Brett Stanley sparked the opening rally with an infield single that set the stage for Mike O'Conor's grand slam to left field, clearing the bases and giving Eastern Illinois a 4-0 lead.
Grand Slam Sets the Tone
Illinois State answered in the second inning with four runs and later added six in the seventh, extending their lead and forcing Eastern Illinois to play catch-up.
Mac Zawistoski took the loss, slipping to 2-1, while reliever Eddie Scaccia allowed four earned runs on seven hits over 4.1 innings.
Brayden Zilis earned the win, moving to 1-1 and striking out five Panthers, as James Love and Ethan Rossi each collected two hits.
The 15-4 final score dropped Eastern Illinois to 28-18 overall and 15-9 in the Ohio Valley Conference, while Illinois State improved to 32-20 and 13-11 in the Missouri Valley Conference.
The Panthers' next game is against Western Illinois, scheduled for Thursday at 2:00 p.m., a matchup that could shape their postseason hopes.