The Eastern baseball team is heading to Mattoon today to take on the University of Illinois at Peterson Park at 6 p.m.

The Panthers are heading into this week’s match-ups fresh off the heels of a double header in which they scored 48 runs against Ohio Valley Conference opponent Morehead State in a pair of seven-inning contests.

Head coach Jim Schmitz said in addition to the Panthers getting extra hitting work in with a mid-week rain out last week, the field dimensions at Morehead State also played a role in the Panthers’ offensive explosion last weekend.

“We played in a yard that’s very short to right field,” Schmitz said. “It was a perfect timing for what we needed, and then obviously (Morehead State) made some bad pitches and we really took advantage of it.”

Sunday, junior Zach Borenstein hit three home runs after hitting zero in the season’s first 26 games. Schmitz said Borenstein hitting in the leadoff spot this year has contributed, among other factors, to his lack of homers until now.

“His swing has not been there early in the year,” Schmitz said. “Then we’re telling him to do things to help us out, he’s a leadoff guy. He’s been asked to do a lot and you can see him struggling with what’s going on and he’s had his pitches a number of times and missed them. All you can do is keep hacking away.”

Coming off the big OVC wins against Morehead State, the Panthers now turn to their midweek match-ups, where they play Illinois tonight in Mattoon before hosting Illinois College Wednesday at Coaches’ Stadium.

Schmitz said he will be handing the ball to freshman right-hander Joe Greenfield to start the game against Illinois.

“Joe pitched (well at Indiana State),” Schmitz said. “We’re kind of disappointed we didn’t get a chance to pitch him last week against Chicago State. Illinois runs, they really run and Joe does a great job of slowing the game down. If he can get his four or five innings in we’re well rested (in the bullpen) so we’ll be in great shape.”

The game in Mattoon with Illinois has become a yearly tradition for the Panthers, and Schmitz said it give his players a chance to play a game under the lights and gives the Mattoon fans and little-leaguers a chance to watch some high-level baseball.

Peterson Park is located on Broadway Avenue in Mattoon and admission to the game is free of charge.

Brad Kupiec can be reached at 581-7944 or bmkupiec@eiu.edu

Cam Strang, senior shortstop, gets down to catch a ground ball and make a throw to first during the game against Chicago State March 21 at Coaches Stadium. Strang had five runs against Morehead State in a two game series Sunday. (Audrey Sawyer

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