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WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team dropped its second straight game in the 2009 RussMatt Central Florida Invitational on Monday night, falling to Sacred Heart, 6-1. The Colonels mustered only three hits in the loss, all of which were singles. With the defeat, EKU drops to 3-5 while SHU improves to 3-2.

Sophomore Paul Duncan (1-2) picked up the loss for EKU, working 5.2 innings and allowing six runs on nine hits. Senior Alex Napier pitched a scoreless 2.1 innings to close out the game, giving up just one hit and striking out three batters.

Jared Balbach (1-1) earned the win for SHU, pitching seven strong innings and allowing just one run on three hits while fanning six. Mick Oswald pitched the final two innings for the Pioneers, allowing no runs on no hits.

Jeff Hanson paced the Sacred Heart offense, going 3-for-4 with a run scored and three RBI.

The top of Sacred Heart’s lineup powered the Pioneers to a quick 4-0 lead. Steve Tedesco led off the game with a single and moved to third on a double by Ryan Lynch. Both base runners were plated on a ground rule double to center by Hanson, who scored on a sacrifice fly to center from Jeff Hepner.

The Pioneers added another run in the third when Lynch tripled to open the inning and was brought home on an RBI single by Hanson, making it 4-0.

EKU got one run back in the fifth. Freshman Alan Abreu was hit by a pitch to begin the inning and advanced to second on a single from fellow rookie, Richie Rodriguez. After senior Matt Davis was also hit by a pitch, junior Anthony Ottrando grounded into a double play that scored Abreu. Senior Tyler Rehmel then grounded out to end the inning.

Sacred Heart expanded its lead to five in the sixth inning when Tedesco delivered a two-out, bases loaded single through the left side of the Colonel infield that scored two and made it 6-1.

The Colonels return to action tomorrow, March 10, when they take on Bucknell at 9:00 a.m.