Bradenton, Fla. – The Eastern Kentucky baseball team dropped its fourth-straight game after surrendering five runs in the top of the 10th inning to IPFW on Tuesday in its first contest of the Florida All-Star Baseball Challenge. The Colonels (1-5) rallied from a 6-1 deficit to send the game into extra innings, but committed five errors on the day en route to the 13-9 loss.

Ryan Steinback led the Mastodons (5-3) with a 4-for-7 day at the plate and a game-high five RBI. IPFW tallied 18 hits on their way to 13 runs, only three of which were earned. The Colonels racked up 15 hits, led by three a piece from Brett Bolger, Bryan Stevenson and Shawn Flora, and appeared to have the momentum on their side after tallying two runs in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at 8-all.

Senior closer Richard Boothe (0-2) came on in the ninth with the game tied and watched as IPFW managed to load the bases with no outs. Boothe surrendered a lead off hit to Caleb Smith, then hit Sean Kirk with a pitch before Dustin Fremion followed with a single. With the bags full and no outs, Boothe managed to get an out at the plate, then struck out Steinbach for the inning's second out. IPFW ended up stranding three runners, as Boothe escaped the frame by forcing Tyler Fowler to ground out to second.

Eastern looked all set to complete the comeback victory as senior Will Whisenant (hit by pitch) and Flora (single) reached base to start the bottom of the ninth. But, IPFW turned to Adam Gibson (1-0) who entered the game and retired the next three Colonels in order to send them contest into the extra innings.

Boothe wasn't as fortunate in the 10th, as the Mastodons pushed across five runs (only one of which was earned) off six hits and an EKU error. Second baseman Ryan Keena opened the frame by reaching on a fielding error and went on to score the go-ahead run off a bunt single by Brent Alwine. A run-scoring double by Kirk and a two-run double by Zach Walton sealed Eastern's fate.

EKU opened the bottom of the 10th by loading the bases with back-to-back singles and a walk, then plated a run off a sacrifice fly from senior Adam Visnic to make it 13-9. Gibson prevented any further damage, however, by inducing a 4-6-3 double play from the next Colonel hitter to end the game.

Brett Bolger went 3-for-4 at the plate and drove in a team-high three runs in the losing effort. Stevenson also went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Flora put together a 3-for-5 performance. Sophomore McKenzie Willoughby made his second start of the season for the Colonels, throwing 5.1 innings with six hits, four strikeouts and seven runs allowed (only one of which was earned).

Eastern returns to action tomorrow morning when it faces Valparaiso at 10:30 a.m. at Academy Park.