RICHMOND, Ky. – Freshman Jayson Langfels batted 3-for-5 with a grand slam, triple, two runs scored and six RBI to power the Eastern Kentucky University baseball team past Berea College on Tuesday, 17-9. With the win, the Colonels even their record at 18-18-1, while the Mountaineers drop to 7-25-2 for the season.
Berea jumped ahead early with a run in the first; however, the Colonels plated five in their half of the second and would not trail again. In the second, junior Matt Davis led off the inning with a double, and then promptly stole third. Langfels drove Davis home with a triple to left center. It was Langfels’ sixth triple of year, tying the EKU record for most in a season. Senior Joe Oliver brought Langfels home with a single up the middle, and then Oliver scored when senior Clint Seymour reached on an error by the Mountaineer shortstop. With two outs in the inning, sophomore Anthony Ottrando ripped a single up the middle to plate Seymour for the fourth run of the inning. The next batter, junior Dylan McMaine, blasted a triple scoring Ottrando; however, McMaine was thrown out at home trying to stretch it into a home run.
The Colonels added two more in the fourth when junior Tyler Rehmel laced a bases loaded single to plate junior Aaron Barrows and Seymour; however, the Mountaineers scored four in their half of the fifth, capped off by a two run triple from freshman Aaron Bee, to pull within two.
Leading only 7-5, the Colonels tacked on three more runs in the fifth and six more in the seventh to seal the victory. In the fifth, Langfels singled in Davis to start the inning. With one out, Barrows hit a sacrifice fly to center scoring Oliver, before McMaine was walked with the bases loaded to bring home the third run of the inning.
In the sixth, Rehmel ripped another single with the bases loaded, advancing to second on the throw, leaving McMaine at third and scoring two runners. The next batter, Davis, walked, setting the stage for Langfels’ grand slam, a rocket over the wall in left center.
EKU added another run in the eighth off an RBI double by Ottrando, before the Mountaineers scored four in the top of the ninth, all off a grand slam to right by Bee, who finished with seven RBI.
Freshman Michael Martinez (1-0) got the win for the Colonels, pitching five innings and allowing five runs (three earned) on six hits, while striking out five batters. Senior Michael Mulholland picked up his first save of the year for the Colonels, pitching the last four innings and allowing four runs, all in the ninth, on three hits.
Trey McMillan (1-7) took the loss for Berea.
Aside from Langfels, the Colonels were led at the plate by a host of players. Ottrando went 3-for-6 with two RBI and a run scored. McMaine went 2-for-2 with three walks, two RBI and a run scored. Rehmel batted 2-for-6 with four RBI and a run scored. Davis went 3-for-5 with three runs scored. Oliver went 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored, while Seymour batted 2-for-4 with four runs scored.
The Baseball Colonels return to action tomorrow, April 23, when they host a doubleheader with the Kentucky State Thorobreds. First pitch is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Both games will be seven inning affairs.
