBI performance.

Joey Hagen (2-4, RBI), Trenton Pallas (2-4, RBI) and Quade Peters (2-5, 2 R) also recorded multi-hit outings.

The series rubber match is scheduled for Sunday at 12 p.m.