Panther baseball had a field day at home yesterday, as they crushed the Blueboys of Division-III Illinois College by a score of 20-0.

The story of the day was the Panther performance on both offense and defense. They scored six runs in the second and third innings, leading by a score of 15-0 after the first five frames. The Panthers then slowed down to post five runs in the seventh inning to reach their final total of 20.

Head coach Jim Schmitz used the home game against Illinois College as an opportunity to play some players at home who normally do not get a chance to start. Schmitz said he was particularly pleased with the performances of sophomore Nick Priessman, who notched five hits, and freshman Cameron Berra, who picked up four.

“Nick (Priessman) was supposed to lead off this year,” Schmitz said. “He struggled and we made a decision. I don’t know if that was the right or wrong decision, him and Cam Berra obviously did a phenomenal job right there.”

Priessman had only six hits in 33 at bats coming into the game before going five-for-six, also extended his season RBI total from three to six by the time the game ended.

“I just stayed in my approach all year,” Priessman said. “Just tried to do what I did all year in (batting practice).”

Schmitz said it is a comfort to him to have all 10 guys who batted pick up hits going into a conference weekend against Tennessee Tech.

“It’s a good feeling knowing if you want to call off the bench on this weekend if I need to do that,” Schmitz said. “That’s the key. Priessman was good, Berra was good, Tyler Schwiegert was good, (Gerik) Wallsten moved the runner and then smoked a ball, (red-shirt junior) Ciaglia really got it started with a home run.”

Sophomore right-hander Troy Barton got the start for the Panthers, working two hitless innings and struck out two while walking none.

The win was given to freshman left-hander Christian Slazinik, who relieved Barton with his own two-inning stint, allowing two hits while striking out three.

Senor right-handed reliever Matt Miller pitched the final inning, setting the Blue Boys down in order and recording a pair of strikeouts. The appearance was Miller’s first action since allowing two runs on three hits in 1.1 innings at Morehead State last weekend.

“We were going to maybe go with Miller (Tuesday) night but (senior right-hander Brent) McNeil was just so good,” Schmitz said. “Matt (Miller) pitched well against Morehead. The game was out of hand, it’s hard to focus, we just said ‘Hey, get in there and finish the game, get us out of here’. It was good to see him go ‘bang-bang-bang’ just getting them out like that.”

The Panthers’ next action will be at home this weekend as they return to Coaches’ Stadium to host Ohio Valley Conference foe Tennessee Tech with a double-header Saturday and a single game Sunday each set to start at 1 p.m.

Brad Kupiec can be reached at 581-7944 or [email protected].