RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University baseball Colonels fell to Samford 4-3 in extra innings of game one, and then were outslugged by the Bulldogs 14-9 in game two of Sunday’s doubleheader. With the losses, the Colonels fall to 22-24-1 (9-12 OVC), while the Bulldogs improve to 28-17 (14-5 OVC).
Behind the pitching of starter Mckenzie Willoughby, the Colonels held a 2-0 lead into the sixth of game one. The Colonels’ first run of the day came off an RBI single up the middle from junior Tyler Rehmel, plating junior Dylan McMaine. Their second run of the day was the product of a solo home run to right off the bat of senior Tyler Barnett.
The Bulldogs, however, tied it up in the sixth with two runs of their own. With a man on first, Michael Johnson ripped a double to left, the Bulldogs’ first hit of the game off Willoughby. The next batter, Bill Whitehead, then singled up the middle to score both runners and tie the game. After Whitehead, Willoughby settled down and got through the rest of the inning unscathed.
In the top of the seventh, however, Marcus Rodriguez hit a solo home run to left field to put the Bulldogs ahead 3-2.
Facing defeat, the Colonels rallied to tie it in their half of the seventh. Freshman Jayson Langfels led off the inning with a triple to left center. It was Langfels’ league-best seventh triple of the season, and it also gave him the school record for most triples in a season. The next batter, senior Clint Seymour, laced a single up the middle to plate Langfels and send the game into extra innings.
Facing sophomore Jim Clancy in the eighth, however, Bear Burnett punched a single to right scoring Michael Marseco and giving the Bulldogs a 4-3 lead that they would not relinquish.
Willoughby took a no-hitter into the sixth, pitching seven innings in all and allowing just two earned runs on four hits. He also struck out four batters. Clancy (0-2) got the loss for the Colonels, going just one inning and giving up one run on three hits.
Samford reliever Kyle Nichols (2-3) received the win, pitching one and a third innings and allowing no runs on just one hit.
At the plate, the Colonels were led by McMaine and Barnett in game one. McMaine went 3-for-4 with a run scored, while Barnett went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.
Game two saw both teams combine for seven runs in the first inning, as Samford led 4-3 heading into the second. All three of the Colonels’ first inning runs came off a three run blast over the wall in right center from Rehmel, his fourth home run of the season.
The Bulldogs added one more in the second, three more in the third and three more in the fourth to pull ahead of the Colonels 11-3; however, the Colonels kept chipping away at the lead.
The Colonels tacked on one run in the fourth off an RBI single up the middle by Oliver that scored junior Matt Davis. Then they scored three more in the fifth, one coming off a sacrifice fly to left by Rehmel, and the other two products of RBI singles by Langfels and Barnett. EKU added two more in the ninth, one off an RBI double to right center from McMaine and the other off another sacrifice fly by Rehmel.
The Bulldogs, however, scored two runs in the sixth and another run in the seventh to keep the Colonels from a monumental comeback.
Chris Hord (0-3) started the game for the Colonels and got the loss, going two innings and allowing four earned runs on six hits. Junior Eric Hash pitched an inning, allowing two earned runs on three hits. Freshman Paul Duncan pitched two thirds of an inning and gave up three runs on two hits, while fellow freshman Patrick Cooper went three and a third innings and allowed three runs on five hits.
Michael Jarry (3-2) got the win for Samford, pitching four and a third innings and allowing five earned runs on nine hits.
The Colonels were led offensively in game two by Rehmel, who went just 1-for-2 but had five RBI to show for his efforts. Langfels batted 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI, and Barrows went 2-for-5 with two runs scored.
The Colonels have this entire week off, and will return to action this weekend when they travel to Southeast Missouri State for an important conference.
