Photo Gallery (by Sandy King)

MARION, Ill. – The Eastern Illinois baseball team (30-21, 17-7 OVC) came away with an 11-6 win over SIUE (26-28, 18-8 OVC) on Thursday night to extend their season and advance to the OVC Tournament elimination bracket final. Six of EIU's ten hits in the game went for extra bases.

The Eastern offense was fronted by Mike O'Conor, who went 4-5 with three extra-base hits and three RBIs. Brett Stanley and Ethan Rossi matched O'Conor with three RBIs apiece, while Tyler Castro was the only other Panther with multiple hits (2-4).

Tyler Conklin picked up the win on the mound to improve his record to 5-1 on the season. He allowed four runs on eight hits with five strikeouts through six innings. Anthony Solis was awarded the save after giving up two runs on four hits with a strikeout through the game's final three innings.

The Cougars opened up the scoring in the top of the first with a Joshua Heyder RBI single that scored Daniel Gierer, who had reached base on a double earlier in the frame.

The Panthers quickly responded, though, and following Tyler Castro leadoff base hit and Peyton Wilson walk, Brett Stanley delivered a two-RBI double down the left field line to push EIU in front.

After a scoreless second inning, Brett Stanley tacked on another run with an RBI groundout that plated Mike O'Conor, who had doubled to lead off the inning.

However, SIUE roared right back in the fourth with three runs to surge into the lead.

With two on and one out, a single to left field by Ratliff scored Ryan Niedzwiedz before John Stallcup was hit by a pitch to load the bases. A run was subsequently walked in before a Mack Mitchell sacrifice fly put the Cougars in front 4-3.

Their lead was short lived, however, as Eastern hung a crooked number of their own in the bottom of the fourth to regain control.

The inning started with an Ethan Rossi walk and Chris Worcester single before a Jake Ottensmeier sacrifice bunt moved them both into scoring position with just one out. After Tyler Castro was walked, Peyton Wilson was hit by a pitch to bring in a run.

With the bases still juiced, a Mike O'Conor triple down the right field line scored all three runners to put EIU up 7-4.

Neither team scored in the fifth before a Zak Goodwin sacrifice bunt in the sixth plated Peyton Wilson, who had doubled to lead off the inning before moving to third on a Mike O'Conor base hit, extending the lead to 8-4.

SIUE threw their final punch in the seventh, as they cut the lead in half behind RBIs from Niedzwiedz and Heyder
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However, with two on and two out in the bottom of the eighth, Ethan Rossi threw the knockout blow with a three-run homer to left field, which expanded the EIU lead to 11-6.

Now working with a five-run cushion, Anthony Solis and the EIU defense retired the final three SIUE batters in order to secure the win and extend the season at least one more game.

The Panthers will play in the OVC Tournament elimination bracket final on Friday at 6 p.m. They will face the loser of Lindenwood versus Little Rock.