Richmond, Ky. -The Eastern Kentucky baseball team suffered a 14-5 loss to Wright State on Tuesday afternoon at Turkey Hughes Field. Wright State (10-9) tallied 15 hits on the day and took advantage of five EKU errors. The Colonels (7-10) tried to comeback from an early 7-1 deficit, but could not contain Wright State's offense, which had four innings with three-or-more runs.
Amin Abusaleh led the Raiders with a 3-for-6 day at the plate and drove in a game-high four runs in the win. Senior Derrick Bussell led the Colonels with three runs scored, a steal and a 3-for-4 performance in the losing effort.
Wright State jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first after senior Brian Engle (1-2) issued walks to the first two batters he faced. Back-to-back doubles did the majority of the damage for WSU, the last of which scored two runs and came from Bryan Vickers.
Eastern made it a 4-1 contest in the bottom of the third when Bussell scored from third off a wild pitch, but the Raiders responded by plating three more runs in the top of the fourth to go up 7-1. Engle lasted just 3.2 innings and allowed six runs (five earned) after surrendering five hits and four walks.
RBI doubles by junior Brett Bolger and senior Bryan Stevenson pulled Eastern within four, 7-3, in the bottom of the fifth, but the team would be unable to get any closer. Bolger went 2-for-5 on the day and drove in a team-high two runs.
The Raiders struck for three runs in the seventh and eighth innings to quell any hopes of an EKU rally. Ross Vagedes (1-0) picked up his first win of the season by allowing three runs over 5.0 innings of work. Nate Stevens closed out the game by going the final 2.2 innings for Wright State, allowing just two hits during his relief stint.
Freshman Lucas Waters went 2-for-2 in the game, including an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh which marked his first collegiate hit and RBI. Eastern stranded 10 runners in the loss and left a runner on third base in the first, fourth, fifth, seventh and ninth innings. Seniors Will Whisenant and Stevenson added multi-hit efforts to Eastern's cause.
EKU returns to action tomorrow afternoon when it welcomes Marshall to Turkey Hughes Field at 3 p.m.
