Photo Gallery (by Dayton Simpson)

CHARLESTON, Ill. – There was no shortage of offense at Coaches Stadium on Tuesday, as the Eastern Illinois baseball team (9-13, 2-1 OVC) dropped a 15-14 barn burner against in-state foe Northern Illinois (8-13, 1-8 MAC) to close out a four-game homestand.

13 of EIU's runs were earned as the Panthers racked up a total of 14 hits. Chris Worcester led the team with a season-high four knocks, including a pair of doubles, for his tenth multi-hit performance of the season.

Meanwhile, Eli Hill went 2-5 at the plate with a home run and a team-high five RBIs, while Mike O'Conor went 2-6 with a homer and four RBIs. It was the Panthers' first multi-home run game of the season. 

Six Eastern pitchers saw action, with Dalton Boruff allowing zero runs with a pair of strikeouts through two innings of relief work.

The offensive fireworks started early with the Huskies posting a five spot in the top of the first that featured home runs from Logan Gregorio and Will Couchman, while two runs were scored on a fielding error.

The Panthers answered right back in the bottom of the first, as Eli Hill launched a ball over the left field wall with the bases loaded to make the score 5-4.

After Eli Cartwright retired the NIU side in order in the top of the second, lead-off man Chris Worcester doubled before scoring on a Mike O'Conor sacrifice fly later in the inning to tie the game.

The teams traded a run each in the third with the Huskies briefly regaining the lead with a Ben Loyd RBI groundout before Brett Stanley scored on a double steal in the bottom of the inning.

Northern went back on top in the fourth behind a Gregorio RBI goundout before breaking the game wide open in the sixth with another five-run frame that included an Andrew Smart three-run homer to center field.

Now trailing 12-6, the Eastern bats went to work in the bottom of the sixth, scoring four runs on a Brett Stanley sacrifice fly, Quade Peters RBI double, and Chris Worcester two RBI single.

The teams remained separated by two runs entering the eighth after plating one run apiece in the seventh inning.

Dalton Boruff held the Huskies scoreless in the eighth, and following a Chris Worcester double and Tyler Castro walk, Mike O'Conor delivered EIU their first lead the game with a monster three-run home run to center field.

However, the NIU bats had more to say, and after a Charlie Parcell single and Gregorio double, the Huskies recaptured the lead with a Baldwin two RBI base hit in the top of the ninth.

Northern walked the bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but the Panthers were unable to bring the tying or winning runs across, as they suffered their fourth one-run loss of the season.

Eastern will resume OVC play this weekend with a trip to Morehead State. The three-game set gets underway on Friday at 6 p.m. ET. The Panthers return to Charleston for a five-game home stand next week, beginning with a nonconference battle with Bulter on Tuesday, April 1st at 3 p.m.