CHARLESTON, Ill. —
Jayce Blalock had three hits,
Angel Cano hit his third home run of the season and
Josh Beezley tossed three solid innings of relief but Eastern Illinois still managed to take Friday's opening game of the weekend series with a 6-3 victory at Coaches Stadium. The series was slated for a Friday doubleheader but a threat of rain has pushed the second game to Saturday at 10 am. The date and time of Game 3 is still to be determined.
Eastern Illinois (24-18, 12-6 OVC) took a 2-0 lead early in the contest, then added three more in the fifth and a run in the sixth for a 6-1 advantage. Little Rock (18-27, 7-11) got on the board in the fifth on Cano's solo shot and added two more in the ninth before its late rally fell short.
Blalock finished 3-for-4 at the plate, Cano went 2-for-4 with an RBI, and both
Alex Seguine and
Ryan Geck drove in runs.
Jackson Wells started the game and went five innings with six strikeouts and just one walk, while surrendering eight hits and four earned runs. Beezley pitched innings 6-8 and gave up just one hit, one run, and one walk with a strikeout.
Little Rock outhit the Panthers 10-9 and struck out just four times, but left nine runners on base, including one on third in the second and third innings, runners on first and third in the fifth and sixth and runners on first and second in the eighth.
In the ninth,
Jacob Ambriz reached after being plunked on the hand, Blalock singled, and Seguine singled to right to score Ambriz. With two outs, Geck singled into center to bring Blalock across.
