Issue date: 4/20/09 Section: Sports

Eastern Junior first baseman Jake Samuels catches a pick-off attempt as Jacksonville State junior center fielder Daniel Adamson dives back safely during the first game of Saturday's doubleheader between Jacksonville State and Eastern at Coaches Stadium. (Eric Hiltner / The Daily Eastern News)

After a walk-off win in the first game Saturday, the Eastern baseball team lost its focus and dropped its first two home games of the season as the team lost two of three to Jacksonville State this weekend.

The Panthers (27-8. 10-3 Ohio Valley Conference) gutted out an 8-7 win in the early game Saturday on a walk-off RBI single from senior shortstop Jordan Kreke.

But junior left-hander Tyler Kehrer and sophomore right-hander Mike Recchia (6-1) got batted around in the final two games of the series Saturday and Sunday.

Kehrer allowed six earned runs in 4 1/3 innings Saturday and fell to 3-3 on the season as the Panthers lost 13-3 to split the doubleheader.

Recchia, who entered Sunday's game having allowed only six earned runs the entire season, allowed eight in 3 2/3 innings to drop his first decision of the season as the Panthers fell 10-5.

"We didn't pitch well, but we've got to learn to come back when we're down a little bit at all," said Eastern head coach Jim Schmitz. "We didn't respond well at all."

Saturday's loss saw Kehrer cruise through the first three innings in front of about a half-dozen Major League Baseball scouts.

However, Schmitz said the dynamic of the game changed in the bottom of the third when, after freshman right fielder Zach Borenstein hit a solo home run to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead, Gamecocks' junior starter Austin Lucas' next pitch went behind senior second baseman Jordan Tokarz, prompting a warning of both benches by the home plate umpire.

"I thought after they threw behind Tokarz yesterday that everything changed," Schmitz said. "It got in (Kehrer's) head and he went out and gave up three runs."

Ben Tootle, who was scheduled to pitch the second game of Saturday's doubleheader, did not pitch this weekend. JSU head coach Jim Case said Tootle was unavailable because of an illness.

The Panthers continue their 10-game home stand with three midweek games starting with a 3 p.m. contest against Saint Louis on Tuesday.


Collin Whitchurch can be reached at 581-7944 or cfwhitchurch@eiu.edu.

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