Charleston, Ill. - The Eastern Kentucky baseball team faced a 4-2 deficit heading into the top of the ninth on Sunday at Eastern Illinois, but threatened a comeback by loading the bases with two outs on the board. EKU pulled within a run, 4-3, thanks to a bases-loaded walk by senior Bryan Stevenson, but could not get any closer as Erik Huber recorded the final out to preserve a 4-3 victory and give the series to EIU.
Eastern Illinois (12-35, 9-12 OVC) led by two heading into the ninth, but starting pitcher Chris Vaculik (5-5) issued three free passes to load the bases with two outs. Huber came on in relief of Vaculik and promptly walked Stevenson to make it a 4-3 contest. EKU (20-23, 11-9 OVC) was unable to get any closer, however, as Huber got senior Will Whisenant to fly out to left to end the game and pick up his first save of the year.
EKU took advantage of Eastern Illinois miscues to score a run in each of the first two innings and take an early 2-0 lead. Seniors Derrick Bussell and Adam Visnic accounted for Eastern's first runs of the game.
Junior Nick Barte (2-3) scattered three hits over the first four innings to hold the Panthers scoreless, but EIU made the most of two EKU errors to tie the game at 2-all in the fifth.
Eastern Illinois struck for two more runs in the seventh, thanks to a RBI double from Ryan Campbell and a run-scoring single by Jason Cobb. Barte left the game after Campbell's double, having gone 6.1 frames with four runs (three earned) and eight hits allowed.
Senior Andy Polzin closed out the game with 1.2 scoreless innings, but the EKU offense was unable to get back into the game. Vaculik fell just shy of a complete game, picking up the win after going 8.2 innings with five strikeouts.
Junior Brett Bolger tallied a game-high three hits in the losing effort, while EIU was paced by two hits a piece from Huber and Adam Varrassi.
Eastern returns to action on Tuesday when it heads to Kentucky for a 6:30 p.m. contest. The Colonels will then welcome Western Kentucky to Turkey Hughes Field on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
