The Eastern baseball team used a five run second inning to pick up a big 13-3 win over St. Xavier at Coaches Stadium Tuesday afternoon in a game that ended after eight innings.

The Panthers (16-17, 6-5) were able to hold off a strong performance from St. Xavier (22-19, 15-9) senior infielder Sean Moore who had two stolen bases and scored two of the Cougars’ runs thanks to two home runs and wild pitches.

Moore opened the game with a single and stole second base after St. Xavier senior utility Joeseph Jimenez struck out looking.

Moore was seen leading off on second base and senior right-handed pitcher Christian Carew threw the ball to senior second baseman Chris Worcester who was not able to catch it and Moore advanced to third. Moore would score the first run of the game when St. Xavier senior utility Justin Massingale grounded out to make the game 1-0.

The Panthers tied the game 1-1 when junior outfielder Ethan Rossi hit a solo home run in the second inning, and Rossi’s home run was followed by four more runs in the second inning for the Panthers.

“Once we got going, good things happened,” Rossi said. “It helps when you can tack on in bunches and it definitely gives the dugout some confidence and it helps you move through the game.”

The Panthers were able to add on in the fourth inning when senior shortstop Jake Ferguson and Rossi were hit by pitches, and other wild pitches thrown by St. Xavier sophomore right-hander Garrett Benko led to the Panthers scoring three runs to make the score 8-3.

The Panthers would score three more runs in the sixth inning after redshirt junior outfielder Joey Hagen came in to pinch-hit for sophomore infielder Pierce Bauerle. Hagen singled and he took advantage of a passed ball while sophomore catcher Colin Horneman was up to bat to advance to second base.

Senior outfielder Quade Peters walked to put runners on first and third base for the Panthers.

Worcester singled to allow for Hagen to score, and Peters also scored by sliding into home and beating the tag.

Worcester advanced to second while the Cougars were trying to stop Peters from scoring. Senior outfielder Brett Stanley then hit an RBI double to left field to increase the Panthers lead to 11-3.

Sophomore pitcher Slater Wilcox took over in the eighth inning and made his first appearance of the season after recovering from a shoulder injury. He allowed one hit and had one strike out.

“I had been throwing good in scrimmages,” said Wilcox. “We’re three-fourths of the way through the season, I felt good on the mound, I felt healthy, I’m back, it feels good to say that.”

The Panthers would seal the game in the eighth inning after Horneman hit a towering blast to left field to put the Panthers up 12-3.

Peters would once again walk, and Worcester hit a double down the right field line to put Peters on third.

The final score of the game came when Zaragoza once again lost control of the ball during a wild pitch from St. Xavier junior right-hander Alberto Lamas to allow Peters to steal home and give the Panthers a 13-3 win in the eighth inning.

“I was ready for a fastball or a ball in the dirt,” said Peters.

Panthers head coach Jason Anderson thought the team did a good job on both ends of the game to hold down the Cougars to three runs.

“We threw strikes today and we caught the ball,” said Anderson. “That’s a big one and we scored runs early, and that’s the big thing with us, you can’t get down early with this group and so we jumped out on top, and we threw strikes and caught the ball and ended up with a win.”

The Panthers will prepare to face Tennessee Tech on Thursday at Coaches Stadium.

Drew Farrell can be reached at 581-2812 or at atfarrell@eiu.edu.