Game 1: BOX (PDF)  |  BOX (HTML)
Game 2: BOX (PDF)  |  BOX (HTML)

NORMAL, Ill. – The Panther baseball team split a doubleheader with Illinois State on Saturday, March 23 at Duffy Bass Field, defeating the Redbirds 7-2 (10 innings) in game one before falling 18-3 in game two.
 
EIU captured the weekend series as they picked up a series-opening win, 9-5, on Friday night. The Panthers are 6-15 on the year while the Redbirds are 11-11.
 
“We had a good weekend,” said Eastern Illinois head coach Jim Schmitz. “Joe Greenfield was great today and (Treysen) Vavra and (Brant) Valach had some big hits for us. We took a big step forward in getting better this weekend and I hope the guys keep working hard to improve.”
 
The Panthers return to action on Tuesday, March 26 when they play host to Saint Louis at 3 p.m. EIU then travels to Jacksonville State for an Ohio Valley Conference series on March 28-30.
 
Game 1: EIU 7, ISU 2 (10 innings)
Tied at two heading into the top of the 10^th inning, the Panthers scored five runs on three hits and one error to take a 7-2 advantage. Jake Johansmeier came out of the bullpen in the bottom of the frame and struck out the final three Redbird batters to seal the victory.
 
Treysen Vavra gave the Panthers an early 2-0 lead with a two-out, two-RBI single in the third inning. ISU knotted the contest at two in the sixth inning, scoring two runs on three hits.
 
The Redbirds had two more hits (11-9) than the Panthers and committed two more errors (2-0). ISU also left four more runners on base (10-6) in the contest.
 
Vavra went 2-for-5 with four RBI and one run to pace the Panther offense while Caleb Howell added two hits, a run and a RBI. Demetre Taylor chipped in two hits and Tyler Schweigert scored a team-high two runs.
 
Garrison Stenger (2-0) posted the win for EIU, striking out one and not allowing any hits or runs in 0.2 innings of work. Joe Greenfield made the start and went 8.1 innings with eight strikeouts.
 
Brad Sorkin (4-2) took the loss for ISU, surrendering six hits and four runs (two earned) in nine innings of action. He also had four strikeouts on the day. Eric Aguilera went 3-for-5 with a run to pace the Redbirds at the plate.
 
Game 2: ISU 18, EIU 3
After the Redbirds took an early 1-0 advantage in the first inning, Cameron Berra hit an RBI double in the top of the next inning to tie the game. ISU scored eight unanswered runs over the next four innings to take a 9-1 lead until the Panthers scored two runs on two hits in the top of the seventh to get within six (9-3).
 
ISU broke open the contest by scoring nine more runs over the next two innings to take an 18-3 lead. The Redbirds had nine more hits (18-9) than the Panthers and committed four less errors (4-0). EIU stranded three more runners on base (11-8) in the contest.
 
Berra led the Panthers at the plate as he went 3-for-4 with an RBI. John Devito went 2-for-3 with a run.
 
Matt Borens (0-4) took the loss, surrendering seven runs (six earned) and nine hits in 4.2 innings of work.
 
Chris Razo (1-0) earned the win for ISU, striking out seven batters and allowing only three hits and one run in four innings of action. Aguilera went 6-for-6 with four RBI and a run to pace the Redbird offense.