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EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – The Panther baseball team bounced back from a one-run loss last night by taking a 6-3 win over SIU Edwardsville in game two of the Ohio Valley Conference series at the Simmons Complex on Saturday afternoon. EIU improves to 8-12 (1-1 OVC) on the year.
 
After the Cougars took an early 1-0 lead on a Mitch Matecki RBI single in the first inning, the Panthers responded by scoring four unanswered runs over the next two innings.
 
A Caleb Howell RBI ground out and a Brant Valach two-RBI double scored three runs in the top of second inning before Howell picked up another RBI in the following inning, hitting an single down the left-field line to score Ryan Dineen. The Cougars cut its deficit to one (4-3) in the bottom of the third as they scored two runs on two hits and one Panther error.
 
EIU added two insurance runs in the game's final four innings to take a 6-3 advantage. A Tyler Schweigert RBI ground out scored Nathan Sopena in the sixth inning before the final run was scored in the ninth inning on a Valach sacrifice fly.
 
The Panthers posted five more hits (9-4) than the Cougars and committed one less error (2-1). EIU left 14 runners on base while SIU Edwardsville stranded six. The Panthers also had a total of six sacrifice hits in the contest. 
 
Valach was 1-for-3 with RBI to lead the EIU offense while classmate Howell went 2-for-4 with two RBI. T.J. McManus and Sopena both added two runs in the win.
 
Christian Slazinik (4-2) picked up the win for the Panthers, surrendering four hits and three runs (two earned) in six innings of action. Keith Koser recorded his second save of the year as the newcomer did not allow any hits or runs in the game's final three innings.
 
Josh Hoguet (1-4) took the loss as he allowed four runs and four hits in four innings. Matecki led the Cougars at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
 
The final game of the series between the Cougars and Panthers is scheduled for Sunday, March 25 at 1 p.m.