Eastern’s pitchers kept the score close in both games against Illinois on Wednesday afternoon at Eichelberger Field in Urbana.

For a few innings.

Illinois led by a slight margin in both games, but then the floodgates opened.

Illinois scored 10 runs in the bottom of the fourth as the Fighting Illini won the second game 14-1 in five innings.

Only two of the Fighting Illini’s 10 runs were earned runs in the fourth, and the Panthers gave up nine unearned runs for the game.

Eastern’s pitching staff kept the game close for about four and-a-half innings in the first game.

The Fighting Illini led 7-5 going into the bottom of the fifth. Illinois (19-17) then scored six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to end the game with a 13-5 win in five innings.

Eastern’s errors also didn’t help.

The Panthers (10-15) committed five errors in both games compared to zero errors for Illinois.

“We had some really bonehead plays on defense,” Eastern head coach Kim Schuette said. “We did not play good defense at all. It wasn’t just a routine error. The errors got multiplied by dumb things.”

“We just made way too many errors,” senior pitcher Karyn Mackie said.

Eastern junior pitcher Kathleen Jacoby (2-5) and Eastern senior pitcher Ashley Robison combined to pitch 4 2/3 innings in the first game. They gave up seven hits, 13 runs (four earned). They walked five and struck out two. They faced 30 batters in less than five innings.

In the second game, senior pitcher Karyn Mackie (5-6) and Jacoby pitched four innings. They gave up 13 hits, 14 runs and four earned runs. They walked three and struck out two.

“Karyn didn’t throw too bad,” Schuette said. “We couldn’t get her out of a couple innings. It seemed like everything went wrong today. When it rains it pours, and it poured today.”

Mackie hit a home run in the second game over the left centerfield wall for Eastern’s only run of the game. Eastern had just five hits in the second game.

Eastern kept the first game closer as senior right fielder Robyn Mackie hit a two-run homer to left centerfield in the top of the fifth to bring the Panthers within three runs.

“We’re hoping to move on from this,” Schuette said. “We’re not going to dwell on it.”

The Panthers return to Ohio Valley Conference play this weekend against Samford. The first game will begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Williams Field.

Kevin Murphy can be reached at 581-7944 or at kjmurphy@eiu.edu.