After losing to Morehead State, 15-2, Friday, the Eastern baseball team came back and defeat- ed the Eagles, 11-9, Saturday to even the series at 1-1.

The Panthers would drop game three of the series, 20-14.

In the win Saturday, the Panthers got off to an 8-0 lead in the first two innings.

Senior outfielder Caleb Howell doubled to left field, which scored freshman Joe Duncan.

Red-shirt junior Demetre Taylor followed Howell with a double down the right field line, which scored Howell to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead.

Freshman designated hitter Bobby Wenthe followed up with a two-run home run to right center field to give Eastern a 4-0 lead.

The Panthers would add four more runs in the second inning after freshman second base- man Cale Hennemann singled home Duncan to give Eastern a 5-0 lead.

The big blow came when Demetre Taylor hit a three-run home run to right center field to give Eastern an 8-0 lead.

Red-shirt junior Craig Pearcy, who pitched just 1 1/3 innings and struck out one and walked one batter, allowed the eight runs.

Morehead State would start to chip away in the third inning after scoring a run in the bot- tom of the second.

Red-shirt senior Chris Robinson singled to right center, scoring sophomore Ryan Kent to cut the Eastern lead to 8-2.

After senior Robby Spencer singled home a run to make it 8-3, senior Clayton Meyer would double to center field to score three more runs for the Eagles to make it 8-6.

Senior Nick Newell would cut the Eastern lead to 8-7 after a RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning.

All these Morehead State runs came off East- ern red-shirt junior pitcher Matt Wivinis.

He pitched seven innings, allowed 14 hits and struck out five batters.

Wivinis would pick up the win and he is now 2-7 this season.

Sophomore Chase Thurston allowed a run in the ninth inning, but that would be all as East- ern would win the game, 11-9.

In the final game of the series, Eastern would give freshman starting pitcher Andy Fisher a 7-0 lead after two innings.

Eastern added two runs in the top of third to give themselves an 11-4 lead.

Fisher would be unable to hold the lead as he let up eight runs in 2 1/3 innings pitched and walked two batters and allowed 10 hits.

Senior pitcher Andrew Grahn replaced Fish- er and allowed 10 hits and nine runs, but only walked one.

Grahn would take the loss, as the Panthers were defeated 20-14 dropping their season re- cord to 11-31.

The Panthers have two more Ohio Valley Conference series left this season.

“We came back great after having it hand- ed to us Friday,” Eastern coach Jimmy Schmitz said. “Disappointing we had the momentum and big league and couldn’t hold it.”

Bob Reynolds can be reached at 581-2812 or rjreynolds@eiu.edu.