HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Alabama A&M (1-11, 0-0 SWAC) dropped a doubleheader against Eastern Illinois (10-3, 0-0 OVC), falling by a narrow 5-4 decision in the opener and 10-0 in the second game on Sunday, March 13 in a pair of NCAA Division I baseball games.
 
GAME 1: Eastern Illinois 5, Alabama A&M 4
Following a scoreless first inning, the Panthers would waste no time getting on the scoreboard in the second as Dalton Doyle singled to shortstop to bring home Chris Worcester for a 1-0 lead. The score would remain that way until the top of the fourth before EIU responded with Ryan Ignoffo homer to left field to increase their advantage to 2-0.

The Bulldogs would then answer in the bottom of the inning as junior third baseman Jared Tribett (Lumberton, Miss.) doubled to right center to bring home freshman left fielder Janmikell Bastardo (Fort Myers, Fla.) to cut the deficit to 2-1.

The score would remain that way until the top of the fifth when the Panthers responded with Nathan Aide singling to second base to plate Ignoffo and push Logan Eickhoff to score and push their lead to 4-1. AAMU would then answer loudly as Bastardo drove a ball deep over the left field fence to bring home sophomore first baseman Trevor Berkemeyer to trail by one, 4-3.

The Bulldogs would then capitalize in the bottom of the seventh as graduate right fielder Tim Dixon (Debary, Fla.) tripled to right center to bring home junior shortstop C.J Mervilus (Brooklyn, N.Y.) to even the score, 4-4. Unable to bring him home from the third, the clubs headed to extra innings where the Panthers Bryce Hayman doubled to right center to score Worcester for a 5-4 lead.

Heading into the bottom of the added eight inning AAMU would try to respond to overtake the lead but was unsuccessful as EIU closed out the narrow 5-4 decision.

Ignoffo led the Panthers with a 1-for-4 day that included a homerun, an RBI and two scored runs while Worcester went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored. Aide was 1-for-4 with two RBIs. Cameron Doherty pitched six innings allowing three runs while striking out seven and Zane Robbins struck out three to go to 1-0.
 
Bastardo led the Bulldogs with a 2-for-4 day that included a home run along with two RBIs and a pair of runs scored while Dixon was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Mervilus went 3-for-3 with a run scored. Junior pitcher Josue Torres (Cidra, Puerto Rico) started and threw seven innings, allowing four earned runs while striking out one and Jason Marono had one inning of relief.

GAME 2: Eastern Illinois 10, Alabama A&M 0
In the first inning the Panthers would deliver four runs off three hits, including two RBIs from Eickhoff, for a 4-0 lead. They would then capitalize in the top of the second as Ignoffo singled to center field and brought home Lincoln Riley for a 5-0 advantage.

The score would remain that way until the top of the fourth inning as EIU would then increase their lead with four runs off three hits that included two RBIs from Aide for a 9-0 lead. They would then capitalize in the top of the fifth as Ja'Lil Akbar scored to push their advantage to 10-0 before pitching would rule for the final two innings and neither team would score.

Ignoffo led the Panthers with a 3-of-5 day, four RBIs and two runs scored while Doyle was 3-of-3 with three RBIs. Eickhoff had an RBI and two runs scored while Lucas DiLuca went 1-for-2 with a run scored. Blake Malatestinic threw seven innings, striking out eight and allowed no earned runs to move to 3-0.

Tribett led the Bulldogs as he was 1-for-1 with a steal. Freshman pitcher Jason Garcia threw three innings and struck out three while junior pitcher Jose Figueroa (Toa Alta, Puerto Rico) threw one inning, struck out one and allowed three earned runs to suffer the loss to fall to 0-1.

The Bulldogs will be back in action on Tuesday, March 15 as they face off against Stillman College. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Bulldog Field.