A-State Splits Doubleheader with Eastern Illinois
Arkansas State baseball (10-5, 0-0 SBC) demolished Eastern Illinois (2-10, 0-0 OVC) by a score of 20-3 in the first of two games, but the Panthers responded with a 6-3 victory to close the doubleheader on Saturday evening at Tomlinson Stadium.
Jelle van der Lelie (2-1) started in the first game for A-State, finishing with one earned run allowed on five hits while striking out four over five innings pitched. Collin Maloney started in the next matchup and finished with one earned run on four hits while striking out five over 4.1 innings.
Dylan DeButy had a career day at the plate, finishing with two home runs and a career high seven RBIs in the opener. The Senior fell one shy of the team record set by Shane Eaker in 1992 against Little Rock.
GAME ONE
After Mike O’Conor put Eastern Illinois ahead in the first with an RBI-single, the Scarlet and Black unloaded starting with an RBI-groundout from Cason Tollett. A throwing error put A-State ahead before a pair of bases-loaded walks made the score 4-1.
An RBI-double for Austen Jaslove extended the lead to four runs in the second before DeButy fired the Red Wolves’ first grand slam of the season to left center. One inning later, Tollett brought in a run with after singling to right field and Daedrick Cail knocked in two more with a single up the middle.
DeButy capped off the third with a two-run blast over the left-field wall, making the score 15-1 going into the fourth.
The Red Wolves scored five more runs over the next three innings, including a two-run homer for Cade Tucker and a two-run single for Allen Grier. Nyan Hayes brought in the final run of the game for A-State on a sacrifice fly and made the score 20-1.
Cade Zalewski broke the Panthers’ silence in the seventh with a two-run home run, but it would not be enough to escape the run-rule as the Scarlet and Black closed a 17-run victory.
Van der Lelie earned the win while Colton Coca (1-1) took the loss as A-State records their largest margin of victory in a game since downing ULM 25-4 in April 2023.
GAME TWO
Cail opened the second game with an RBI-knock to give the Red Wolves an early 1-0 advantage.
Two innings later, Kolten Poorman tied the game for the Panthers with an RBI-double and put two runners in scoring position. However, Collin Maloney was able to force the final out of the frame to keep the score at 1-1.
Tollett put A-State back in front with a sacrifice fly to the warning track in left centerfield, allowing Grier to score uncontested.
The Panthers tied the game when Dylan Drumke fired a grounder through the gap and into left field for an RBI-single. With the bases loaded and one out on the board, Cole Gober put EIU ahead with a grand slam to left field, making the score 6-2.
Cade Tucker cut the deficit to three with a leadoff solo-home run over the centerfield wall, marking the First Baseman’s third consecutive game with a home run. The last A-State player to achieve the feat was Brandon Hager, who homered in three-straight games during the 2022 campaign.
A-State was unable cut into the deficit any further as Eastern Illinois split the doubleheader with the Red Wolves. Chaney Trout (1-1) earned the win while Bryce Schares (0-1) took the loss as both teams look to claim the series on Sunday afternoon.
NEXT UP
Arkansas State will close their series with Eastern Illinois in a rubber match on Sunday, March 10, at Tomlinson Stadium. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. on ESPN+