After Saturday’s 6-2 loss to Morehead State, Eastern’s bats exploded for 23 runs the next two games to win an important Ohio Valley Conference series at Coaches Stadium.

The Panthers (9-21, 4-5 OVC) won 14-0 in Saturday’s second game and 9-5 in the rubber game Sunday.

Sunday, there were four home runs by the Panthers to help them come back from a 4-0 deficit. Sophomore catcher Gerik Wallsten had two solo shots against Eagle sophomore pitcher Tyler Hieneman.

Senior first baseman Alex Gee had a three-run homer in the seventh inning off sophomore pitcher Matthew Robertson to give Eastern a 7-4 edge. Sophomore third baseman Zach Borenstein hit a solo dinger in the eighth for a 9-4 lead.

Junior pitcher Brent McNeil (1-3) got the win with 3 2/3 innings of one-run relief while Robertson (0-2) was the loser.

“I told the team this might be one of the bigger wins that we had in a long time,” Schmitz said. “Each team needs a big win like this. They were smoking us 4-0 and we went to work. I really mean it, I’m really proud of this kind of win.”

In game two Saturday, Eagle junior first baseman Michael Fear flew to senior rightfielder Curt Restko with a runner on and two outs. Restko ran across to right-center and made an acrobatic diving catch to save a run.

“Before the game, we came out knowing we had to win this one,” Restko said. “I had to make sure I got that ball. All I did was turned, ran, dove and caught. That’s all that was.”

Restko got a single off junior pitcher Jeff Arnold (4-1) and stole second base. The Tinley Park native scored on a fielder’s choice for the first run.

“Coach (Schmitz) finally gave me the green light today, which I actually like a lot,” Restko said. “I got the jump and took off. It was perfect timing.”

Eastern exploded for 10 runs in the seventh, the most runs in an inning since facing Blackburn college last April.

Sophomore pitcher Mike Hoekstra (3-1) threw a complete game shutout while Arnold suffered the loss.

Game one was all Morehead State (18-17, 2-4 OVC), as the Eagles scored five times on junior pitcher Mike Recchia (3-3) on 6 1/3 innings of work. Eagle senior pitcher Michael Bottoms (3-2) tossed a complete game shutout.

Schmitz said this is a relaxed team, more so then the last couple of years. However, the coach wanted to let the team know they have to play well, too.

“I wish it would’ve happened four weeks ago, but it didn’t,” Schmitz said. “But we have put things in place.”

Eastern will play Illinois (13-13, 3-3 Big Ten) 6 p.m. Tuesday in Champaign.

Bob Bajek can be reached 581-7944 or rtbajek@eiu.edu.

Sophomore Mike Hoekstra, the winning pitcher in the second game of Saturdays doubleheader against Morehead State, pitched all seven innings, throwing 52 out of 74 pitches for strikes. (Audrey Sawyer/The Daily Eastern News)

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