By: The Panthers put 12 runs on the board in the first three innings and were never challenged in an 18-3 victory over the Blueboys.
Box Score CHARLESTON, Ill. – The Illinois College baseball team had hung with Bradley University much of the way in the team's earlier meeting with a Division I program, however it was a much different outcome on Wednesday afternoon for the Blueboys. Eastern Illinois hit a first inning grand slam on its way to 12 runs in the first three innings and rolled from there, ending with an 18-3 win. Illinois College drops to 9-13 on the season.
The Blueboys managed a first inning hit from
Josh Krumwiede to open the game, but nothing came of it and the Panthers came to the plate in the bottom of the inning. Starting pitcher
D.J. Davis ended up in a bases loaded jam with no outs and Brant Valach cleared the bags with a grand slam out to center field, giving EIU a 4-0 lead.
The Panthers then scored three runs on four hits in the second inning and five runs on seven hits in the third against Illinois College relievers. The lead expanded to 14-0 after two more runners came across to score in the bottom of the sixth.
The lone bright spot on the afternoon for the Blueboys came in the seventh as IC was able to scratch three runs across. With one down and the bases loaded,
Nick Dalfonso hit a sacrifice fly to break up the shutout.
Jonathan Schrage followed with a two-out single for another run and
Kyle Obertino later scored on a wild pitch.
Krumwiede led the offense on the day with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate. Dalfonso added a pair of base knocks as well. Davis fell to 2-3 with the loss.
After a four-game split with Cornell last week, Illinois College returns to Midwest Conference play this weekend looking to challenge for the South Division crown. The Blueboys travel to Galesburg for two games at Knox College on April 18 beginning at 12 p.m. before coming back to play the Prairie Fire in two games on April 19 at Sacred Heart-Griffin High School in Springfield.
