Issue date: 3/26/09 Section: Sports

Freshman right fielder Zach Borenstein jumps over the ball while running to third base at Coaches Stadium Wednesday afternoon. Borenstein went 3-for-4 with 2 RBIs in Eastern's 9-5 win in its home opener. (Audrey Sawyer/The Daily Eastern News)

The Eastern baseball team has found the right components to a successful start in games.

The Panther offense started quickly, scoring five runs in the first two innings leading to a 9-5 win against Illinois State on Wednesday afternoon at Coaches Stadium.

"I'm obviously very happy jumping on them with five runs in the first two innings," said Eastern head coach Jim Schmitz. "It's something we are doing really well. We are coming out ready to play and getting a lot of runs early, so it's a nice formula. I don't know how long it's going to last, but it has worked out well."

Senior centerfielder Brett Nommensen started the game offensively for the Panthers with a leadoff home run to dead center for his eighth of the season.

It was his third leadoff home run of the season.

The Panthers added two more runs in the frame when senior shortstop Jordan Kreke hit a two-run shot to left to give Eastern a 3-0 lead.

The Redbirds (10-7) battled back in the top of the second as junior designated hitter Anthony Ruffolo hit a two-run homer and a two-run single by senior shortstop Collin Salzenstein tied the game at 3.

Eastern (15-5) took the lead for good in the bottom of the second, scoring two runs after senior second baseman Jordan Tokarz was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and senior third baseman Zach Skidmore hit a sacrifice fly.

The Panthers scored three runs in the fifth, but Illinois State cut the lead to three in the seventh after scoring two runs on RBIs by first baseman Evan Kohli and red-shirt sophomore center fielder Tyler McNeely.

Junior left fielder Curt Restko saved the game for the Panthers later in the fifth inning, robbing a blast by Ruffolo with two men on base that would have tied the game at eight. Ruffolo hit a long fly ball to left, but Restko was able to jump up at the last second to come down with the ball for the Panthers who have won five in a row.

"(Ruffolo) was a buddy of mine I played with home over the summer," Restko said. "He already hit one that way. I think the wind got it, but I just followed it back and my centerfielder did a good job telling me where the fence was. I just got back got the fence and jumped up."

The Panthers added one more run in the eighth to put the game out of reach with a solo home run freshman catcher Gerik Wallsten, the first of his career.

"It was a down-the-middle fastball," Wallsten said. "It was right in my wheelhouse. I just turned on it."

Wallsten went 1-for-2 from the plate with two sacrifice bunts, including a suicide squeeze in the fifth.

Wallsten said getting down bunts is just as important as hitting homeruns for the team to win games.

Red-shirt freshman pitcher Mike Martin started for the Panthers and picked up his second win of the season, pitching four innings, giving up three runs and five hits. Sophomore right-hander Matt Miller came in relief and pitched two innings of two-hit ball, allowing zero runs and one walk.

Schmitz said both pitchers performed well and it allows the Panthers to add more depth to their rotation.

The bottom of the Panthers order (freshman right field Zach Borenstein, Restko and Wallsten) came up huge for the Panthers, combining for six hits and four RBIs.

The Panthers will return to Ohio Valley Conference action this weekend as they host Tennessee Tech for a three-game series. The teams play a doubleheader Saturday starting at noon and the finale is Sunday at 1 p.m. All games will be played at Coaches Stadium.


Dan Cusack can be reached at 581-7944 or at dscusack@eiu.edu.

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