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Wednesday, May 2, 2007 1:15 AM CDT
Panthers to host Bradley in final midweek home game
by the jg/t-c
sports@jg-tc.com
CHARLESTON– Eastern Illinois baseball closes out the home portion of its midweek schedule today when the Panthers welcome Bradley to Coaches Stadium for a 3 p.m. contest.
Beginning with last week’s game at Illinois and versus Illinois State, each of the EIU’s final six midweek games this season are against Illinois-based opponents. Every player of the Eastern roster this season is an Illinois native.
The Panthers (18-21, 8-9 OVC) travel to Chicago State next week and play Southern Illinois and Northern Illinois on May 15 and 16. The NIU game will be played in Geneva at Elfstrom Stadium, home of the Kane County Cougars.
The Panthers are 4-2 this season against opponents from the Land of Lincoln, with last week’s losses to UIUC and ISU also representing EIU’s first losses of the year in post-spring break midweek action.
Eastern is looking to snap out of a recent funk, in which the Panthers have lost six of their last eight, before hitting the road this weekend for a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series at Austin Peay. The Governors are tied for first in the conference standings with last weekend’s opponent, Southeast Missouri.
Free passes and home runs have haunted EIU in the last eight games. Panther pitching has issued 35 walks and hit 12 batters while also surrendering six longballs over that stretch. However, despite having been outscored 49-35 in the last eight games, EIU has only been out hit 76-74. A 15-6 advantage in doubles has been one of the lone bright spots.
Eastern split a pair of games with Bradley (23-16, 7-8 MVC) last season, beating the Braves in Florida, 6-2, during the spring trip but getting shutout in the rematch in Peoria, 8-0. The two games were played exactly two months apart.
Jordan Kreke had three hits, including two doubles, in the first meeting. His leadoff two-bagger in the top of the ninth ignited a three-run rally that padded EIU’s 3-1 lead entering the frame.
Eighteen different Panthers, including six pitchers, saw action in the rematch, which was the final midweek contest of the 2006 campaign.
Eastern is 2-2 against Missouri Valley Conference teams this season, with the game against SIU in Carbondale still remaining as well.
Bradley has been playing well as of late, having won eight of its last nine since getting swept at Creighton the weekend of April 13-15.
Probable Pitching Match-up
Tyler Kehrer (Fr, LHP) vs. Tyler Thornton (So, RHP)
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