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RICHMOND, Ky. – Senior Matt Davis’s pinch-hit two-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning lifted the Eastern Kentucky University baseball to team to a thrilling, come-from-behind 9-8 victory over Georgetown College Tuesday afternoon at Turkey Hughes Field. With the win, the Colonels improve to 19-13 (6-6 OVC) on the season. 

Davis, the Colonels’ leading hitter, did not start due to a hamstring injury; however, with two outs, two men on and the Colonels trailing by two in the bottom of the eighth, EKU skipper Jason Stein called on the hobbled senior to pinch hit. On a full count, Davis delivered with a double down the left field line that scored freshmen Dustin Dunlop and Michael Garcia and gave EKU its first lead of the game.

A throwing error on shortstop Bryan Bonner made the score 9-7 before freshman Richie Rodriguez grounded out to end the inning.

Sophomore Jayson Langfels, the Colonels’ second leading hitter and every day third baseman, also did not start due to injury; however, he made only his second career pitching appearance in the eighth and recorded the last out of the inning. He then came back out in the ninth and allowed the first two batters he faced to reach base. The third batter of the inning, Colin Wilkerson, advanced both runners with a groundout to third base. After Jake Mahan made it 9-8 with a sacrifice fly to right, Langfels got pinch-hitter Austin Sparks to strike out swinging to end the game.

It was Langfels (1-0) first career win. The Lexington native worked 1.1 innings and allowed one run on one hit while recording a very key strikeout.

Freshman Matt Harris started on the hill for EKU and went four innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits. Freshman Greg Terry, sophomore Macon Smith and senior Alex Napier pitched scoreless innings in the fifth, sixth and seventh respectively. Senior David Owens surrendered five runs on four hits in the eighth; however, all of the runs were unearned due to two Colonel errors early in the inning.

In all, EKU allowed only one earned run on the day.

Ryan Anderson (1-4) received the loss for Georgetown. Anderson came on in the eighth and allowed Dunlop to reach on a single. The next batter, Davis, plated Dunlop with a double, and Dunlop proved to be the go-ahead run.

Freshman Jacob Daniel paced the Colonels offensively, going 2-for-4 on the day with two runs scored and an RBI. Garcia, meanwhile, batted 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.

Eric Severson led the Tigers at the plate, going 2-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Mike Steinke went 2-for-4 on the day with two runs scored.

Trailing 2-0 and having only recorded one hit heading into the bottom of the fifth, the Colonels manufactured a run. Daniel reached on an error to begin the inning and then went to third on a double into left center by Garcia. Dunlop then plated Daniel with a sacrifice fly to right that cut the deficit in half.

EKU tied it in the seventh. Junior Anthony Ottrando walked to open the inning and went to third on a base hit by Daniel. When Daniel attempted to steal second, Georgetown catcher Jason Frilling overthrew second base and Ottrando scampered home for the tying score.

Georgetown, however, exploded for five runs in the eighth to take a seemingly comfortable 7-2 lead.

But the Colonels responded in the home half of the inning. Freshman #A.J. Jamison# opened the inning with a double to right center, advanced to third on a groundout by Rodriguez and then scored on a base hit to right by senior Aaron Barrows. Senior Tyler Rehmel then singled to center, but Barrows was thrown out at third base. Rehmel went to second on the throw. After Ottrando walked, Daniel singled home Rehmel to make it 7-4. Garcia then laced a single into left center that plated Ottrando and made the score 7-5. Dunlop brought the Colonels to within one, 7-6, when he dropped a single into left field that scored Daniel. Davis’s heroics then gave the Colonels the lead for good.

Six of the Colonels’ seven runs in the eighth inning came with two outs.

EKU returns to action tomorrow, April 15, when they travel to play Marshall in Huntington. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.