EIU Evens Series with 12-4 Win against Tennessee Tech
As the Eastern Illinois Baseball team continued its regular season, the Panthers evened the series against Tennessee Tech with a 12-4 victory on April 29th, 2023. With a crowd of over 500 people in attendance, the Panthers performed excellently, registering 14 hits, including three home runs.
Kolten Poorman had an outstanding performance, with a 3-4 hit, including a double, a home run, and four RBIs, contributing significantly to the Panthers’ 24th win of the season. Ryan Ignoffo (3-5) and Logan Eickhoff (3-5) also hit solo homers, which played a crucial role in the team’s victory.
Winning pitcher Nick Laxner (W, 3-1) played well in the first inning, allowing three runs and six hits. Ignoffo pitched in the next 5.1 innings, striking out five and allowing just one run, making it difficult for the Tennessee Tech batters to score. Colt Taylor (L, 1-4) suffered the loss after only pitching to the first four batters.
Eastern Illinois did an impressive job in the first inning, with Ignoffo and Poorman hitting back-to-back RBIs before Grant Lashure hit a sacrifice bunt, bringing Poorman home from third. The team also executed two double plays in the first two innings.
In the bottom of the second inning, Eickhoff and Ignoffo continued their excellent performance, hitting back-to-back RBI singles, boosting the team’s lead to 5-0. Poorman then hit the first of three Panther home runs in the second with a three-run burst, further extending the lead.
Tennessee Tech scored three of their four runs in the top of the third inning off Laxner with two home runs from Eddie Garza and Troy Baunsgard. After a short scoring drought by both teams, Eickhoff hit his first home run of the season in the fourth inning to push the lead to 9–3.
Finally, Ignoffo didn’t allow his first run until the fifth, with a solo home run to Josh Dyer. TTU scored all of their runs by home runs, which was unable to pick up the slack as the Panthers closed out the game with a run scored in each of the final three innings.
Eastern Illinois scored 12 runs on 14 scoreless hits, while TTU scored four runs on 10 hits with two errors. The Panthers will meet Tennessee Tech again in the series finale game that will begin at 11:00 am on April 30th, 2023. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
As per information from the source, the Panthers showed an impressive display of athleticism and teamwork, proving to be a formidable opponent for Tennessee Tech. With their sights set on victory, the Panthers will look to make an impression in the upcoming conference games.
In conclusion, the Panthers’ victory against Tennessee Tech validates their standing as a confident and skilled baseball team. The team’s ability to combine offense and defense, as displayed in the game, was commendable. The Panthers’ fans and supporters will undoubtedly look forward to what the team has in store for the rest of the season.
