CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The Eastern Illinois baseball team (3-5, 0-0 OVC) came up just short against Austin Peay (7-4, 0-0 ASUN) on Saturday afternoon, falling 5-4 in Clarksville. The Panthers took a one-run lead into the bottom of the eighth before a pair of unearned runs made the difference for the Governors.

The EIU bats scored four runs on eight hits and two errors. Three Panthers posted multi-hit outings, including Peyton Wilson who went 2-5 with a double and a team-leading two RBIs.

Bryce Riggs (0-1) was designated the loss despite giving up zero earned runs on just one hit with a pair of strikeouts through two innings of relief work.

Tyler Conklin recorded another strong start for Eastern with a line of three earned runs on five hits with six strikeouts through six complete innings.

Austin Peay scored all three of their earned runs in the bottom of the first, with Gus Freeman bringing two in with a double before later scoring on the throw as part of a Cole Johnson groundout.

However, Conklin was lights out for the remainder of his outing, blanking the Governors through the next five innings while allowing just two hits.

Eastern found their first runs in the fifth inning with Brett Stanley bringing in Ethan Rossi with a single and Zak Goodwin Scoring on a Peyton Wilson RBI fielder's choice.

The Panthers would make it three consecutive innings with a run scored, as a Goodwin RBI single tied the game in the sixth before Stanley scored on a Wilson groundout in the seventh to push the Panthers in front.

Riggs preserved the lead with a 1-2-3 inning in the seventh, but after Peay loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth, a fielding error allowed two runs to score for the Governors, putting the Panthers back behind by one.

Peyton Wilson doubled with one out in the ninth to give Eastern a runner in scoring position, but the next two EIU batters grounded out to finish the game.

The series finale is scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m. Live Stats and ESPN+ coverage will be available.