RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky baseball team used a seven-run first inning and a six-run sixth inning to cruise to a 13-8 victory over the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks in game one of a doubleheader on Friday afternoon at Turkey Hughes Field. The Skyhawks earned a split of the doubleheader with 6-1 victory in game two. The Colonels finished the day with an overall record of 14-13-1 and 5-3 in the OVC while Tennessee-Martin sits at 9-20 and 2-6.
Eastern made quick work of Skyhawk starter Adam Ledlow in game one sending 12 batters to the plate in the first inning. Senior Shawn Flora reached on an error to begin the Colonel first and then moved to second on a single by junior Lucas Waters. Ledlow then balked with junior Tony Wells at the plate to move the runners to second and third and Wells made him pay with a two-run single to right field.
Ledlow then hit sophomore Matt Davis with a pitch before getting the first out of the inning on a sacrifice bunt by junior Clint Seymour. Sophomore Dylan McMaine followed though with a two-run triple to make it 4-0. Junior Joe Oliver followed with an RBI single and junior Tyler Barnett then doubled down the left field line to drive Ledlow from the game. Sophomore Aaron Barrows, who went 3-for-5 with three RBI on the day, knocked in the final runs of the inning with a two-run single to give Eastern a 7-0 lead.
Martin crawled back in the game though in the third against EKU starter McKenzie Willoughby. The Skyhawks put their first two runners on to begin the inning to bring up Chris Rezabek who smashed a three-run home run to left field. Scott McLean followed with a double and Bryce Carden then singled to drive Willoughby from the game.
EKU reliever Jim Clancy allowed an RBI double to Nate Walters and run-scoring single to Douglas Nicodemus but then limited the damage getting a popup and a double play to get out of the inning with Eastern still leading 7-5.
Martin cut the lead to one in the fourth on a McLean RBI single but the Colonels responded in the sixth, exploding for six more runs. It looked as if it would be another scoreless inning for Eastern as Seymour came to the plate with two outs and Wells on first. But he promptly singled to left to keep the inning alive and freshman Zach Monroe followed with an RBI single, his first career hit, to make it 8-6.
Oliver then walked to load the bases and Martin brought in reliever Travis Webb to face Barnett who knocked a two-run single up the middle. A Barrows RBI single made it 11-6 and Waters closed out the scoring with another two-run single.
The Skyhawks would not threaten again against Clancy, scoring just two more runs which both came in the ninth. Clancy (2-0) picked up the victory for Eastern, allowing just three runs in a career-high seven innings. Barnett led the offense, registering a career-high four hits while also knocking in two runs.
Martin took its first lead of the day in the first inning of game two on solo home run off the bat of Kyle Dudley. The Skyhawks tacked on two more runs in the second on another home run, this time a two-run shot from Nicodemus.
UTM took control of the game in the third. Eastern starter Chris Grider retired two of the first three men to face him, the second coming on a spectacular catch by Barrows who robbed Rezabeck of a home run.
But he then walked McLean and Carden before giving way to EKU reliever Eric Hash who walked Walters to force in a run and then gave up an RBI single Nicodemus. Chad Green knocked in the final run of the inning on another bases-loaded walk.
Meanwhile, the Colonels could muster little offense against Martin starter William Blackmon who allowed just one run and six hits in 6.0 plus innings of work. The lone Eastern run came in the seventh on a Barrows RBI single driving in junior Frank Krailler who led off the inning with a double.
The teams conclude the series on Saturday at Turkey Hughes Field. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
