CHARLESTON, Ill. – Chicago State baseball continued its season-opening road swing here Tuesday afternoon with a battle against host Eastern Illinois at Coaches Stadium, but fell a close 1-0 decision.
The Cougars dropped to 2-9 on the year, while the Panthers improved their season record to 4-13.
The game's lone run was scored in the second inning when EIU junior Gerik Wallsten lined a two-out RBI single off CSU freshman starter Derek Sterrett (Frontier, Ind.) to right field that scored senior Shawn Ferguson.
In the seventh inning, the Green and White had their best chance to tie the game as junior Tony Sanchez (Plainfield, IL/Heartland CC) (Plainfield, Ill.) and senior Miguel Camacho (Chicago, IL/Oakton CC) (Chicago, Ill.) reached base with a single and a double, respectively with no outs before the Panthers got the next three outs to end the rally.
Both teams recorded an offensive output of five hits. Sterrett (0-2) took the loss after allowing a run on five hits in seven innings of work in addition to recording two strikeouts and three walks.
Sophomore Troy Barton (1-1) posted four strikeouts and walked one in six shutout innings to gain the win for Eastern Illinois. Senior Matt Miller threw three scoreless innings to capture the save.
CSU travels to Savannah, Ga., this weekend to compete in a three-game series against Savannah State beginning Friday afternoon at 2 p.m.
~CSU~
