Jerrud Sabourin pitched five solid innings and went 4-5 at the plate to give the Hoosiers a 9-6 win over Eastern Illinois (3-13). For IU (7-9), it is their third win in the past four games. Alex Dickerson and Micah Johnson continue to slug, each with two hits, including a home run, and three RBI a piece.
Chris Squires retired the side for his fourth save of the season and 15th in his career, tying Chris Wilson's record back in 2000.
After EIU scored four unearned runs in the second, Johnson responded with a two-RBI single to tie the game at four. Three batters later, Dickerson crushed his seventh home run of the year to give Indiana the lead for good at 6-4.
After Johnson's sixth blast of the year in the fourth inning, Sabourin continued to pitch well, putting zeros on the board in the third and fourth innings.
EIU finally chased him out of the game in the sixth, where Casey Smith came on in relief. A wild-pitch would score a run, as well as an RBI ground-out, to make it a 7-6 ballgame.
The Hoosiers would not back down, however. Dickerson would drive in Brian Lambert on an RBI ground-out in the sixth, and Sterling Mack came up clutch with a pinch-hit single through the right side to score Michael Basil to make it 9-6.
After EIU reached on an error and a hit-by-pitch, Squires came in to relieve Jerry Kleman and promptly walked the first batter to load the bases. He would settle down to strike out the next two hitters swinging, and a get the last hitter to ground out to end the game.
IU will return to action on Friday against UMBC (3-6) at 3 p.m. ET.
