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CHARLESTON, Ill. – The Panther baseball team posted a 10-0 shutout over Southeast Missouri State on Sunday afternoon, winning the Ohio Valley Conference series at Coaches Stadium. EIU improves to 11-14 (3-3 OVC) on the year.
 
It was an all around team effort in the series finale as starter Troy Barton and relief pitcher Adam Clark combined to shutout SEMO while the Panther hitters scored 10 runs on nine hits.
 
Barton (4-2) took the win for EIU, pitching seven scoreless innings with a season-high seven strikeouts while limiting the Redhawks to only four hits. Clark pitched the final two innings and only allowed one hit with two strikeouts.
 
“I can't say enough about our pitching,” said Eastern Illinois head coach Jim Schmitz. “With all three of those starters (Barton, Slazinik and Hoekstra) on the mound, our team feels confident heading into any conference weekend.”
 
The Panthers scored in all but four innings of the game, starting the contest with four runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a lead they would never relinquish.
 
Offensively, T.J. McManus paced the Panthers as he went 2-for-3 with two home runs and four RBI. Ben Thoma added a home run and two RBI while Cameron Berra added two runs. Nathan Sopena also had two hits in the victory.
 
EIU posted four more hits (9-5) than Southeast Missouri and did not commit an error to three miscues by the Redhawks. Southeast Missouri left two more runners on base (5-3).
 
“Defensively, Nathan Sopena at second base and Brant Valach at third were outstanding today,” said Schmitz. “SEMO would have scored a few runs had those guys not made big plays on defense.”
 
Ryan Kendall (0-2) took the loss for the Redhawks, surrendering seven runs (five earned) and five hits in five innings of work. Derek Gibson paced the team at the plate as he was 2-for-4.
 
The Panthers return to action in a midweek contest at in-state foe Illinois State on Tuesday, April 3 at 4:30 p.m.