PEORIA, Ill. (Interstat) — Eastern Illinois erupted for five runs in the second inning and got three scoreless innings from reliever Jarrett Kinder as the Panthers defeated Bradley 12-4 on Wednesday, April 29, 2026.

Eastern Illinois improved to 25-15, while Bradley dropped to 8-37. The Panthers collected 14 hits to the Braves’ 11.

Mac Zawistoski started for Eastern and earned the win, pitching five innings while allowing zero hits and four earned runs with three strikeouts. Kinder followed with three hitless innings, striking out four and earning a hold, and A.J. Hiestand closed with a scoreless ninth.

Brett Stanley led the Panthers’ offense, going 3 for 4 with three RBIs. Mike O’Conor drove in four runs on two hits, and Colin Horneman added three hits and an RBI. For Bradley, pitcher Joey Cirelli gave up three hits and one earned run in 2 1/3 innings, while Mason Lee threw a scoreless inning with two strikeouts.

Eastern Illinois struck first in the top of the first. Tyler Castro walked, moved to third on a flyout and scored on O’Conor’s sacrifice fly to center.

The Panthers broke the game open in the second. Horneman singled, Quade Peters singled and Castro was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Stanley singled to left for a 2-0 lead, and Chris Worcester walked to force in another run. O’Conor then ripped a two-run single to left, and Peyton Wilson added an RBI single to center, making it 6-0.

Bradley answered in the bottom of the second. Michael Quick singled, Hayden Miller doubled and Jaxon Mac grounded out to drive in a run. Miller stole third and Angelo Aleman doubled to left, scoring Miller. After a strikeout, Peyton Nelson bunted for a single and Sohrab Rezaei singled to right, scoring Aleman to cut the deficit to 6-3.

The Braves got one more in the third. Landon Lowe singled, advanced to second on a balk, moved to third on an error and scored on Mac’s sacrifice fly, making it 6-4.

Eastern Illinois regained control in the fifth. Horneman singled, Peters singled and both advanced on a sacrifice bunt. Stanley singled, and an error allowed two runs to score, extending the lead to 8-4. In the sixth, Dylan Drumke singled, stole second and scored on Horneman’s double for a 9-4 lead.

The Panthers added three runs in the eighth. Peters singled, stole second and scored on Stanley’s double. After an error, James Love singled home Stanley, and O’Conor singled in another run to make the final score 12-4.

Kinder retired nine of the 10 batters he faced, fanning four. Hiestand worked a 1-2-3 ninth. Bradley’s bullpen combined for 7 1/3 innings, allowing three earned runs.

Eastern Illinois returns home to host Southeast Missouri State on Friday. Bradley travels to Belmont for a three-game series beginning Friday.