INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Masterful pitching and timely hitting led the Eastern Illinois baseball team (20-17, 9-5 OVC) to a 12-1 run-rule victory over Bulter (14-26, 3-6 Big East) on Tuesday afternoon, extending their current win streak to five games.

The win improves EIU's all-time record against the Bulldogs to 21-13. It also completes Eastern's first season sweep of Butler since 2019.

Eight of EIU's 12 runs were earned on a day in which the Panthers out-hit the Bulldogs 12 to 4. James Love led the way with three hits, while Mike O'Conor and Jake Ottensmeier accounted for the bulk of Eastern's scoring production with four RBIs apiece.

Three EIU pitchers saw action in the game compared to nine for Butler. Bryce Riggs picked up the win after allowing no runs on just two hits with a strikeout through the game's first two and two-thirds innings.

Jack Potteiger allowed just one run on two hits in middle relief before Elijah Green pitched three scoreless innings to close the game, surrendering zero hits with two strikeouts.

Despite the strong offensive outing, the day did not go without some missed opportunities, as the Panthers left the bases loaded in each of the first two innings without scoring a run.

However, Eastern loaded the bases yet again in the third inning and this time the chance did not go begging, as Jake Ottensmeier stepped to the plate and delivered a bases clearing triple to put the Panthers up 3-0.

Following a scoreless fourth inning, Butler scored their first and only run of the game with a Jack Bello RBI single in the top of the fifth.

EIU responded in the top of the sixth as Pierce Bauerle was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to drive in a Brett Stanley, but they were unable to plate any more runs in the frame as they left another three runners stranded.

The Panthers hung their second three-spot of the game in the seventh, with Ethan Rossi leading off the inning a ground rule double before Jake Ottensmeier recorded another RBI with a single to right field.

Following a Chris Worcester sacrifice bunt that moved Ottensmeier to second, Mike O'Conor doubled to center field to drive in the inning's second run before scoring on a Zak Goodwin RBI single.

After Elijah Green blanked Butler again in the bottom of the seventh, EIU put the game out of reach with five runs in the top of the eighth.

With the bases loaded following two walks and an error, a wild pitch allowed Pierce Bauerle to score the frame's first run.

Shortly thereafter, Brett Stanley was walked with two outs to reload the bases before Mike O'Conor recorded the team's second three RBI triple of the day to extend the lead to 10 runs.

After Zak Goodwin and Jake Ferguson were walked to fill up the pond again, Sam Wiese earned a third consecutive free pass to bring in the Panthers twelfth run of the game.

Eastern left the bases loaded for the fourth time in the game, but it did not matter as Green retired the Butler side in order to secure the Panthers' fifth consecutive win.

EIU will be back at in on Wednesday with a home game against Illinois Wesleyan at 3 p.m.