MACOMB, Ill. (Interstat) — Tyler Conklin threw a one-hitter over seven innings, striking out six and allowing one earned run, as Eastern Illinois defeated Western Illinois 7-1 on Thursday afternoon at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium in an Ohio Valley Conference contest.

The Panthers (29-19) jumped ahead in the top of the third when Quade Peters doubled home Ethan Rossi. Peters went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Eastern Illinois broke the game open in the fifth, scoring three times on a Tyler Castro RBI double, a Brett Stanley run-scoring bunt single and a Mike O’Conor RBI double. The Panthers added three more in the eighth on a Peters single, a Stanley walk and a James Love walk, each driving in a run.

Conklin, who struck out eight days earlier against SIU Edwardsville, was relieved by A.J. Hiestand, who pitched two hitless innings with one strikeout. For Western Illinois (15-33), starter Max Tripure struck out seven in five innings but allowed seven hits and three earned runs. Liam Bushey singled for the Leathernecks’ only hit, and Wandel Campana drove in the lone run in the first inning.