Pitching was the name of the game and none of the four seeded teams had it during last weekend’s NCAA Regional tournament in Lincoln, Neb.

No. 4-seed Eastern (27-30) came into the tournament with more losses than wins, but neither opponent underestimated the Panthers.

“Eastern was playing its best baseball at the right time and they were going to give anyone trouble here at the tournament,” Oral Roberts Coach Rob Walton said.

The Panthers were eliminated from the tournament after losing both its games against high profile teams. The initial loss was to no. 1-seeded Nebraska (41-14-1) on a windy Friday in which any fly ball had a chance to plate the batter.

“We’re two teams who don’t hit home runs, but we (collectively) hit seven home runs,” Nebraska Coach Mike Anderson said. “I don’t think it was the wind, but when it got humid the ball really started to fly.”

The Panthers only hit three of the home runs. Eastern held a 5-3 lead going into the bottom of the fourth inning, but relief pitcher Brian Morrell allowed six runs to cross the plate in his two innings of work, including four runs in the fourth.

“I felt that everyone needed a turn through the batting order to get the jitters out,” Panther center fielder Brett Nommensen said. “After that, I think we showed we could hang in there with the best of our region.”

Eastern came within two runs after Nommensen hit a two run single in the top of the sixth inning, bringing the score to 9-7.

Two home runs and an RBI single later, the Panthers were down 13-7 to start the ninth inning.

“When they got two strikes, they really put the ball in play,” Eastern Coach Jim Schmitz said of Nebraska’s offense.

Panther first baseman Alex Gee hit a three run home run with two outs, but it was too little too late. Right fielder Ryan Lindquist tried to keep the game alive with a line drive to deep right field, but Nebraska’s DJ Belfonte lunged far enough to catch it.

Saturday’s game also featured some power as Nommensen and Gee both hit home runs without the wind in the 8-7 loss to No. 3-seed Oral Roberts (47-13) in ten innings.

“We have some good arms, but we’re not focusing on making quality pitches in the game,” Walton said. “It’s really been our Achilles heal all year, and I give Eastern Illinois a lot of credit because we made mistakes and they capitalized on them. That’s what a good team will do to you.”

A two out walk in the tenth inning by Panthers reliever Richie Durback put the game-winning run in scoring position for the Golden Eagles right fielder, Brendan Duffy.

Duffy then singled to center field and the throw home was wide of the plate and Ryan Groth of Oral Roberts scored the final run of the afternoon.

The Panthers rallied from a 6-1 deficit to tie the game at 6-6 in the seventh inning.

“The way we started wasn’t good and I said some pretty not nice things in the fourth inning,” Coach Jim Schmitz said. “I like the way they responded.”

Oral Roberts capitalized on a walk, wild pitch and passed ball by hitting an RBI single in the top of the ninth to take a 7-6 lead.

The Panthers retaliated in the bottom of the ninth when Nommensen scored the game tying run on a passed ball.

But Eastern couldn’t come back from yet another one run deficit and they went down in order in the bottom of the tenth inning.

“They were playing well coming into this tournament,” Walton said. “When you start playing that well you’re not very concerned about who you’re playing, but how well you’re still playing and I think they fed off of that (momentum) and played well late in the season.”

Eastern qualified for the regional tournament by winning the Ohio Valley Conference for the second time since joining it in 1997.

Rick Kambic can be reached at 581-7942 or rwkambic@eiu.edu.

Junior outfielder Ryan Lindquist walk to the dugout after flying in the top of the 9th inning Fraiday May 30. Nebraska defeated eastern 13-10 in the Lincoln, Neb. Regional of the 2008 NCAA baseball tournament. (Robbie Wroblewski/The Daily Eastern News)

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