The Panthers are a long ways removed from their power-hitting year of 2009, when they led the nation's D1 teams in home runs. On April 8, 2009...they pummeled ISU on a very windy day in Charleston. On the season, the Panther's, were 36 - 14 with 92 homers (seven of which came in this one game). Here's the story:
CHARLESTON, Ill. – The wind was blowing out at Coaches Stadium on Wednesday and Eastern Illinois took full advantage against Indiana State, as the Panthers (22-5, 7-0 OVC) hit seven home runs on way to defeating the Sycamores (17-11, 4-3 MVC) by a score of 25-7 in non-conference action.
ISU starter Kevin Mann (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing three earned runs on one hit while walking three Panther batters in 2.1 innings of work. EIU reliever Brian Morrell (3-1) earned the win for the Panthers, as he allowed just two hits while striking out two ISU batters in 2.1 scoreless innings.
The game stayed scoreless through the first two innings, with both pitchers in control on the mound. The Sycamores took advantage of a pitching change by the Panthers in the top of the third inning and took a 2-0 lead. Mike Martin came in to pitch for EIU and Ben Ferrell greeted him with a bunt single to lead off the inning. Ryan Strausborger then singled into right field and extended his career-high hitting streak to 12 games.
Following a strikeout by Nick Ciolli and a ground out by Brady Shoemaker, the Sycamores had runners on second and third with two outs. Tyler Graham then walked to load the bases and Luke Fieser followed with a walk of his own to score Ferrell from third for the first run of the game. Kyle Burnam was up next and recorded the third straight walk of the inning and the second consecutive bases-loaded walk to bring in Strausborger for the second run of the frame and give ISU a two-run lead.
However, Eastern Illinois quickly answered with four runs on two hits in the bottom of the inning to take a 4-2 lead. The big blow came off the bat of Zach Skidmore, who lifted a pitch over the left field wall for a three-run home run to put the Panthers in the lead. The Panthers then extended that lead to 6-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning, on a Ben Thoma solo home run to left field and a RBI single by Gerik Wallsten.
The longballs kept coming for the Panthers, as Alex Gee hit a long two-run home run over the left field wall off Gurbach to widen the EIU lead to 8-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning. Later in the frame, Ryan Linquist hit a three-run home run to right center field to make the score 11-2 in favor of the Panthers.
ISU got one of those runs back in the top of the sixth, when Strausborger scored from third base on a RBI single by Shoemaker into left field to make the score 11-3. The Sycamores had a chance push more runs across the plate, but left the bases loaded for the second consecutive inning to end the scoring threat.
The Panthers kept the scoring going, with two more home runs and six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to make the score 17-3. Jordan Kreke hit a three-run shot over the left field wall early in the inning and Thoma followed right behind with his second solo homer of the game to give the Panthers their sixth home run of the day at the time. EIU then pushed eight runs across the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning to extend the lead to 25-3 headed into the eighth inning.
The Sycamores would not give up though, as they scored four runs in the top of the ninth inning to bring the game to its final at 25-7. Joe Meggs and Brian Jett each drove in a run with RBI singles while Koby Kraemer added a one-out, two-run single up the middle later in the inning to score the final two runs of the inning.
Strausborger, Ciolli and Burnam each finished with two hits in the game for ISU, while Kraemer led the way with his two RBI in the ninth inning.
ISU returns to action on Friday, when it begins a three-game Missouri Valley Conference series at home against Bradley. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. EST at Sycamore Field.
