By MARLON SCOTT
Senior Staff Writer
The Govs hit the road for their second Ohio Valley Conference series this season. They went to Charleston, Ill., Friday, April 2, and quickly found themselves in the maw of the Eastern Illinois Panthers.
Errors and cold bats put the Govs down 2-0 on day one of the series. The Panthers defeated the Govs 2-1 (2-0, 4-3 and 18-6).
In the first game of the doubleheader Friday, April 2, at Coaches’ Field, the Govs (15-12, 3-3 OVC) were neutralized by Panthers’ pitcher Mike Recchia (3-2). After walking the lead-off batter, Recchia retired 10 straight Govs’ batters. He finished seven innings of pitching allowing only one hit, no runs and seven strike outs.
The Govs produced only two hits in the game.
Senior pitcher Ricky Marshall (4-3) picked up the loss. Marshall struck out one and picked up two earned runs from eight hits.
After Recchia was relieved, the Govs had a chance in the ninth to win with two runners in scoring position and two outs. Pinch hitter senior Daniel Baggett appeared to hit a line drive, three run shot over the left field fence. But the hit was ruled foul. Baggett went down swinging on the next pitch.
With runs in the second and third inning, it looked as if the Govs had recovered offensively in the second game.
But two errors in the bottom of the third inning helped the Panthers score three runs and change the momentum of the game.
After scoring on a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning, the Panthers led the Govs 4-2 in the bottom of the seventh.
Senior outfielder Jared Delong hit a single up the middle with two outs and the bases loaded.
The runner on third scored and the runner from second was sent home to at least tie the game and send it into extra innings. But the second runner was thrown out by a bullet from center field to end the game.
Junior pitcher Ryne Harper (3-1) was tagged for his first loss of the season. He allowed four runs (one earned) from six hits and struck out two in four innings pitching.
Panthers’ pitcher Mike Hoekstra (2-1) picked up the win. The Govs produced seven hits. Delong led the team going 2-for-4 at the plate with 2 RBI.
After generating only five runs on nine hits in the doubleheader against the Panthers, the Govs blasted 18 runs from 17 hits in the final game Saturday, April 3. Senior Adam Browett and junior Shayne Martin both earned 5 RBIs in the game.
The Govs scored runs in six straight innings starting in the third and posted seven runs in the seventh.
The Panthers went through six pitchers trying to slow down the onslaught. Brent McNeil (0-3) picked up the loss.
Govs’ senior pitcher Stephen Huff (3-3) earned the win. Sophomore infielder John Clinard tied the game in the fifth inning with a lead off homer. However, it was Browett who began the seven-run rally in the seventh when he smacked a 1-2 pitch to left center for a 2 RBI double.
Not to be outdone, Martin added his own two run double later. But Clinard added a triple to his home run to also score two runs in the inning.
Nine different batters produced hits in the game. Seven of the nine earned at least one RBI.
After the Panther series, the Govs were in fourth place in the OVC, behind SEMO, Jacksonville State and Murray State.
They will play their next OVC series on the road against Eastern Kentucky Saturday, April 10, before returning home for a home game against Western Kentucky Tuesday, April 13.
