CHARLESTON, Ill. – SIUE hitters banged out 15 hits and Duncan McLaughlin tossed eight innings as the Cougars downed Eastern Illinois 11-5 Sunday at Coaches Stadium.
Both SIUE and Easter Illinois are now 6-6 in Ohio Valley Conference play. The Cougars are 13-23 overall. EIU is 11-20.
"I'm really happy with the way the guys rebounded," SIUE Head Coach Sean Lyons said. "We knew we didn't play great yesterday and it was going to take a strong effort and we got that today."
Chase Bloomer got the Cougars out in front in the first with a three-run home run following singles by Ryan Niedzwiedz and Ethan Willoughby.
Mike O'Connor answered for the Panthers with a three-run shot of his own in the bottom of the first inning.
Those were the only runs allowed by McLaughlin (1-1). Making just his second start of the year, McLaughlin turned in the longest outing for a Cougar pitcher this season. He allowed three runs on seven hits. He allowed just four hits after the first inning and struck out four total.
"It was a great performance," Lyons said. "And it was exactly what needed. He really settled in after that first inning."
Bloomer drove home another run with an RBI-hit in the third inning to make it 4-3. Drew Mize delivered a two-run double later in the inning to push the lead to 6-3.
SIUE put up another three-run inning in the fourth. The Cougars loaded the bases with a two-out hit from Bloomer and walks to Willoughby and John Stallcup. Willoughby scored on a balk and Daniel Gierer lined a double to the right field corner to score two runs and make it 9-3.
Lucas Spence led off the fifth inning with his fourth home run of the season to make it 10-3. The home run extended Spence's hitting streak to 21 games.
Willoughby drove in a run with his third hit of the day, to make it 11-3 in the seventh inning.
The Panthers pulled two runs back in the bottom of the ninth against SIUE reliever Garrett Helsel.
Bloomer paced the Cougars at the plate. He was 3-5 with a career-high four RBIs.
"What a day out of Chase," Lyons said of his shortstop. "He stepped up for us. We made a little bit of a lineup shift and he responded."
Willoughby was 3-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.
"Ethan Willoughby had a great day at the plate for us," Lyons added.
Mize was 3-5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Gierer finished 2-4 with two RBIs.
Cole Gober led the Panthers with a 3-for-4 day at the plate. Grant Lashure was 2-4.
SIUE will travel to Illinois for a Tuesday game and play host to Blackburn Wednesday at Simmons Complex. The Cougar then travel to Western Illinois for a weekend OVC series.
