CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois earned a series win over SIUE baseball Friday with a 20-5 win in the second game of a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series.

The Panthers have won the first two games in the final series of the regular season and improved to 14-39 overall and 7-22 in OVC play. The Cougars have now lost 10 consecutive games and fell to 9-39 and 6-23 in the OVC.

The Panthers scored multiple runs in their final five at-bats, including scoring six times in the fifth inning and five times in the eighth.

"Once they put up that big number, that was kind of it," SIUE Coach Danny Jackson said. "That kind of deflated us."

EIU starter Matt Wivinis (2-7) allowed four runs, two earned, on five hits in seven innings. He struck out nine on his way to the win.

"He pitched well," Jackson said of the EIU starter. "He located his fastball and he had has slider working. He attacked the strike zone and weren't able to do much against him."

SIUE starter Jarrett Bednar (2-8) allowed five earned runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings in the final start of his SIUE career. He struck out two.

"Jarrett Bednar battled," Jackson said. "He didn't have his best stuff, but he battled hard."

Panthers' rightfielder Mitch Gasbarro finished the day 3 for 4 with two home runs and four RBIs. Designated hitter Demetre Taylor was 2 for 5 with four RBIs. Three other players had three hits apiece for EIU, which finished with 22 hits.

The Cougars managed just seven hits. Jacob Stewart was the only SIUE player with more than a single hit. He was 2 for 3 with a run scored. Keaton Wright, Skyler Geissinger, Jackson Layton and Mario Tursi each had RBIs for SIUE.

The Cougars and Panthers conclude the regular season Saturday with the finale of the three-game set. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.

"We'll put this one behind us and see what happens tomorrow," Jackson added.