MARTIN, Tenn. – Eastern Illinois baseball hit nine home runs, one shy of a program record, and posted its highest run total of the Ohio Valley Conference era (1997-present) in a 30-3 rubber game win at UT Martin Saturday afternoon.

Zach Skidmore was 6-for-7 with five runs scored and three RBIs, registering career highs in hits and runs. Zach Borenstein posted his first five-RBI effort from the leadoff spot in the lineup.

Jordan Kreke homered twice for the second time this season. Jordan Tokarz, Ben Thoma, Jake Samuels, Evan Zalders, Ryan Lindquist, Borenstein and Skidmore went deep as well. Skidmore and Samuels, and Kreke and Zalders each hit back-to-back homers. Kreke also connected for an eighth-inning grand slam.

 

Three of EIU's nine homers were hit by the first batter of an inning.

Mike Recchia (6-0) gave up two earned runs on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings. He struck out six, but also walked four. Richie Derbak, Brian Morrell and Kreke teamed up for 3 1/3 innings of one-hit relief.

 

The 27th-ranked Panthers (24-6, 9-1 OVC) raced out to an early 16-0 lead by scoring at least five runs in each of the first three innings. Eastern remains alone in first place in the OVC standings and has won 18 of its last 20 games. UT Martin dropped to 11-19 and 2-7 in the OVC, but did end EIU's 13-game win streak in game two of the series Friday.

 

The Panthers put together their offensive onslaught without the services of regulars Brett Nommensen, Gerik Wallsten and Alex Gee, all of whom were held out due to minor ailments. However, every EIU starter in the initial lineup registered multiple hits.

 

“I like the way the team responded after game two (a 13-3 loss) yesterday,” EIU head coach Jim Schmitz said. “It was pretty impressive how we responded. Tokarz and Thoma hit homers in the first inning and got us going. Skidmore had a great day. We didn't talk about the guys that weren't playing. We have a lot of guys with good numbers. Recchia was very impressive. He got a little sloppy in one inning.

 

“We got two of three on the road, and we're 9-1 in the OVC after a bump in the road yesterday. I'm very pleased with just the way they came out and got it done. It started with a good pregame. That's a sign of a good team; I'm excited about that.”

 

Tokarz hit a solo shot and Thoma connected for a three-run bomb in the first inning. The following frame, EIU used five singles and two walks to score six more runs.

 

Skidmore was only retired once, on a fly out to center in the fourth inning. Along with homering, he doubled twice and singled three times.

 

Kreke finished with six RBIs, which wasn't even a season-high total after he tied an EIU record with eight RBIs last month, and has now recorded seven home runs and 29 RBIs in the first 10 conference games.

 

Skidmore and Samuels hit their back-to-back homers to begin the third inning. Borenstein capped the rally with a two-run single and then hit a two-run shot in the fifth.

 

Kreke and Lindquist led off the sixth and eighth innings, respectively, with homers. Skidmore and Derbak recorded run scoring-doubles in the seventh. Brad Schweigert, Skidmore and Samuels each singled in front of Kreke's slam in the eight-run eighth. It was the second grand slam hit by a Panther this season. Zalders followed with a pinch-hit homer in his first EIU at-bat.

 

Eastern has hit 47 long balls during is current stretch of 18 wins in 20 games. With 58 for the season, its already the seventh-highest total in program history.

The Panthers play their final true road game of April Tuesday at Illinois. The first pitch is slated for 6 p.m. in Champaign. Hit Mix 88.9 WEIU radio is scheduled to carry the game live.

More Info: Contact Ben Turner, Asst. SID