MATTOON, Ill. – Jason Goldstein had three hits, including a two-run homer, and Andrew Mamlic earned his second straight Tuesday night win to lead the Illinois baseball team to a 5-4 victory over Eastern Illinois at Grimes Field. The Fighting Illini extended their season-long winning streak to five games.
Illinois (18-16) never trailed and finished its two-game season sweep of Eastern Illinois. The Illini led 4-2 after five innings, on the power of Goldstein's homer, and 5-2 before the bottom of the seventh when Eastern fought back with two runs on just one hit.
Charlie Naso (1.0 IP, 0 ER) and J.D. Nielsen (1.1 IP, 0 ER) finished off the Panthers to get Mamlic his third win of the year. Mamlic went the first 6.2 innings while allowing four runs (two earned) on three hits.
Eastern Illinois (5-31) put the tying run on third base with one out in the ninth after a double by Nick Maton and a wild pitch. Nielsen picked up his fourth save by striking out Tyler Tesmond and getting Hunter Morris to fly out to left to end the game.
"We found a way to win," said head coach Dan Hartleb. "That's the bottom line."
Illinois won a one-run game for the first time this season, improving to 1-9. The Illini are now 15-1 when leading after five innings.
Goldstein went 3 for 4 with a walk, two RBIs and a run scored. It was his second straight 3-for-4 day, which included a streak of six straight at-bats with a hit. Luke Shilling had two hits, including a double, and Trent Hammond, Doran Turchin and Dan Rowbottom each drove in a run. Hammond has eight RBIs in the last four games.
After five straight nonconference games, Illinois returns to Big Ten play Friday-Sunday against Ohio State. Friday's game is the annual Bleacher Bum BBQ.
