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CHARLESTON, Ill. – Sophomore pitcher Matt Borens led the Panther baseball team to a 9-0 win over UT Martin on Friday afternoon, throwing a career-high 12 strikeouts in the complete-game shutout.
 
Borens (4-4) posted his second complete game of the season as the Monee, Ill., native also allowed only three hits with two walks. He threw a total of 119 pitches in the contest.
 
“Matt was exceptional today,” said Eastern Illinois head coach Jim Schmitz. “The nine runs early on really helped him out throughout the game.”
 
EIU scored nine runs through the first three innings of play to build a 9-0 advantage. Treysen Vavra drove in the first run of the day with an RBI double before a Jacob Reese RBI single scored the second run.
 
Caleb Howell and Brant Valach made the score 4-0 in the second inning with RBI singles before EIU added five runs on six hits and one error in the third inning for the nine-run advantage.
 
Howell led the Panther offense as he went 5-for-5 at the plate with two runs and a RBI. Vavra went 2-for-4 with two runs, three RBI and two doubles. Nick Priessman also went 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs.
 
“We have struggled hitting off left handed pitchers this year, but we did well with it today and really went after them,” said Schmitz. “Caleb Howell also did great today as he was 5-for-5 at the plate.”
 
EIU had 13 more hits (16-3) than UT Martin and left six more runners on base (10-4). The Skyhawks committed one error on the day while the Panthers did not have any miscues. 
 
Taylor Cox (0-7) took the loss for UT Martin, allowing nine hits and seven runs (six earned) in 2.1 innings of work. Nico Zych led the offense as he went 2-for-3 at the plate.
 
The series finale is slated for 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 18 with senior day recognition occurring at 1:45 p.m. for the Panthers four seniors: Nick Priessman, Nathan Sopena, Scott Houdek and George Kalousek.