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RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky fell behind 7-0 in the first two innings on its way to a 10-6 loss to visiting Eastern Illinois in the opener of an Ohio Valley Conference baseball series on Friday.
The Panthers (15-29-1, 9-12-1 OVC) jumped out early with seven runs in the first two innings. Brant Valach had an RBI double and Cameron Berra drove in a pair with a single up the middle in the first inning. Berra's bases clearing double platted all three runs in the second.
Bryan Soloman extended his hitting to 15 straight games and got Eastern Kentucky (21-24, 10-12 OVC) on the board with a solo home run in the fourth inning.
Eastern Illinois added a run in the fifth and two more in the sixth. Demetre Taylor and Berra each drove in a run with singles in the sixth to extend their lead to 10-1.
Berra finished 5-for-5 with six RBIs and two runs scored.
Soloman hit a two-run shot over the left-center field fence in the bottom of the sixth to cut the deficit to 10-3. It was the senior's ninth home run in the last 15 games.
Taylor Blair led off the bottom of the seventh with a solo home run, his third of the season. EKU's fourth home run of the game, this time a two-run shot off the bat of
TJ Alas in the bottom of the eighth got the Colonels to within four, 10-6.
Soloman went 2-for-4 with two runs and three driven in. Blair also had two hits in four at bats with a run and an RBI.
Matt Borens (3-4) earned the win after allowing six runs on seven hits in eight innings of work. He walked one and struck out eight.
Tanner Perkins (3-7) entered the game with a 0.82 ERA in his previous three starts. However, the senior gave up 10 runs, seven of which were earned, on 13 hits in six innings. He did not walk a batter and struck out four.
The Colonels and Panthers will continue their three-game series on Saturday. First-pitch at Turkey Hughes Field is scheduled for 3 p.m.
